Matthew Modine | |
|---|---|
 Modine at the 2017San Diego Comic-Con | |
| Born | Matthew Avery Modine (1959-03-22)March 22, 1959 (age 66) Loma Linda, California, U.S. |
| Education | Mar Vista High School |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2, includingRuby Modine |
| Website | matthewmodine |
Matthew Avery Modine (born March 22, 1959)[1] is an American actor and filmmaker. He shared theVenice Film Festival‘sVolpi Cup for Best Actor as part of the ensemble cast ofRobert Altman filmStreamers (1983). He went on to play lead roles in several high-profile films throughout the 1980s, includingBirdy (1984),Vision Quest (1985), andMarried to the Mob (1988). He gained further prominence for playingU.S. Marine James T. "Joker" Davis inStanley Kubrick'sFull Metal Jacket (1987).
Other notable films includePacific Heights (1990),Short Cuts (1993),Cutthroat Island (1995),The Dark Knight Rises (2012), andOppenheimer (2023). On television, he portrayedDr. Don Francis in theHBO filmAnd the Band Played On (1993), Sullivan Groff onWeeds (2007), Ivan Turing inProof (2015), andDr. Martin Brenner onNetflix'sStranger Things (2016–2022).
Modine has been nominated twice for aGolden Globe Award forBest Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for his work inAnd the Band Played On andWhat the Deaf Man Heard and received a special Golden Globe for him and the rest of the ensemble inShort Cuts.[2] He was also nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special forAnd the Band Played On.
Modine, the youngest of seven[3] children, was born on March 22, 1959, inLoma Linda, California, the son of Dolores (née Warner), a bookkeeper, and Mark Alexander Modine, who manageddrive-in theaters. He is the nephew of the stage actressNola Modine Fairbanks, and the great-grandson of the prospector and pioneerRalph Jacobus Fairbanks.[4][5] One of his other great-grandfathers was aSwedish immigrant.[6] Modine lived inUtah for several years, moving every year or two. The drive-in theaters his father managed were being torn down because the land beneath them exceeded the value of the theaters. The Modine family returned toImperial Beach, California, where Matthew attended and graduated fromMar Vista High School in 1977.[7]
Modine's first film role was inJohn Sayles' filmBaby It's You (1983). Also that year, he co-starred in thesex comedyPrivate School, withPhoebe Cates andBetsy Russell. His performances caught the eye of director Harold Becker, who cast him inVision Quest (1985, filmed 1983), based on Terry Davis's novel. The directorRobert Altman propelled Modine to international stardom with his 1983film adaptation ofDavid Rabe's playStreamers. Modine playedMel Gibson's brother inMrs. Soffel (1984) and starred withNicolas Cage inAlan Parker'sBirdy (1984); the film was awarded Grand Prix at theCannes Film Festival. Modine turned down the role ofLT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell inTop Gun (played byTom Cruise), because he felt the film's pro-military stance went against his politics.[8]
Modine may be best known for his role as Private/Sergeant J.T. "Joker" Davis, the central character ofStanley Kubrick's Vietnam War filmFull Metal Jacket (1987). Subsequently, Modine played the dangerous young criminal Treat inAlan Pakula's 1987film adaptation ofLyle Kessler's stageplayOrphans. Modine played the goofy, earnest FBI agent Mike Downey inJonathan Demme's screwball comedyMarried to the Mob (1988) oppositeMichelle Pfeiffer. In 1990, he led the cast ofMemphis Belle, a fictionalized account of theB-17 Flying Fortress. Modine's subsequent roles included Drake Goodman in the thrillerPacific Heights (1990),Dr. Don Francis in theHBO filmAnd the Band Played On (1993), and Dr. Ralph Wyman in the Robert Altman filmShort Cuts (1993). For his work inAnd the Band Played On, he was nominated for aGolden Globe Award forBest Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television and for aPrimetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special, and for his work inShort Cuts, he received a special Golden Globe Award for the ensemble cast.
In 1995, Modine appeared oppositeGeena Davis in the romantic action-adventure filmCutthroat Island. He was nominated for a secondGolden Globe Award forBest Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for his work in the 1997 television filmWhat the Deaf Man Heard. Modine made his feature directorial debut withIf... Dog... Rabbit... (1999), which came after the success of three short films debuting at theSundance Film Festival:When I Was a Boy, co-directed withTodd Field;Smoking, written byDavid Sedaris; andEcce Pirate, written by Modine. Also in 1999, he appeared inOliver Stone's football dramaAny Given Sunday.
