John C. Reilly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John C. Reilly
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Reilly in 2018
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John Christopher Reilly
May 24, 1965 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Alma mater | DePaul University (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1988–present |
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Works
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Filmography |
| Spouse(s) |
Alison Dickey
(m. 1992) |
| Children | 2 |
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John Christopher Reilly (born May 24, 1965) is an American actor famous for his roles in both serious dramas and hilarious comedies. He is well-known for playing funny characters in movies like Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Step Brothers. Many people also know him as the voice of the main character in the Disney animated films Wreck-It Ralph.
Reilly has shown his talent in a wide range of films. He earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in the musical movie Chicago. He also played the famous comedian Oliver Hardy in the film Stan & Ollie, which brought him more award nominations. Besides movies, Reilly has also starred in TV shows and performed on the Broadway stage.
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Early Life and School Days
John C. Reilly was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was the fifth of six children. His father, who had Irish and Scottish roots, ran a business that supplied linens. His mother was of Lithuanian heritage.
Reilly has said he was a bit of a troublemaker as a kid. He once told a story about how he and his friends took 500 boxes of cereal from a freight train when he was 12. He grew up in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood and went to Brother Rice High School. After high school, he studied acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago.
Acting Career
Getting Started in Movies
Reilly's first movie was Casualties of War in 1989. The director, Brian De Palma, liked his acting so much that he made his part bigger. After that, he appeared in several films, including Days of Thunder with Tom Cruise and What's Eating Gilbert Grape with Johnny Depp.
In the mid-1990s, he acted in movies like The River Wild, where he played a criminal, and Hard Eight, where he played a man who gets help from a gambler. He also began working with director Paul Thomas Anderson and appeared in his films Boogie Nights and Magnolia.
Becoming a Famous Actor
By the early 2000s, Reilly was in many popular and successful films. In 2002, he appeared in three movies that were all nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: Chicago, Gangs of New York, and The Hours.
For his role as the trusting husband Amos Hart in Chicago, Reilly was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also worked with director Martin Scorsese on Gangs of New York and later on The Aviator, where he played the business partner of Howard Hughes.
Success in Comedy Films
Although he was known for serious roles, Reilly became a huge star in comedy films. In 2006, he starred with Will Ferrell in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby as the race car driver Cal Naughton, Jr. The movie was a big hit.
He then starred as the main character in the parody movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), where he sang songs that made fun of famous musicians. In 2008, he teamed up with Will Ferrell again for Step Brothers, playing one of two grown men who become stepbrothers.
From 2007 to 2010, he had a recurring role on the TV show Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! as the funny character Dr. Steve Brule. This led to his own spin-off show, Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule.
Blockbuster Hits and Recent Work
In 2012, Reilly voiced the title character in the Disney animated movie Wreck-It Ralph. The film was about a video game villain who wants to be a hero. It was a huge success and led to a sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet, in 2018.
He also appeared in the Marvel Studios movie Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) as Rhomann Dey of the Nova Corps. In 2017, he was in the monster movie Kong: Skull Island as a soldier who had been stranded on an island for many years.
In 2018, he gave a celebrated performance as the comedian Oliver Hardy in the movie Stan & Ollie. That same year, he starred with Joaquin Phoenix in the western The Sisters Brothers. He also appeared in Holmes & Watson with Will Ferrell.
Music and Theatre
Reilly is also a talented musician. For the movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, he sang on the soundtrack and was even nominated for a Grammy Award. He has his own band called John Reilly & Friends and has recorded songs with artists like Jack White.
He has a successful career in theatre as well. In 2000, he starred in the Broadway play True West with Philip Seymour Hoffman. They were both nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for their performances. He has also starred in musicals, including A Streetcar Named Desire.
Personal Life
Reilly married Alison Dickey, a film producer, in 1992. They met while working on the movie Casualties of War. They have two sons. Their older son, Leo, is a musician who goes by the name LoveLeo.
Reilly practices transcendental meditation.
Images for kids
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Reilly at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con
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See also
In Spanish: John C. Reilly para niños
