Matt Dillon
He evolved from a teen heartthrob in the 80s to a character actor who delivers raw, unvarnished portraits of American masculinity.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American actor·Birthday: February 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Matt Dillon arrived on screen as if he'd always been there, a tough-talking kid from New Rochelle who became the face of disaffected youth in films like 'The Outsiders' and 'Rumble Fish.' His early career was defined by that brooding, blue-collar charisma, but Dillon refused to be pigeonholed. He spent the 1990s zigzagging between indie experiments and mainstream comedies, a restless search that culminated in a career-redefining turn as a bigoted cop in 'Crash.' That performance, layered with unsettling ambiguity, earned him an Oscar nomination and cemented his status as an actor unafraid of uncomfortable truths. In the decades since, he has continued to choose roles that intrigue him, from a hapless criminal in 'There's Something About Mary' to a weary detective in 'The House That Jack Built,' always bringing a lived-in, specific gravity to every part.
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.
Matt was born in 1964, 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 Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
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
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
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
1994Turned 30
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
2004Turned 40
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
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Officer John Ryan in 'Crash'.
- Won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for his performance in 'Drugstore Cowboy'.
- Directed and starred in the film 'City of Ghosts,' a thriller set in Cambodia.
- Earned a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast for 'Crash'.
Did You Know?
He was discovered by a casting agent while cutting school in a hallway at his junior high school.
He made his directorial debut with the 2002 film 'City of Ghosts,' which he also wrote and starred in.
He is an accomplished painter and has had his artwork exhibited in galleries.
He provided the voice for the character Ken in the 'Toy Story' animated short 'Small Fry.'
““I think the characters I'm drawn to are people who are in some kind of crisis, who are at a crossroads.””
