Peter Sarsgaard
An American actor who built a career on unsettling, intellectually charged performances, often portraying morally ambiguous or quietly menacing characters.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American actor·Birthday: March 7·Generation X
Biography
Peter Sarsgaard emerged as one of American cinema's most compelling character actors, specializing in roles that simmer with complexity and latent threat. A graduate of the Actors Studio, he avoided easy categorization, bypassing traditional leading-man parts for more psychologically intricate work. His breakthrough came as a manipulative, murderous socialite in "Shattered Glass," a performance that announced his skill at embodying charming darkness. He continued to explore this terrain in films like "Kinsey" and "Jarhead," but also revealed a capacity for vulnerability, most notably in "An Education" as the older suitor to Carey Mulligan's character. Married to actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sarsgaard has maintained a steady presence in both independent films and major studio projects, bringing a cerebral intensity to every part. His later work includes a chilling turn as a corrupt prosecutor in "The Batman" and a Golden Globe-winning performance in the limited series "Dopesick."
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.
Peter was born in 1971, 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 Peter Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Peter's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
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
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
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
1989Could vote
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
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- He won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Hulu limited series 'Dopesick' (2021).
- His performance as a fraudulent journalist in 'Shattered Glass' (2003) earned him widespread critical acclaim and several award nominations.
- He received a Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival for his role in 'The Maiden Heist' (2009).
- He starred opposite his wife, Maggie Gyllenhaal, in the off-Broadway play 'Three Sisters,' which she also directed.
Did You Know?
He is married to actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, and they have two daughters together.
He turned down a role in the blockbuster 'Avatar' to appear in the smaller film 'Orphan.'
He is a trained stage actor and a member of the prestigious Actors Studio.
He is an advocate for environmental causes and served on the board of the Waterkeeper Alliance.
“"I'm interested in characters who are in some kind of moral free fall."”
