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Stephen Dorff

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This article is about the actor. For the songwriter, see Steve Dorff.

Stephen Dorff
Dorff in 2012
Born
Stephen Hartley Dorff Jr.

(1973-07-29) July 29, 1973 (age 51)[1]
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Other namesBrad Matlock
OccupationActor
Years active1985–present
FatherSteve Dorff

Stephen Hartley Dorff Jr.[2] (born July 29, 1973) is an American actor. Starting his film career as a child appearing in the cult horror film The Gate (1987), Dorff first rose to prominence playing Stuart Sutcliffe in Backbeat (1994) and then gained further mainstream attention for portraying Deacon Frost in Blade (1998). Other notable lead roles include Bob Rafelson's Blood and Wine (1997), the titular character in John Waters' Cecil B. DeMented (2000) and Johnny Marco in Sofia Coppola's Somewhere (2010), as well as Britney Spears’ boyfriend in her 2004 music video for "Everytime".

Supporting roles include Candy Darling in I Shot Andy Warhol (1996), Detective Scott Strauss in World Trade Center (2006), Homer Van Meter in Public Enemies (2009), Stavros in Immortals (2011), Joseph Kuklinski in The Iceman (2012) and Ketchum in Old Henry (2021). He is also known for portraying Roland West in the third season of HBO's crime drama anthology series True Detective (2019).

Early life

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Dorff was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Nancy and Steve Dorff, who is a composer and music producer.[1][3] His father is Jewish, and his mother was Catholic,[4] and Dorff has stated that he was "brought up half-Jewish."[5][6][7] Dorff's brother Andrew (1976–2016) was a country music songwriter.[8] He was raised in Los Angeles, where his father worked, and began acting as a child, appearing in commercials for Kraft and Mattel. Dorff attended several private schools.[9]

Career

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Dorff (center) with Robert Davi and Michael Shannon at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

Dorff started acting in the late 1980s, landing a few minor roles before being cast as the star of The Gate (1987), a horror film about a boy who, along with a friend, discovers a hole in his back yard that is a gateway to hell. The film was a moderate box office success. He made guest appearances in television programs such as Diff'rent Strokes, Family Ties, Blossom, Roseanne, and Married... with Children. He appeared in the television movies In Love and War, I Know My First Name is Steven and What a Dummy. In 1990, he landed a leading role opposite Patty Duke in the TV movie Always Remember I Love You. In 1992, he starred in The Power of One opposite Sir John Gielgud, Morgan Freeman, and Daniel Craig. In 1993, director Marty Callner hired him to star alongside teen idol Alicia Silverstone in the music video Cryin' by American rock band Aerosmith.[10] He had a leading role as the love interest of Reese Witherspoon's character in S.F.W. (1994). In 1994, Dorff starred in the Iain Softley film Backbeat as the "fifth Beatle" Stuart Sutcliffe during the early days of the Beatles' existence as a group. Dorff's performance was critically acclaimed, with Paul McCartney remarking that while he was disappointed with some aspects of the film, "I was quite taken, however, with Stephen Dorff's astonishing performance as Stu."

In 1996, he starred in the movie Space Truckers and as Candy Darling in I Shot Andy Warhol, a film about Valerie Solanas, the woman infamous for attempting to assassinate pop art icon Andy Warhol. In 1997 he appeared as the protagonist of Blood and Wine alongside an all-star cast. He was one of the first actors to act in the first digitally downloadable movie, SightSound.com's Quantum Project, also starring John Cleese. He played the protagonist, XIII, of a live action TV series of the comic/video game of XIII. He is known for his part as the evil vampire Deacon Frost in the Marvel Comics superhero horror film, Blade (1998). In 1999 he starred opposite Susan Sarandon in Earthly Possessions. He played Dale Massie in the 2003 thriller Cold Creek Manor, alongside Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone. In 2004, Dorff starred in the music video for "Everytime" by Britney Spears, playing Spears' boyfriend. He appeared in the 2009 films Public Enemies and Black Water Transit.[11]

