# Matthew Modine

Matthew Avery Modine (born March 22, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He shared the Venice Film Festival‘s Volpi Cup for Best Actor as part of the ensemble cast of Robert Altman film Streamers (1983). He went on to play lead roles in several high-profile films throughout the 1980s, including Birdy (1984), Vision Quest (1985), and Married to the Mob (1988). He gained further prominence for playing U.S. Marine James T. "Joker" Davis in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (1987).
Other notable films include Pacific Heights (1990), Short Cuts (1993), Cutthroat Island (1995), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), and Oppenheimer (2023). On television, he portrayed Dr. Don Francis in the HBO film And the Band Played On (1993), Sullivan Groff on Weeds (2007), Ivan Turing in Proof (2015), and Dr. Martin Brenner on Netflix's Stranger Things (2016–2022).
Modine has been nominated twice for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for his work in And the Band Played On and What the Deaf Man Heard and received a special Golden Globe for him and the rest of the ensemble in Short Cuts. He was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for And the Band Played On.

## Early life and education

Modine, the youngest of seven children, was born on March 22, 1959, in Loma Linda, California, the son of Dolores (née Warner), a bookkeeper, and Mark Alexander Modine, who managed drive-in theaters. He is the nephew of the stage actress Nola Modine Fairbanks, and the great-grandson of the prospector and pioneer Ralph Jacobus Fairbanks. One of his other great-grandfathers was a Swedish immigrant. Modine lived in Utah for several years, moving every year or two. The drive-in theaters his father managed were being torn down because the land beneath them exceeded the value of the theaters. The Modine family returned to Imperial Beach, California, where Matthew attended and graduated from Mar Vista High School in 1977.

