Linden Ashby
An actor who pivoted from 90s heartthrob on 'Melrose Place' to the beloved, steadfast Sheriff Stilinski on 'Teen Wolf.'
Born 1960 (age 66)·American actor·Birthday: May 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
Linden Ashby possesses the easy charm of a classic leading man, but his career reveals a knack for endurance in the shifting tides of Hollywood. He first captured attention as the scheming, handsome Brett Cooper on the later seasons of 'Melrose Place,' a role that cemented his place in 90s pop culture. That same year, he landed a part that would earn him a different kind of fandom: the wisecracking, video-game-star Johnny Cage in the film adaptation of 'Mortal Kombat.' For many actors, that might have been the peak. For Ashby, it was a prelude to a second act. Two decades later, he found a new generation of fans as Sheriff Noah Stilinski on MTV's 'Teen Wolf.' As the compassionate, often exasperated father to the show's protagonist, Ashby brought warmth and grounded humanity to a supernatural drama, his performance resonating deeply for six seasons. His career arc is a testament to versatility and steady presence.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Linden was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Linden Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Linden's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
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
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
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
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
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
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Sheriff Noah Stilinski across all six seasons of the hit MTV series 'Teen Wolf' (2011-2017).
- Played the iconic video game character Johnny Cage in the 1995 film 'Mortal Kombat.'
- Joined the cast of the Fox primetime soap 'Melrose Place' for its final two seasons as Brett Cooper.
Did You Know?
He is a trained martial artist, which helped him secure the role of Johnny Cage.
Ashby was a competitive equestrian in his youth and considered a career as a professional show jumper.
He is married to actress Susan Walters, who also appeared on 'Teen Wolf' as his on-screen wife, Natalie Martin.
“You show up, do the work, and let the chips fall where they may.”
