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Who is Stephen Dorff?
American actor Stephen Hartley Dorff Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia USA, on 29 July 1973, making Leo his zodiac sign. He has 106 acting credits, but is perhaps still known best for playing one of the lead characters Deacon Frost in the 1998 action science fiction horror movie “Blade”, which also starred Wesley Snipes and Kris Kristofferson, and was directed by Stephen Norrington. It follows a half-mortal half-vampire man as he’s protecting humans from evil vampires, and the movie won five of its 16 award nominations.
Stephen’s currently shooting for the upcoming movies “The Trainer”, “King of Killers” and “Mob Land”.
Education and early life
Stephen was raised in Los Angeles, California alongside his brother Andrew, by their father Stephen Hartley Dorff who was a songwriter and composer, and mother Nancy who was a housewife; Andrew was a country music songwriter, and died aged 40 in 2016.
Stephen attended several private schools in Los Angeles and was 12 when he made his debut TV series appearance, playing Tony in the 1985 episode “The Gladiators” of the family comedy “The New Leave It to Beaver”; the same year saw him appear in an episode of the family comedy “Diff’rent Strokes”, while he made his debut film appearance in the 1987 drama “In Love and War”.
Upon matriculating from a private high school in Los Angeles in 1991, Stephen chose not to pursue a college degree but to remain focused on acting.
Roles in movies
Stephen starred as Glen in the 1987 fantasy horror “The Gate”, which also starred Christa Denton and Louis Tripp, and was directed by Tibor Takacs. It follows children who’ve found a mysterious hole in their backyard, and have inadvertently released a horde of demons from it; the film won two of its four award nominations. The remainder of the ‘80s saw Stephen appear in the family drama “Hiroshima Maiden” and the drama “Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story” both in 1988, and the 1989 crime mystery “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”
In 1992, he portrayed the lead character P. K. Age 18 in the popular sports drama “The Power of One”, which also starred Armin Mueller-Stahl and Morgan Freeman, and was directed by John G. Avildsen. It follows a British boy living in Africa during Second World War, and the movie won one of its five award nominations. Some of Stephen’s following roles were in the 1993 crime action “Judgment Night”, the 1994 comedy “S. F. W.” and the 1995 historical romantic comedy “One Hundred and One Nights”.
In 1999, he played Jake Simms, Jr. in the romantic crime drama “Earthly Possessions, which starred Phoebe Lapine and Susan Sarandon, and was directed by James Lapine. It follows a bored wife who’s been taken hostage in a bank robbery, and is now helping the robber escape the police.
Some of Stephen’s notable performances in the first half of the 2000s were in the 2001 comedy “Zoolander”, the 2003 mystery thriller “Cold Creek Manor” and the 2005 crime action “Shadowboxer”. In 2009, he portrayed Homer Van Meter in the critically acclaimed biographical crime action “Public Enemies”, which starred Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, and was directed by Michael Mann. It follows the Feds as they’re trying to bring gangsters Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson and John Dillinger to justice in the 1930s, and the movie won one of its 15 award nominations.
In 2015, Stephen played the lead character Oliver Campbell in the thriller “The Debt”, which also starred David Strathairn and Brooke Langton, and was written and directed by Barney Elliott. It’s a political movie which shows how far people will go for what they want, and it won six of its seven award nominations.
Some of Stephen’s most recent film roles have been in the science fiction thriller “Divinity”, the western “Dead Man’s Hand” and the crime action thriller “Blood for Dust”, all released in 2023.
Roles in TV series
In 1988, Stephen played Martin in the episode “Read It and Weep: Part 1” of the comedy “Family Ties”, and the same year heard him voice the lead character Llahd in all 14 episodes of the animated action adventure “Dino-Riders”, which starred Wally Burr and Christopher Collins, and follows human Valorians who’ve flown through a wormhole while running away from intergalactic warlord Krulos, and have ended up on prehistoric Earth; the series was nominated for only a single award. The remainder of the ‘80s saw Stephen appear in an episode of the family comedy “Empty Nest”, the comedy “Married… with Children”, and the crime drama “I Know My First Name is Steven”.