## Career
### Film

Modine's first film role was in John Sayles' film Baby It's You (1983). Also that year, he co-starred in the sex comedy Private School, with Phoebe Cates and Betsy Russell. His performances caught the eye of director Harold Becker, who cast him in Vision Quest (1985, filmed 1983), based on Terry Davis's novel. The director Robert Altman propelled Modine to international stardom with his 1983 film adaptation of David Rabe's play Streamers. Modine played Mel Gibson's brother in Mrs. Soffel (1984) and starred with Nicolas Cage in Alan Parker's Birdy (1984); the film was awarded Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. Modine turned down the role of LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun (played by Tom Cruise), because he felt the film's pro-military stance went against his politics.
Modine may be best known for his role as Private/Sergeant J.T. "Joker" Davis, the central character of Stanley Kubrick's Vietnam War film Full Metal Jacket (1987). Subsequently, Modine played the dangerous young criminal Treat in Alan Pakula's 1987 film adaptation of Lyle Kessler's stageplay Orphans. Modine played the goofy, earnest FBI agent Mike Downey in Jonathan Demme's screwball comedy Married to the Mob (1988) opposite Michelle Pfeiffer. In 1990, he led the cast of Memphis Belle, a fictionalized account of the B-17 Flying Fortress. Modine's subsequent roles included Drake Goodman in the thriller Pacific Heights (1990), Dr. Don Francis in the HBO film And the Band Played On (1993), and Dr. Ralph Wyman in the Robert Altman film Short Cuts (1993). For his work in And the Band Played On, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television and for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special, and for his work in Short Cuts, he received a special Golden Globe Award for the ensemble cast.
In 1995, Modine appeared opposite Geena Davis in the romantic action-adventure film Cutthroat Island. He was nominated for a second Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for his work in the 1997 television film What the Deaf Man Heard. Modine made his feature directorial debut with If... Dog... Rabbit... (1999), which came after the success of three short films debuting at the Sundance Film Festival: When I Was a Boy, co-directed with Todd Field; Smoking, written by David Sedaris; and Ecce Pirate, written by Modine.
In 2003, he guest-starred in The West Wing episode "The Long Goodbye". He portrayed the character Marco, who went to high school with C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) and who helped her deal with her father's steady mental decline due to Alzheimer's disease. Modine agreed to take the role because he is a longtime friend of Janney. (The two appeared together in a theatrical production of the play Breaking Up directed by Stuart Ross). That same year, he played Fritz Gerlich in the CBS miniseries Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003).
In 2004, Modine appeared in Funky Monkey as ex-football star turned spy Alec McCall, who teams up with super-chimp Clemens and his friend Michael Dean (Seth Adkins) to take down the villainous Flick (Taylor Negron). The film was critically panned, yet has gained a cult status. In 2005, Abel Ferrara's Mary won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. In the film, Modine portrays a director recounting the story of Mary Magdalene (Juliette Binoche). The following year, he guest-starred in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Rage" as a serial killer of young girls. In 2010, Modine appeared in The Trial, which was awarded the Parents Television Council's Seal of Approval™. The PTC said: "'The Trial' combines the best features of courtroom drama, murder mystery, and character story. 'The Trial' is a powerful drama which shows the power of healing and hope." Modine played a corrupt Majestic City developer named "Sullivan Groff" throughout Season 3 on Weeds. Groff has affairs with Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) and Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins). Also in 2010, Modine appeared in HBO's Too Big to Fail, a film about the Wall Street financial crisis. Modine stars as John Thain, former Chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch.
His dark comedy I Think I Thought (2008) debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film tells the story of a Thinker (Modine) who ends up in Thinkers Anonymous. Other short films include To Kill an American, Cowboy, and The Love Film. In 2011, he completed Jesus Was a Commie, an avant-garde-dialectical conversation about the world and the prominent issues of modern society. Modine co-directed the short film with Terence Ziegler, the editor of I Think I Thought. Modine's short films have played internationally. Modine completed two more independent films, Family Weekend (2013) and Girl in Progress (2012), opposite Eva Mendes. In 2012, he appeared in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises as Deputy Commissioner Peter Foley, a Gotham City police officer and peer to Gary Oldman's Commissioner James Gordon. In February 2013, Modine was cast in Ralph Bakshi's animated film Last Days of Coney Island after coming across the film's Kickstarter campaign online. In 2014, he co-starred with Olivia Williams, Richard Dillane, and Steve Oram in the horror mystery film Altar. In 2015, he played Ivan Turing in the TNT supernatural medical drama Proof.
In 2016, Modine played Dr. Martin Brenner in the Netflix original series Stranger Things. In 2017, he and his Stranger Things castmates won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. In 2017, Matthew Modine was featured in the music video for "1-800-273-8255", a song by American hip hop artist Logic. Modine was part of Speed Kills released in November 2018 as well as several upcoming films such as Foster Boy, Miss Virginia, and The Martini Shot. In 2023 he portrayed Vannevar Bush in Christopher Nolan's biographical thriller Oppenheimer.

### Theater

Modine appeared in Arthur Miller's Finishing the Picture at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, in Miller's Resurrection Blues at London's Old Vic, and in a stage adaptation of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (as Atticus Finch) at Connecticut's Hartford Stage (This production of To Kill a Mockingbird became the most successful play in the theatre's 45-year history), and in 2022/23 at London's Gielgud Theatre. In 2010, he starred with Abigail Breslin in the 50th Anniversary Broadway revival of The Miracle Worker at the Circle in the Square theatre.
In fall 2013, Modine starred in a self-parodying comedy, Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas at Los Angeles' Geffen Theatre.

## Personal life

Modine married Caridad Rivera, a makeup and wardrobe stylist, in 1980. They have two children: Boman, an assistant film director; and Ruby Modine, an actress, singer and ballet dancer.
Modine is the subject of the 2005 song "Matthew Modine" by Pony Up.

