Christian Slater
A magnetic, rebellious screen presence who channeled teenage angst into a darkly iconic performance in the cult classic Heathers.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American actor·Birthday: August 18·Generation X
Biography
Christian Slater exploded onto the scene with a specific, irresistible energy: a smirk, a whisper, and the dangerous charm of a young Jack Nicholson. His breakout role as the nihilistic J.D. in 1989's Heathers redefined the teen movie, swapping saccharine lessons for a sardonic, explosive satire of high school hierarchy. The film's cult status cemented his persona. Throughout the 90s, he rode a wave of leading roles in films like 'Pump Up the Volume' and 'True Romance,' embodying a kind of anti-authoritarian cool. After navigating personal and career fluctuations, he found a powerful second act on television, winning a Golden Globe for his role in the USA Network series 'Mr. Robot,' where he played an anarchist hacker with the same compelling intensity he'd harnessed decades earlier.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Christian was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Christian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Delivered a career-defining performance as Jason 'J.D.' Dean in the seminal black comedy Heathers.
- Won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Mr. Robot in the first season of the series 'Mr. Robot'.
- Starred as the renegade pirate radio host Mark Hunter in the cult film 'Pump Up the Volume'.
- Provided the voice for the lead character in the animated series 'Archer' for its fourth season.
Did You Know?
He made his Broadway debut at the age of nine in the play 'The Music Man'.
His mother, Mary Jo Slater, is a successful casting director.
He is an accomplished stage actor, having performed in several Broadway productions including 'The Glass Menagerie'.
He was considered for the role of Robin in Tim Burton's 'Batman' (1989).
“I've always been attracted to characters that are a little bit on the edge.”