In 1990 and 1991, Stephen starred as Tucker Brannigan in all 24 episodes of the fantasy comedy “What a Dummy”, which also starred Joshua Rudoy and David Doty, and was created by Leslie Eberhard and Arthur L. Annecharico. It follows Ed Brannigan whose great-uncle Jackie has just died, and has left behind his ventriloquist dummy Buzz which can think and talk; the series was nominated for four awards.
Stephen had no TV series roles in the following 15 years, until he was cast to play the lead character Jon Smith in both episodes of the 2006 action mystery mini-series “Covert One: The Hades Factor”, which starred Mira Sorvino and Blair Underwood, and follows two secret agents as they’re trying to stop a deadly virus from spreading. Stephen’s only other TV series role in the 2000s was playing two characters in both episodes of the 2008 action crime mini-series “XIII: The Conspiracy”.
In 2017 and 2018, he played Brody Dean in 11 episodes of the musical “Star”, which starred Brittany O’Grady and Jude Demorest, and was created by Tom Donaghy and Lee Daniels. It follows three women who’ve created a band, and the series was nominated for seven awards.
Stephen’s since had roles in three TV series, playing Detective Roland West in eight episodes of the critically acclaimed 2019 crime mystery “True Detective”, Sheriff Bill Hollister in 13 episodes of the 2020 crime action “Deputy”, and Vance Simkins in two episodes of the 2023 comedy “The Righteous Gemstones”.
Other credits
Stephen received special thanks for the 2003 short documentary movie “FeardotCom: Vision of Fear”, the 2013 biographical crime film “The Bling Ring”, and the 2021 biographical historical documentary movie “Kid 90”.
He has eight producing credits, which include the 2018 thriller film “Don’t Go”, the 2020 action sports film “Embattled”, and the 2022 action horror thriller movie “The Price We Pay”.
Some of Stephen’s recent talk-show appearances have been in “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Coheen”, “Hollywood First Look” and “Hollywood Insider”.
Awards and nominations
Stephen’s won five of his 12 award nominations. Some of his wins include a 1991 Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor Starring in a TV Movie, Pilot or Special, for “Always Remember I Love You”, a 1992 ShoWest Convention Award for Male Star of Tomorrow, and a 1999 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Villain, for “Blade”.
Love life and relationships
Stephen avoids speaking about his love life in public, but there are 16 women whom he’s been with, that we know about; we’re about to mention some of them with whom he spent most time.
From 1991 through 1996, Stephen was in a relationship with Courtney Wagner, who’s perhaps only known for being a daughter of the late American actress Natalie Wood; as the two’s relationship was on-and-off, Stephen dated several other women during those years, including popular actresses Reese Witherspoon, Alicia Silverstone and Bridget Hall.
In 2004 and 2005, he dated famous American actress Pamela Anderson, and was in 2007 and 2008 in a relationship with Tami Donaldson, an American model and actress.
Most recently, in 2015 and 2016, Stephen dated Charlotte McKinney, who’s also an American actress and model.
He seems to be unattached as of July 2023, hasn’t married and doesn’t have children.
Interesting facts and hobbies
Stephen’s a collector of vintage cameras.
Around the time when he launched his acting career, he appeared in commercials for Mattel and Kraft.
Stephen was nearly cast to star as Jack in the evergreen 1997 romantic movie “Titanic”, which won 126 of its 209 award nominations, including 11 Oscar wins; he’s stated that he’s glad he didn’t win the role, because ‘he would always be remembered as that guy on the boat’.
His mother died from brain cancer in February 2008.
Stephen loves to travel, and usually spends his spare time in St-Tropez, France.
He loves to attend the Cannes Film Festival in France.
Stephen dislikes social media networks and doesn’t use Instagram; there’s an Instagram fan page created for him, which is today followed by over 2,000 people and numbers close to 1,200 pictures uploaded onto it.
Ryan Reynolds is one of Stephen’s favorite actors, and some of his favorite movies include “Spirited”, “The Adam Project” and “Deadpool”.
Height, eyes and wealth
Stephen’s age is 50. He has brown eyes and hair, is 5ft 7ins (1.71m) tall and weighs around 155lbs (70kgs).
Stephen’s net worth’s been estimated at over $12 million, as of July 2023.