### Activism

Cycling has been Modine's main mode of transportation since he moved to New York City from Utah in 1980. He heads a pro-bike organization called "Bicycle for a Day" and was honored for his work on June 2, 2009, by the environmental arts and education center on the East River, Solar 1.
In 2019, Modine ran unsuccessfully for SAG-AFTRA national presidential election, challenging incumbent Gabrielle Carteris. Modine's campaign manager and a number of other union members filed protests after the result, alleging election violations. The complaints were unsuccessful, and the investigation found no reason to set aside Cateris's election. Modine ran again in 2021 and was defeated by Fran Drescher by a margin of 52.5% to 47.5%.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1983 | Baby It's You | Steve | |
| 1983 | Private School | Jim Green | |
| 1983 | Streamers | Billy | |
| 1984 | The Hotel New Hampshire | Chip Dove / Ernst | |
| 1984 | Birdy | 'Birdy' | |
| 1984 | Mrs. Soffel | Jack Biddle | |
| 1985 | Vision Quest | Louden Swain | |
| 1987 | Full Metal Jacket | Private/Sergeant J.T. "Joker" Davis | |
| 1987 | Orphans | Treat | |
| 1988 | Married to the Mob | FBI Agent Mike Downey | |
| 1988 | The Gamble | Francesco Sacredo | |
| 1989 | Gross Anatomy | Joe Slovak | |
| 1990 | Memphis Belle | Captain Dennis Dearborn | |
| 1990 | Pacific Heights | Drake Goodman | |
| 1992 | Equinox | Henry Petosa / Freddy 'Ace' | |
| 1992 | Wind | Will Parker | |
| 1993 | When I Was a Boy | None | Short film; Co-writer, co-director and co-producer |
| 1993 | The Tree | Boy as Middle-Aged Man / Boy as Old Man | Short film |
| 1993 | Short Cuts | Dr. Ralph Wyman | |
| 1994 | The Browning Version | Frank Hunter | |
| 1994 | Smoking | None | Short film; Director and producer |
| 1995 | Bye Bye Love | Dave Goldman | |
| 1995 | Fluke | Thomas P. Johnson / Voice of Fluke | |
| 1995 | Cutthroat Island | William Shaw | |
| 1997 | Ecce Pirate | None | Short film; Writer, director and producer |
| 1997 | The Blackout | Matty | |
| 1997 | The Maker | Walter Schmeiss | |
| 1997 | The Real Blonde | Joe | |
| 1999 | Notting Hill | Movie-Within-Movie Actor | Uncredited |
| 1999 | If... Dog... Rabbit... | Johnnie Cooper | Also writer and director |
| 1999 | Any Given Sunday | Dr. Ollie Powers | |
| 2000 | Very Mean Men | Bartender | |
| 2000 | Bamboozled | Himself | |
| 2001 | Nobody's Baby | 'Sonny' | |
| 2001 | In the Shadows | Eric O'Byrne | |
| 2001 | The Shipment | Mitch Garrett | |
| 2003 | Overnight | Himself | |
| 2003 | Le Divorce | Tellman | |
| 2003 | Hollywood North | Bobby Myers | |
| 2004 | Funky Monkey | Alec McCall | |
| 2005 | Transporter 2 | Senator Jeff Billings | |
| 2005 | Mary | Tony Childress / Jesus | |
| 2005 | Opa! | Eric | |
| 2006 | Kettle of Fish | Mel | Also executive producer |
| 2007 | Go Go Tales | Johnie Ruby | |
| 2007 | Have Dreams, Will Travel | Ben's Father | |
| 2007 | The Neighbor | Jeff | |
| 2008 | I Think I Thought | Joe | Short film; Also writer, director and producer |
| 2008 | To Kill an American | None | Writer, director and producer |
| 2008 | Cowboy | Cowboy | Short film; Also writer and director |
| 2008 | Mia and the Migoo | Mr. Houston / Godfrey | Voice, English dub |
| 2008 | The Garden of Eden | David's Father | |
| 2008 | Santa, the Fascist Years | Narrator | Short film; Voice |
| 2009 | Little Fish, Strange Pond | Mr. Jack | Also executive producer |
| 2010 | The Trial | Mac | Also producer |
| 2010 | A Cat in Paris | Lucas | Voice, English dub |
| 2011 | Jesus Was a Commie | John Doe | Short film; Also writer, director and producer |
| 2011 | Sunchasers | None | Producer |
| 2011 | Wrinkles | Juan | Voice, English dub |
| 2011 | The Flying House | 'Bertie' | Short film; Also executive producer |
| 2012 | Somebody | None | Short film; Writer, director and producer |
| 2012 | Plastic Jesus | None | Short film; Writer, director and producer |
| 2012 | Girl in Progress | Dr. Harford | |
| 2012 | The Dark Knight Rises | Peter Foley | |
| 2013 | Jobs | John Sculley | |
| 2013 | Family Weekend | Duncan Dungy | |
