Steve Howey (actor)
A charismatic American actor who shifted from a beloved sitcom heartthrob to a complex, long-running role on a gritty premium cable drama.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American actor·Birthday: July 12·Generation X
Biography
Steve Howey built a career on likable charm before revealing deeper dramatic layers. The San Antonio native broke out as Van Montgomery, the good-natured, slightly dim football player on the hit sitcom 'Reba,' a role that made him a familiar face in living rooms for six seasons. While he appeared in a string of comedies and action films, it was his casting on Showtime's 'Shameless' that marked a turning point. As Kevin Ball, the loyal but often hilariously naive neighbor-turned-bar-owner, Howey delivered a performance that was both uproariously funny and unexpectedly tender, holding his own in an ensemble of heavyweights for eleven seasons. This role redefined him, proving his ability to anchor both broad comedy and nuanced character drama.
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.
Steve was born in 1977, 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 Steve Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Steve's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
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
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
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
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Van Montgomery for six seasons on the popular sitcom 'Reba', becoming a defining character of the show.
- Played Kevin Ball across 11 seasons of the critically acclaimed series 'Shameless', one of the show's longest-running characters.
- Starred as the lead, Captain Nick Wagner, in the ABC crime drama series 'High Potential'.
Did You Know?
He is married to actress Sarah Shahi, whom he met on the set of 'Reba' where she had a recurring role.
He was a skilled basketball player in his youth and played at the junior college level.
He is a certified scuba diver and has a black belt in Taekwondo.
“Comedy is about timing, but drama is about truth in the silence.”
