Veteran actor Matthew Modine has been giving us favorite films since the 1980s. He got his big break with his role as the independent-minded Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket (1987). Modine appeared in some notable 80s films like Alan Parker’s Birdy (1984), Vision Quest (1985), and Married to the Mob (1988).
To this day, the Emmy-nominated and Special Golden Globe Award winner continues to act and has long added director to his repertoire.
Age, Early Life, and Rise to Fame
Matthew Avery Modine was born as the youngest of 7 kids to Mark Alexander and Dolores Modine (née Warner) on March 22, 1959, in Loma Linda, California. While his mother was a bookkeeper, his father made a living off running drive-in theaters. As a result of his father’s job, Modine and his family had to move often and would come to spend several years living in Utah.
Growing up around the cinema, Modine gravitated towards the film industry. He was inspired to consider acting as a career after watching a documentary about the making of Oliver. Modine attended Mar Vista High School from where he graduated in 1977.
Following high school graduation, he relocated to New York City where he attended Stella Adler Studio of Acting and began his acting career at theaters. To support himself, Modine worked as a chef. In 1983, he got his feature film debut playing the role of Steve in John Sayles’ Baby it’s You.
Modine’s impressive performance unlocked the doors to more roles as he became one of Hollywood hottest young actors at the time. He would go on to star in three Vietnam War-era films, including Robert Altman’s Streamers (1983), Alan Parker’s Birdy (1984), and Full Metal Jacket (1987) which was the most successful of all grossing $120 million against a budget of $30 million. The film won him alongside his castmates an unprecedented Best Actor prize from the Venice Film Festival.
In the 90s, Modine earned Golden Globe nominations for his role in the HBO movie And the Band Played On (1993) and the Hallmark movie What the Deaf Man Heard (1997). By the end of the 90s, Modine began directing films, making his debut in the 1999 crime drama If … Dog … Rabbit.
Matthew Modine has also been active in the small screen. He has had roles in TV shows like Stranger Things, Weeds, Proof, and more. Since making his debut in the revival of The Miracle Worker in 2010, Modine has gone on to act in other Broadway productions.
Matthew Modine’s Wife, Daughter, and Family Life
Having grown up around the entertainment business, Matthew Modine has come to build a family of his own with kids who came to work in the film industry. The veteran actor is married to the love of his life, Caridad Rivera whom he met during his early years in New York City. Caridad who is a makeup and wardrobe stylist was born in 1955 and hails from Puerto Rican and African roots.
Modine has revealed that once when they were dating, he jumped off a cliff just to impress her. They got married on Halloween day in 1980 and have remained inseparable since then. The couple share two kids together, a son named Boman Mark Rivera Modine who is a film assistant director and a daughter named Ruby Wylder Rivera Modine who is an actress-singer and dancer.
Boman was born on the 8th of November 1985 and have directed films like The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Whiplash (2014) and Merry Xmas (2015). Ruby was born July 31, 1990, in Loma Linda, California. She has appeared in a handful of films and TV shows and is best known for playing the recurring role of Sierra in Showtime’s hit series, Shameless. Ruby appeared in the 2017 slasher film, Happy Death Day and its sequel. Matthew Modine has David Alan Grier as the godfather of his two children.
Height and Other Facts
1. One of Modine’s trademarks is his towering height and slender frame. The actor stands at a height of 6 feet 3.5 inches (1.92 m).
2. Modine briefly attended college where he studied astronomy and oceanography.
3. Some of his favorite things include apple pie, MTV’s show Ridiculousness.
4. He loves sports and his favorite team is the New York Knicks.
5. His favorite things to do include; long walks, swinging on ropes, body-surfing, and skateboarding.
6. In addition to acting and directing, Modine is a painter, photographer, and writer.
7. He campaigned for Hilary Clinton during her race to the White House.
8. An avid environmentalist, Modine’s preferred mode of transport is cycling. He is the founder of pro-bike not-for-profit organization “Bicycle for a Day.” He also owns an electric car.