| 2013 | Cheatin' | None | Executive producer |
| 2014 | Hyperion | None | Short film; Associate producer |
| 2014 | Altar | Alec Hamilton | |
| 2014 | Guests | Theodore Foster | Short film |
| 2015 | The Brainwashing of My Dad | Narrator | Documentary film; Also producer |
| 2015 | The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards | Theodore Foster | |
| 2015 | Last Days of Coney Island | None | Short film; Executive producer |
| 2015 | Merry Xmas | Abe | Also writer and producer |
| 2015 | Unity | Narrator | |
| 2016 | The Confirmation | Kyle | |
| 2016 | Alex & Co: How to Grow Up Despite Your Parents | Bob Riley | |
| 2016 | Revengeance | Sid | Uncredited; Also executive producer |
| 2016 | Super Sex | None | Short film; Writer, director and producer |
| 2016 | Army of One | Dr. Ross | |
| 2016 | Stars in Shorts: No Ordinary Love | Abe | Also co-writer, co-director and co-producer |
| 2017 | The Hippopotamus | Michael Logan | |
| 2017 | 47 Meters Down | Captain Taylor | |
| 2018 | Sicario: Day of the Soldado | James Riley | |
| 2018 | Speed Kills | George H. W. Bush | |
| 2018 | An Actor Prepares | Charlie | |
| 2018 | Backtrace | MacDonald | |
| 2019 | Keepers of the Wild | None | Short documentary film; Executive producer |
| 2019 | Foster Boy | Michael Trainer | |
| 2019 | Miss Virginia | Congressman Cliff Williams | |
| 2020 | Guardians of Life | Senior Physician | Short film |
| 2020 | Chance | Mike | |
| 2021 | The Martini Shot | Steve | |
| 2021 | Breaking News in Yuba County | Carl Buttons | |
| 2021 | Wrong Turn | Scott Shaw | |
| 2021 | Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal | Rick Singer | |
| 2022 | My Love Affair with Marriage | Bo | Voice; also executive producer |
| 2023 | Oppenheimer | Vannevar Bush | |
| 2023 | Retribution | Anders Muller | |
| 2023 | Hard Miles | Greg Townsend | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1982 | ABC Afterschool Special | Randy | Episode: "Amy & the Angel" |
| 1988 | American Playhouse | Eugene O'Neill | Episode: "Journey Into Genius" |
| 1988 | Saturday Night Live | Host | Episode: "Matthew Modine/Edie Brickell & New Bohemians" |
| 1993 | And the Band Played On | Dr. Don Francis | Television film |
| 1994 | Jacob | Jacob | Television film |
| 1995–1998 | The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | Sherlock Holmes | Voice; 78 episodes |
| 1997 | What the Deaf Man Heard | Sammy Ayers | Television film |
| 1998 | American Experience | Lawrence Svobida | Episode: "Surviving the Dust Bowl" |
| 1998 | The American | Christopher Newman | Television film |
| 2000 | Flowers for Algernon | Charlie Gordon | Television film |
| 2001 | Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story | Jack Robinson | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Redeemer | Paul Freeman | Television film |
| 2003 | The West Wing | Marco Arlens | Episode: "The Long Goodbye" |
| 2003 | Hitler: The Rise of Evil | Fritz Gerlich | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Expert Witness | | Television film |
| 2004 | The Winning Season | Honus Wagner | Television film |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Gordon Rickett | Episode: "Rage" |
| 2005 | Into the West | Samson Wheeler | Episode: "Dreams and Schemes" |
| 2006 | The Bedford Diaries | Professor Jake Macklin | 8 episodes |
| 2007 | Weeds | Sullivan Groff | 12 episodes |
| 2007 | Good Morning Agrestic | Sullivan Groff | Short television series; Episode: "Majestic: Gates of Hell" |
| 2008 | Sex and Lies in Sin City | Ted Binion | Television film |
| 2011 | Too Big to Fail | John Thain | Television film |
| 2013 | CAT. 8 | Dr. Michael Ranger | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Anatomy of Violence | Convict #3 | Television film |
| 2015 | Proof | Ivan Turing | 10 episodes |
| 2016–2017, 2022, 2025 | Stranger Things | Dr. Martin Brenner/Papa | 21 episodes |
| 2017 | Idiotsitter | Dr. J. Lowe | 3 episodes |
| 2019 | Sanctuary | Dr. Fisher | 8 episodes |
| 2019 | Surveillance | The Man in the Red Tie | Television film |
| 2025 | Zero Day | Richard Dreyer | 6 episodes |

