Jason Behr
An actor who became an enduring symbol of alien otherness and teenage longing for a generation through his breakout role in the cult series *Roswell*.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American film and television actor·Birthday: December 30·Generation X
Biography
Jason Behr's career is a study in the power of a single, perfectly cast role to define a performer in the cultural memory. Before he was Max Evans, the brooding, protective alien high schooler in *Roswell*, Behr was a working actor with guest spots on 90s staples like *Step by Step* and *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*. But it was *Roswell* that captured the zeitgeist of late-90s teen drama, blending sci-fi mystery with intense romanticism. Behr's performance was the anchor—quiet, soulful, and conveying a profound sense of isolation that resonated with viewers. The show's three-season run cemented his status as a heartthrob of the genre. Post-*Roswell*, he deliberately stepped away from the spotlight, choosing selective film roles like the American remake of *The Grudge* over a pursuit of mainstream fame. His later work, including a turn on the series *Breakout Kings*, showed a more rugged, mature side, but for fans, he remains forever linked to the dusty roads of New Mexico and a story of love from another world.
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.
Jason was born in 1973, 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 Jason Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jason's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
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 50
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 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as Max Evans, the male lead, in the popular sci-fi drama series *Roswell* from 1999 to 2002.
- Was nominated twice for a Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television for his role in *Roswell*.
- Played a supporting role in the Oscar-winning film *The Shipping News* alongside Kevin Spacey and Judi Dench.
- Appeared in the American film adaptation of the Japanese horror franchise *The Grudge* in 2004.
Did You Know?
He is married to actress KaDee Strickland, his co-star from the film *The Grudge*.
He studied martial arts, including Wushu, for several years.
He was considered for the role of Superman in the early 2000s film that was eventually directed by Brett Ratner.
He is an avid photographer and has documented his travels extensively.
“Sometimes the role finds you, and you just have to live inside it.”
