Casper Van Dien facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Casper Van Dien
Van Dien in 2013
Born	Casper Robert Van Dien Jr. (1968-12-18) December 18, 1968 (age 56) Milton, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Carrie Mitchum ​ ​ (m. 1993; div. 1997)​ Catherine Oxenberg ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2015)​ Jennifer Wenger ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	4, including Grace Van Dien

Casper Robert Van Dien Jr. (born December 18, 1968) is an American actor. He is well-known for playing Johnny Rico in the science-fiction action movie Starship Troopers (1997). He has also appeared in films like Sleepy Hollow (1999) and Alita: Battle Angel (2019).

Early Life and Family History

Casper Van Dien was born in Milton, Florida. His mother, Diane, was a nursery school teacher. His father, Casper Robert Van Dien Sr., was a U.S. Navy Commander and a fighter pilot.

Casper's family has a long history of serving in the military. His grandfather was a Marine during World War II. The Van Dien family has roots in the Dutch community that settled in the New York area a long time ago. He also has Swedish, French, and English heritage.

The street where he grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, called Van Dien Avenue, was named after his great-great-great-grandfather. Later, his family moved back to Florida. Casper went to the Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, where he graduated as one of the top students. After high school, he attended Florida State University.

Casper's Acting Career

After moving to Los Angeles, Casper Van Dien started getting small roles in TV shows and movies. He had early recurring roles in the soap opera One Life to Live and the drama Beverly Hills, 90210. He also took on a big part in the video game Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom.

In 1996, Van Dien played King Tal in Beastmaster III: The Eye of Braxus. This movie was a sequel to the popular 1982 film The Beastmaster. He also starred as James Dean in the 1997 movie James Dean: Race with Destiny.

Breakthrough Roles

Casper Van Dien's big break came when he landed the main role of Johnny Rico in the 1997 science fiction action film Starship Troopers. This movie was very successful. Because of its success, he was then cast as Tarzan in Tarzan and the Lost City (1998).

Next, Van Dien played Brom von Brunt in Tim Burton's 1999 movie Sleepy Hollow. This film was a new version of the classic story by Washington Irving.

Later Work and TV Appearances

In 2000, Van Dien appeared in Cutaway. He also starred in the TV show Titans on NBC.

In 2008, Van Dien returned to play Johnny Rico in Starship Troopers 3: Marauder. This was a direct-to-video sequel to the original Starship Troopers movie.

He also took over the role of Johnny Cage for the second season of the YouTube web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy. In 2022, Van Dien played Samuel Hyst in the series Salvage Marines. He was also a producer for this show. He mentioned that he enjoyed this role, comparing it to his famous Johnny Rico character.

Casper's Personal Life

From 1993 to 1997, Casper Van Dien was married to Carrie Mitchum. They had two children together, including actress Grace Van Dien (born in 1996).

In 1999, Van Dien met actress Catherine Oxenberg while filming the TV movie The Collectors. They worked together again in the 1999 thriller The Omega Code. They got married on May 8, 1999, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 2005, Casper and Catherine appeared in their own reality series called I Married a Princess. This show aired on Lifetime Television. Catherine's mother is Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia. From 2006 to 2007, Van Dien and Oxenberg also starred together in the TV drama series Watch Over Me. Catherine had a daughter from a previous relationship, India Riven Oxenberg (born in 1991). Casper and Catherine had two daughters together, born in 2001 and 2003. They divorced in 2015.

Casper Van Dien married Jennifer Wenger in June 2018.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Web Series

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Casper Van Dien para niños