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Artist | Notes |
| 1985 | "Crazy for You" | Madonna | From the film Vision Quest |
| 1985 | "Gambler" | Madonna | From the film Vision Quest |
| 2017 | "1-800-273-8255" | Logic | |
| 2020 | "What a Man Gotta Do" | Jonas Brothers | |

### Theater

| Year | Play | Role | Venue |
| 2004 | Finishing the Picture | Paul | Goodman Theatre, Chicago |
| 2006 | Resurrection Blues | Skip | The Old Vic, London |
| 2009 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Atticus Finch | Hartford Stage, Hartford |
| 2010 | The Miracle Worker | Captain Keller | Broadway, New York |
| 2013 | Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas | Himself | Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles |
| 2022 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Atticus Finch | Gielgud Theatre, London |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
| 1983 | Venice Film Festival | Best Actor | Streamers | Won |
| 1993 | Venice Film Festival | Special Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Cast | Short Cuts | Recipient |
| 1994 | Golden Globe Awards | Special Award for Ensemble Cast (non-competitive) | Short Cuts | Recipient |
| 1994 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | And the Band Played On | Nominated |
| 1994 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Male Lead | Equinox | Nominated |
| 1994 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | And the Band Played On | Nominated |
| 1997 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | What the Deaf Man Heard | Nominated |
| 2000 | Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television | Flowers for Algernon | Nominated |
| 2008 | Tribeca Film Festival | Best Narrative Short | I Think I Thought | Nominated |
| 2011 | Traverse City Film Festival | Founders Prize for Best Short Film | Jesus Was a Commie | Won |
| 2011 | Oldenburg International Film Festival | Best Short Film | Jesus Was a Commie | Nominated |
| 2011 | Oldenburg International Film Festival | Walk of Fame | — | Won |
| 2012 | New Media Film Festival | Best Short | Jesus Was a Commie | Nominated |
| 2016 | Tribeca Film Festival | Best Narrative Short Film | Super Sex | Nominated |
| 2016 | New Media Film Festival | Best Short | Super Sex | Won |
| 2017 | Coronado Island Film Festival | Audience Favorite Award – Favourite Short Film | Super Sex | Won |
| 2017 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Stranger Things | Won |
| 2017 | Dublin International Film Festival | Special Mention for International Short | Super Sex | Won |
| 2023 | Heartland International Film Festival | Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award, Pioneering Spirit Award | Hard Miles | Won |