Griffin Dunne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Griffin Dunne
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Dunne in 2010
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| Born |
Thomas Griffin Dunne
June 8, 1955 New York City, U.S.
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| Education | The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1975–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Carey Lowell
(m. 1989; div. 1995)Anna Bingemann
(m. 2009; div. 2010) |
| Children | Hannah Dunne |
| Parent(s) | Dominick Dunne Ellen Griffin |
| Relatives | Dominique Dunne (sister) John Gregory Dunne (uncle) Joan Didion (aunt) |
Thomas Griffin Dunne (born June 8, 1955) is an American actor, director, and producer. He is famous for his roles in movies like An American Werewolf in London (1981) and After Hours (1985). For his role in After Hours, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Thomas Griffin Dunne was born in New York City. He is the oldest child of Ellen and Dominick Dunne. His father's family was Irish Catholic. His mother's family was Irish-American and Mexican.
Griffin is the older brother of Alexander and Dominique Dunne. After his sister Dominique died tragically in 1982, his mother started the group Justice for Homicide Victims to help others. His father was a well-known writer, producer, and actor. His aunt and uncle, Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne, were also famous writers.
Dunne grew up in Los Angeles and went to schools in Massachusetts and Colorado. He loved acting and was in many school plays. After breaking a school rule, he moved back to New York to focus on becoming an actor. He studied at the famous Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.
Career in Movies and TV
Acting Roles
Dunne started his acting career at 19. His first role was in the 1975 movie The Other Side of the Mountain. He became well-known for playing Jack Goodman in the horror-comedy An American Werewolf in London.
He also starred in the comedy After Hours and acted alongside Madonna in Who's That Girl. Many people remember him as the teacher Mr. Bixler in the movie My Girl (1991). He also had a role in the Oscar-winning film Dallas Buyers Club (2013).
On television, Dunne has appeared in many popular shows. He was in episodes of Frasier, Alias, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. From 2018 to 2022, he played Nicky Pearson, the long-lost brother of Jack Pearson, in the hit TV series This Is Us.
Producing and Directing
Besides acting, Griffin Dunne is also a successful producer and director. A producer helps get a movie made by organizing the team and finding the money. A director is in charge of the creative side of a movie, telling the actors how to perform and deciding how scenes should look.
As a producer, he helped make movies like After Hours and Running on Empty.
As a director, his first project was a short film called Duke of Groove. It was so good that it was nominated for an Academy Award. He later directed the popular movies Addicted to Love (1997) and Practical Magic (1998), which starred Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. In 2017, he directed a documentary about his famous aunt, Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold.
Writing
Dunne is also a writer. He has written for magazines and published a collection of short stories. In 2024, he released a best-selling book about his family called The Friday Afternoon Club.
Personal Life
From 1989 to 1995, Dunne was married to actress Carey Lowell. They have a daughter, Hannah Dunne, who is also an actress. He was later married to Anna Bingemann from 2009 to 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Griffin Dunne para niños