In 2003, he guest-starred inThe West Wing episode "The Long Goodbye". He portrayed the character Marco, who went to high school with C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) and who helped her deal with her father's steady mental decline due toAlzheimer's disease. Modine agreed to take the role because he is a longtime friend of Janney. (The two appeared together in a theatrical production of the playBreaking Up directed by Stuart Ross). That same year, he playedFritz Gerlich in theCBS miniseriesHitler: The Rise of Evil (2003).
In 2004, Modine appeared inFunky Monkey as ex-football star turned spy Alec McCall, who teams up with super-chimp Clemens and his friend Michael Dean (Seth Adkins) to take down the villainous Flick (Taylor Negron). The film was critically panned, yet has gained a cult status.[9] In 2005,Abel Ferrara'sMary won the Special Jury Prize at theVenice Film Festival. In the film, Modine portrays a director recounting the story ofMary Magdalene (Juliette Binoche). The following year, he guest-starred in theLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Rage" as aserial killer of young girls. In 2010, Modine appeared inThe Trial, which was awarded theParents Television Council's Seal of Approval™. The PTC said: "'The Trial' combines the best features of courtroom drama, murder mystery, and character story. 'The Trial' is a powerful drama which shows the power of healing and hope." Modine played a corrupt Majestic City developer named "Sullivan Groff" throughout Season 3 onWeeds. Groff has affairs withNancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) and Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins). Also in 2010, Modine appeared in HBO'sToo Big to Fail, a film about the2008 financial crisis. Modine stars asJohn Thain, former chairman and CEO ofMerrill Lynch.
His dark comedyI Think I Thought (2008) debuted at theTribeca Film Festival. The film tells the story of a Thinker (Modine) who ends up in Thinkers Anonymous. Other short films includeTo Kill an American,Cowboy, andThe Love Film. In 2011, he completedJesus Was a Commie, an avant-garde-dialectical conversation about the world and the prominent issues of modern society. Modine co-directed the short film with Terence Ziegler, the editor ofI Think I Thought. Modine's short films have played internationally.[10] Modine completed two more independent films,Family Weekend (2013) andGirl in Progress (2012), oppositeEva Mendes.[11] In 2012, he appeared inChristopher Nolan'sThe Dark Knight Rises as Deputy Commissioner Peter Foley, aGotham City police officer and peer toGary Oldman'sCommissioner James Gordon. In February 2013, Modine was cast inRalph Bakshi's animated filmLast Days of Coney Island after coming across the film'sKickstarter campaign online.[12][13] In 2014, he co-starred withOlivia Williams,Richard Dillane, andSteve Oram in the horror mystery filmAltar.[14] In 2015, he played Ivan Turing in theTNT supernatural medical dramaProof.[15]
In 2016, Modine played Dr. Martin Brenner in the Netflix original seriesStranger Things. In 2017, he and hisStranger Things castmates won theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. In 2017, Matthew Modine was featured in the music video for "1-800-273-8255", a song by American hip hop artistLogic.[16] Modine was part ofSpeed Kills released in November 2018[17] as well as several upcoming films such asFoster Boy,Miss Virginia, andThe Martini Shot.[18] In 2023 he portrayedVannevar Bush inChristopher Nolan's biographical thrillerOppenheimer.
Modine appeared inArthur Miller'sFinishing the Picture at Chicago'sGoodman Theatre, in Miller'sResurrection Blues at London'sOld Vic, and in a stage adaptation ofHarper Lee'sTo Kill a Mockingbird (asAtticus Finch) at Connecticut's Hartford Stage (This production ofTo Kill a Mockingbird became the most successful play in the theatre's 45-year history), and in 2022/23 at London'sGielgud Theatre.[19] In 2010, he starred withAbigail Breslin in the 50th Anniversary Broadway revival ofThe Miracle Worker[20] at theCircle in the Square theatre.
