Adam Driver
A former Marine turned actor whose intense physicality and raw emotional vulnerability have redefined leading men in modern cinema.
Born 1983 (age 43)·American actor·Birthday: November 19·Millennials
Biography
Adam Driver's path to the screen was anything but conventional. After the 9/11 attacks, he left a tentative arts education to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, serving for over two years. An injury cut his military service short, and he eventually landed at Juilliard. His towering frame and singular, gravelly voice made him an immediate standout on the HBO series 'Girls,' where he played the volatile Adam Sackler. That role announced a performer of unsettling honesty. Driver then leveraged that attention into a staggering range of work, from the tortured villain Kylo Ren in the 'Star Wars' sequel trilogy to soulful, nuanced performances in films by Jim Jarmusch, Spike Lee, and Martin Scorsese. He and his wife run Arts in the Armed Forces, a nonprofit that brings theatre to active military personnel, bridging his two defining worlds.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Adam was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Adam Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Adam's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received Academy Award nominations for his supporting roles in 'BlacKkKlansman' and 'Marriage Story.'
- Founded the nonprofit Arts in the Armed Forces, which has staged performances for thousands of service members worldwide.
- Portrayed the central antagonist Kylo Ren across three Star Wars films, bringing psychological complexity to a blockbuster franchise.
- Earned three consecutive Primetime Emmy nominations for his breakout role on the HBO series 'Girls.'
Did You Know?
He was a Marine with the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, and was medically discharged after injuring his sternum in a mountain biking accident.
He worked as a telemarketer for a roofing company and a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman before his acting career took off.
He and his wife, Joanne Tucker, live in a converted church in upstate New York.
He is an avid fan of the video game 'Minecraft,' citing its creative freedom.
“The military is very similar to acting. It's a lot of hurry up and wait, and there's a lot of people you wouldn't normally meet.”