In 2010, he starred in the drama Somewhere opposite Elle Fanning, directed by Sofia Coppola. He described what landing the role meant to him after the loss of his mother as "It almost felt like a savior, this movie, because I felt like it helped me ... I was real empty inside so this was an incredible thing that made me smile."[12]

Dorff appeared as porn star Dick Shadow in the sex industry comedy Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star, a film produced by Adam Sandler, who also co-wrote the screenplay.[13] Dorff has appeared in television and print advertisements for blu eCigs, an electronic cigarette company.[14] Dorff also starred in The Motel Life opposite Emile Hirsch, Dakota Fanning and Kris Kristofferson and in the crime drama film Officer Down.[15] In 2013, he was a guest of honor on 6th Off Plus Camera[16] In 2017, he played obsessed Texas Ranger Hal Hartman in the Texas Chain Saw Massacre prequel Leatherface.[17] Dorff starred as Detective Roland West in Season 3 of HBO's series True Detective.[18]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 The Gate Glen
1989 Do You Know the Muffin Man? Sandy Dollison
1992 The Power of One Peter Phillip "P.K." Kenneth-Keith (age 18)
Rescue Me Fraser Sweeney
1993 An Ambush of Ghosts George Betts
Judgment Night John Wyatt
1994 Backbeat Stuart Sutcliffe
S.F.W. Cliff Spab
1995 One Hundred and One Nights Un Acteur Muet à Hollywood Cameo
Innocent Lies Jeremy Graves
Reckless Tom Jr.
1996 I Shot Andy Warhol Candy Darling
Blood and Wine Jason
Space Truckers Mike Pucci
1997 City of Industry Skip Kovich
1998 Blade Deacon Frost
1999 Entropy Jake Walsh
2000 Quantum Project Paul Pentcho Short film
Cecil B. Demented Sinclair / Cecil B. Demented
2002 Deuces Wild Leon Anthony
Steal "Slim"
FeardotCom Detective Mike Reilly
2003 Den of Lions Mike Varga
Cold Creek Manor Dale Massie
2005 Alone in the Dark Commander Richard Burke
Tennis, Anyone...? T.C. Jackson
Shadowboxer Clayton Mayfield
2006 World Trade Center Detective Scott Strauss
.45 Reilly
2007 Botched Ritchie Donovan
The Passage Luke
2008 Felon Wade Porter Also executive producer
2009 Black Water Transit Nicky
Public Enemies Homer Van Meter
2010 Somewhere Johnny Marco
2011 Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star Dick Shadow
Carjacked Roy
Immortals Stavros
2012 Rites of Passage Professor Nash
The Motel Life Jerry Lee Flannigan
Brake Jeremy Reins Also executive producer
Zaytoun Yoni Also executive producer
Tomorrow You're Gone Charlie Rankin
The Iceman Joseph Kuklinski
2013 Officer Down Detective David "Cal" Callahan
2014 Heatstroke Paul O'Malley
2015 American Hero Melvin
The Debt Oliver
2016 Albion: The Enchanted Stallion Connor
2017 Leatherface Ranger Hal Hartman
Sex Guaranteed Hank
Wheeler Wheeler Also writer and executive producer
Jackals Jimmy Levine
2018 Life Boat The Counsellor
Don't Go Ben Slater Also executive producer
2019 I'll Find You General Huber
2020 Embattled Cash "The Slayer" Boykins
2021 Kid 90 Himself Documentary
Old Henry Ketchum
Traveling Light Todd
2022 Paradise City Robbie Cole
The Price We Pay Cody
2023 Divinity Jaxxon Pierce
Blood for Dust Gus
Dead Man's Hand Clarence Bishop
Mob Land Clayton Minor
King of Killers Robert Xane Post-production
TBA The Trainer[19] TBA Post-production
TBA Bride Hard Post-production
TBA Lear Rex Poor Tom Filming