In fall 2013, Modine starred in a self-parodying comedy,Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas at Los Angeles' Geffen Theatre.[8]
Modine married Caridad Rivera, a makeup and wardrobe stylist, in 1980. They have two children: Boman, an assistant film director; andRuby Modine, an actress, singer and ballet dancer.[21][22][23]
Modine is the subject of the 2005 song "Matthew Modine" byPony Up.[24][25]
_(cropped).jpg)
Cycling has been Modine's main mode of transportation since he moved to New York City from Utah in 1980. He heads a pro-bike organization called "Bicycle for a Day" and was honored for his work on June 2, 2009, by the environmental arts and education center on theEast River,Solar 1.[8]
In 2019, Modine ran unsuccessfully forSAG-AFTRA national presidential election, challenging incumbentGabrielle Carteris. Modine's campaign manager and a number of other union members filed protests after the result, alleging election violations.[26] The complaints were unsuccessful, and the investigation found no reason to set aside Cateris's election. Modine ran again in 2021 and was defeated byFran Drescher by a margin of 52.5% to 47.5%.[27][28]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Baby It's You | Steve | |
| Private School | Jim Green | ||
| Streamers | Billy | ||
| 1984 | The Hotel New Hampshire | Chip Dove / Ernst | |
| Birdy | 'Birdy' | ||
| Mrs. Soffel | Jack Biddle | ||
| 1985 | Vision Quest | Louden Swain | |
| 1987 | Full Metal Jacket | Private/Sergeant J.T. "Joker" Davis | |
| Orphans | Treat | ||
| 1988 | Married to the Mob | FBI Agent Mike Downey | |
| The Gamble | Francesco Sacredo | ||
| 1989 | Gross Anatomy | Joe Slovak | |
| 1990 | Memphis Belle | Captain Dennis Dearborn | |
| Pacific Heights | Drake Goodman | ||
| 1992 | Equinox | Henry Petosa / Freddy 'Ace' | |
| Wind | Will Parker | ||
| 1993 | When I Was a Boy | None | Short film; Co-writer, co-director and co-producer |
| The Tree | Boy as Middle-Aged Man / Boy as Old Man | Short film | |
| Short Cuts | Dr. Ralph Wyman | ||
| 1994 | The Browning Version | Frank Hunter | |
| Smoking | None | Short film; Director and producer | |
| 1995 | Bye Bye Love | Dave Goldman | |
| Fluke | Thomas P. Johnson / Voice of Fluke | ||
| Cutthroat Island | William Shaw | ||
| 1997 | Ecce Pirate | None | Short film; Writer, director and producer |
| The Blackout | Matty | ||
| The Maker | Walter Schmeiss | ||
| The Real Blonde | Joe | ||
| 1999 | Notting Hill | Movie-Within-Movie Actor | Uncredited |
| If... Dog... Rabbit... | Johnnie Cooper | Also writer and director | |
| Any Given Sunday | Dr. Ollie Powers | ||
| 2000 | Very Mean Men | Bartender | |
| Bamboozled | Himself | ||
| 2001 | Nobody's Baby | 'Sonny' | |
| In the Shadows | Eric O'Byrne | ||
| The Shipment | Mitch Garrett | ||
| 2003 | Overnight | Himself | |
| Le Divorce | Tellman | ||
| Hollywood North | Bobby Myers | ||
| 2004 | Funky Monkey | Alec McCall | |
| 2005 | Transporter 2 | Senator Jeff Billings | |
| Mary | Tony Childress /Jesus | ||
| Opa! | Eric | ||
| 2006 | Kettle of Fish | Mel | Also executive producer |
| 2007 | Go Go Tales | Johnie Ruby | |
| Have Dreams, Will Travel | Ben's Father | ||
| The Neighbor | Jeff | ||
| 2008 | I Think I Thought | Joe | Short film; Also writer, director and producer |
| To Kill an American | None | Writer, director and producer | |
| Cowboy | Cowboy | Short film; Also writer and director | |
| Mia and the Migoo | Mr. Houston / Godfrey | Voice, English dub | |
| The Garden of Eden | David's Father | ||
| Santa, the Fascist Years | Narrator | Short film; Voice | |
| 2009 | Little Fish, Strange Pond | Mr. Jack | Also executive producer |
| 2010 | The Trial | Mac | Also producer |
| A Cat in Paris | Lucas | Voice, English dub | |
| 2011 | Jesus Was a Commie | John Doe | Short film;[29] Also writer, director and producer |
| Sunchasers | None | Producer | |
| Wrinkles | Juan | Voice, English dub | |
| The Flying House | 'Bertie' | Short film; Also executive producer | |
| 2012 | Somebody | None | Short film; Writer, director and producer |
| Plastic Jesus | |||
| Girl in Progress | Dr. Harford | ||
| The Dark Knight Rises | Peter Foley | ||
| 2013 | Jobs | John Sculley | |
| Family Weekend | Duncan Dungy | ||
| Cheatin' | None | Executive producer | |
| 2014 | Hyperion | Short film; Associate producer | |
| Altar | Alec Hamilton | ||
| Guests | Theodore Foster | Short film | |
| 2015 | The Brainwashing of My Dad | Narrator | Documentary film; Also producer |
