Jason Patric
An intense and magnetic screen presence who carved a path as Hollywood's brooding, selective outsider, often in morally complex roles.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American actor·Birthday: June 17·Generation X
Biography
Jason Patric, grandson of Jackie Gleason and son of playwright Jason Miller, entered the film world with a legacy to either embrace or defy; he chose defiance. His breakout role as the vampire-hunting Michael Emerson in 'The Lost Boys' cemented him as a 1980s heartthrob, but he quickly pivoted away from easy fame. Patric built a career on deliberate choices, favoring gritty, challenging parts over blockbuster safety. His performances in films like the undercover cop drama 'Rush' and the harrowing 'Sleepers' showcased a raw, internalized acting style. He reached a career zenith with 'Narc,' a blistering portrait of police corruption where his detective was a vortex of rage and grief. Famously private and dismissive of celebrity culture, Patric's relationship with the industry has been one of mutual wariness, making his powerful screen appearances all the more potent.
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 1966, 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 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Jason's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
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
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Delivered a career-defining performance as undercover detective Nick Tellis in the critically acclaimed thriller 'Narc' (2002).
- Starred as Michael Emerson in the cult classic vampire film 'The Lost Boys' (1987).
- Earned critical praise for his role as a drug-addicted undercover officer in the film 'Rush' (1991).
- Appeared on Broadway in a revival of 'That Championship Season,' a play written by his father, Jason Miller.
Did You Know?
He is the grandson of comedy legend Jackie Gleason.
He turned down the lead role in 'Speed' (1994), which later went to Keanu Reeves.
He was engaged to actress Julia Roberts for a brief period in the early 1990s.
He is a founding member of the New York theater company Naked Angels.
“I don't think you can be an interesting actor and be a celebrity. They're mutually exclusive.”