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 The New Leave It to Beaver Tony Episode: "The Gladiators"
Diff'rent Strokes Scott Episode: "Sam Adopts a Grandparent"
1987 In Love and War Stan Stockdale (age 9) Television film
1988 Family Ties Martin Episode: Read It and Weep: Part 1
Mutts Eric Gillman Television film
Hiroshima Maiden Johnny Bennett Television film
The Absent-Minded Professor Curtis Television film
Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story Older Kale Wedemeyer Television film
1989 Empty Nest Billy (age 14) Episode: "A Life in the Day"
Married... with Children Boz Episode: "The Dateless Amigo"
I Know My First Name Is Steven Pete Television film
Do You Know the Muffin Man? Sandy Dollison Television film
Roseanne Jimmy Meltrigger 3 episodes
1990 Father Dowling Mysteries Mark Oskowski Episode: "The Sanctuary Mystery"
A Son's Promise Charles O'Kelley Television film
The Outsiders Bobby Dean Episode: "The Stork Club"
Always Remember I Love You Robert Mendham Television film
1990–1991 What a Dummy Tucker Brannigan 24 episodes
1991 Blossom Bobby Episode: "My Sister's Keeper"
1999 Earthly Possessions Jake Simms Jr. Television film
2002 Fastlane Dallas Roberts Episode: "Gone Native"
2006 Covert One: The Hades Factor Jonathan Smith 2 episodes
2008 Skip Tracer Skip King Pilot
XIII: The Conspiracy XIII / Steven Rowland / Ross Tanner Television miniseries
2017 Star Brody Dean 9 episodes
2019 True Detective Roland West 8 episodes
2020 Deputy Sheriff Bill Hollister 13 episodes
2023 The Righteous Gemstones Vance Simkins Recurring

Music videos

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Year Title Role Artist
1993 "Cryin'" Boyfriend Aerosmith
2000 "Rollin'" Himself Limp Bizkit
2004 "Everytime" Boyfriend Britney Spears

Video game

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Year Title Voice role
2005 Far Cry Instincts Jack Carver

References

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  1. ^ a b "Stephen Dorff Biography (1973-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  2. ^ Dorff, Steve; Freedman, Colette (2017). I Wrote That One, Too...: A Life in Songwriting from Willie to Whitney. Montclair, NJ: Backbeat Books. ISBN 9781495077296.
  3. ^ "Successful Steve Dorff Also Has a Son With Many Talents". Los Angeles Times. August 5, 1987. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  4. ^ Sert, Aysegul (September 13, 2013). "Stephen Dorff: "I never went away"". Salon. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  5. ^ Rothe, E. Nina (November 14, 2012). "Stephen Dorff: 'Today Is a Gift'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  6. ^ "Unknown". Politically Incorrect. August 2000. Archived from the original on November 13, 2021.
  7. ^ "Stephen Dorff Learns Hebrew For New Film". Starpulse.com. February 18, 2012. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  8. ^ Edward Morris (December 20, 2016). "Songwriter Andrew Dorff Dead at 40". CMT. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  9. ^ Green, Tom (February 19, 1992). "Stephen Dorff, a star in the making". USA Today. p. 1D. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "Aerosmith: Cryin' (1993)". IMDb. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  11. ^ "Stephen Dorff". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  12. ^ "Interview: Sofia Coppola and Stephen Dorff For 'Somewhere'". The Chic Spy. December 2010. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  13. ^ Shine, Matt (April 26, 2009). "Dorff Goes for Laughs As Porn Star for Next Film". Female First. Archived from the original on September 8, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  14. ^ "Stephen Dorff Behind the Scenes with blu eCigs". Blu-Cigs. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  15. ^ "Stephen Dorff Gets Range on Leatherface". Dread Central. March 27, 2015.
  16. ^ Łukaszewicz, Barbara (April 10, 2013). "Roland Joffe and Volker Schlondorff Lead Panels at Off Plus Camera 2013". Film New Europe. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  17. ^ "Stephen Dorff Joins 'Leatherface' Cast!". Bloody Disgusting!. March 27, 2015.
  18. ^ "True Detective - Stephen Dorff Explores Uncharted Territory in True Detective". HBO. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  19. ^ Grobar, Matt (April 4, 2022). "Vito Schnabel Pic 'The Trainer' Adds Stephen Dorff, John McEnroe, Gina Gershon & Luka Sabbat". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
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