| The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards | Theodore Foster | ||
| Last Days of Coney Island | None | Short film; Executive producer | |
| Merry Xmas | Abe | Also writer and producer | |
| Unity | Narrator | ||
| 2016 | The Confirmation | Kyle | |
| Alex & Co: How to Grow Up Despite Your Parents | Bob Riley | ||
| Revengeance | Sid | Uncredited; Also executive producer | |
| Super Sex | None | Short film; Writer, director and producer | |
| Army of One | Dr. Ross | ||
| Stars in Shorts: No Ordinary Love | Abe | Also co-writer, co-director and co-producer | |
| 2017 | The Hippopotamus | Michael Logan | |
| 47 Meters Down | Captain Taylor | ||
| 2018 | Sicario: Day of the Soldado | James Riley | |
| Speed Kills | George H. W. Bush | ||
| An Actor Prepares | Charlie | ||
| Backtrace | MacDonald | ||
| 2019 | Keepers of the Wild | None | Short documentary film; Executive producer |
| Foster Boy | Michael Trainer | ||
| Miss Virginia | Congressman Cliff Williams | ||
| 2020 | Guardians of Life | Senior Physician[30] | Short film |
| Chance | Mike | ||
| 2021 | The Martini Shot | Steve | |
| Breaking News in Yuba County | Carl Buttons | ||
| Wrong Turn | Scott Shaw | ||
| Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal | Rick Singer | ||
| 2022 | My Love Affair with Marriage | Bo | Voice; also executive producer |
| 2023 | Oppenheimer | Vannevar Bush | |
| Retribution | Anders Muller | ||
| Hard Miles | Greg Townsend | ||
| 2027 | Godzilla x Kong: Supernova | TBA | Filming |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ABC Afterschool Special | Randy | Episode: "Amy & the Angel" |
| 1988 | American Playhouse | Eugene O'Neill | Episode: "Journey Into Genius" |
| Saturday Night Live | Host | Episode: "Matthew Modine/Edie Brickell & New Bohemians" | |
| 1993 | And the Band Played On | Dr. Don Francis | Television film |
| 1994 | Jacob | Jacob | |
| 1995–1998 | The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | Sherlock Holmes | Voice; 78 episodes |
| 1997 | What the Deaf Man Heard | Sammy Ayers | Television film |
| 1998 | American Experience | Lawrence Svobida | Episode: "Surviving the Dust Bowl" |
| The American | Christopher Newman | Television film | |
| 2000 | Flowers for Algernon | Charlie Gordon | |
| 2001 | Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story | Jack Robinson | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Redeemer | Paul Freeman | Television film |
| 2003 | The West Wing | Marco Arlens | Episode: "The Long Goodbye" |
| Hitler: The Rise of Evil | Fritz Gerlich | 2 episodes | |
| Expert Witness | Television film | ||
| 2004 | The Winning Season | Honus Wagner | |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Gordon Rickett | Episode: "Rage" |
| Into the West | Samson Wheeler | Episode: "Dreams and Schemes" | |
| 2006 | The Bedford Diaries | Professor Jake Macklin | 8 episodes |
| 2007 | Weeds | Sullivan Groff | 12 episodes |
| Good Morning Agrestic | Short television series; Episode: "Majestic: Gates of Hell" | ||
| 2008 | Sex and Lies in Sin City | Ted Binion | Television film |
| 2011 | Too Big to Fail | John Thain | |
| 2013 | CAT. 8 | Dr. Michael Ranger | 2 episodes |
| Anatomy of Violence | Convict #3 | Television film | |
| 2015 | Proof | Ivan Turing | 10 episodes |
| 2016–2017, 2022, 2025 | Stranger Things | Dr. Martin Brenner/Papa | 21 episodes |
| 2017 | Idiotsitter | Dr. J. Lowe | 3 episodes |
| 2019 | Sanctuary | Dr. Fisher | 8 episodes |
| Surveillance | The Man in the Red Tie | Television film | |
| 2025 | Zero Day | Richard Dreyer | 6 episodes |
| The Better Sister | Bill Braddock | 8 episodes |
| Year | Title | Artist | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Crazy for You" | Madonna | From the filmVision Quest | |
| "Gambler" | ||||
| 2017 | "1-800-273-8255" | Logic | [31] | |
| 2020 | "What a Man Gotta Do" | Jonas Brothers | [32] |
| Year | Play | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Finishing the Picture | Paul | Goodman Theatre,Chicago | [33] |
| 2006 | Resurrection Blues | Skip | The Old Vic,London | [34] |
| 2009 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Atticus Finch | Hartford Stage,Hartford | [35] |
| 2010 | The Miracle Worker | Captain Keller | Broadway,New York | [20] |
| 2013 | Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas | Himself | Geffen Playhouse,Los Angeles | [36] |
| 2022 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Atticus Finch | Gielgud Theatre,London | [37] |
