Born on May 24, 1965 in Illinois, John Christopher Reilly is an American actor nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe award. He graduated from Brother Rice High School and became involved in theatre. He enrolled in the Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University and is a member of the Chicago Theater.
John C. Reilly’s film debut was in the Brian De Palma film Casualties of War. Despite his role originally being a small one, his performance was well-liked, causing his role to be expanded. During the 1990s, he gained more exposure through films like Days of Thunder, State of Grace, Shadows and Fog, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and The River Wild. In 1996, he was given the role of John, a compulsive gambler, in Sydney. Reilly was also in 1997’s Boogie Nights and in 1999’s Magnolia. He had several minor roles like in Never Been Kissed with Drew Barrymore, and was in For the Love of the Game. He earned critical acclaim playing Sgt. Storm in the epic The Thin Red Line in 1998.
Reilly was also part of the Broadway production The Grapes of Wrath, as well as appearing on stage in A Streetcar Named Desire and Othello. For his performances, he was awarded with an Outer Critics Circle Award and was nominated for a Tony Award when he appeared in True West. He was given more high-profile roles in 2002, being cast in The Hours, The Good Girl and Gangs of New York. He was especially noted for his performance in Chicago, receiving Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. John C. Reilly can also be seen in the Martin Scorsese film The Aviator, and has been praised for his diversity as an actor. He also had notable roles in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and Walk Hard in 2007.