Kevin Sorbo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kevin Sorbo
Sorbo in 2022
Born	Kevin David Sorbo (1958-09-24) September 24, 1958 (age 66) Mound, Minnesota, U.S.
Alma mater	Minnesota State University Moorhead (BA)
Occupation	Actor producer director
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Sam Jenkins ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	3, including Braeden

Kevin David Sorbo (born September 24, 1958) is an American actor. He is well-known for playing the hero Hercules in the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. This popular show aired from 1995 to 1999.

He also starred as Captain Dylan Hunt in the science-fiction series Andromeda from 2000 to 2005. Kevin Sorbo has also appeared in many movies, including Christian films like God's Not Dead (2014).

Early Life and School

Kevin Sorbo was born in Mound, Minnesota, on September 24, 1958. His family has roots in Norway. He grew up in a Lutheran family.

He went to Minnesota State University Moorhead. There, he studied marketing and advertising. To help pay for his studies, he started working as a model. He appeared in many ads for print and television.

Kevin Sorbo's Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting

In the mid-1980s, Kevin Sorbo traveled around Europe and Australia. He worked in TV commercials and as a print model. His first acting role was in the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1986.

He also appeared in an episode of the sitcom 1st & Ten in 1988. By the early 1990s, he had been in over 150 commercials. One famous commercial was for Jim Beam, where he said, "This ain't Jim Beam."

In the early 1990s, he made guest appearances in shows like Murder She Wrote and The Commish. In 1992, he had his first main role in a TV movie called Condition: Critical. He was also considered for roles like Superman and Fox Mulder. In 1993, he made his first movie appearance in Slaughter of the Innocents.

Becoming Famous as Hercules

In 1993, Kevin Sorbo got his big break. He was cast as the ancient greek demigod Hercules. He starred in five TV movies that aired in 1994. The first was Hercules and the Amazon Women.

These movies were very popular. This led to the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, which started in 1995. The show ran for six seasons and made Sorbo an international star. It was filmed in New Zealand.

The success of Hercules led to a popular spin-off show. This was Xena: Warrior Princess, starring Lucy Lawless. Characters from both shows often appeared in each other's episodes. In 1998, an animated movie called Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus was released. Both Sorbo and Lawless voiced their characters.

Hercules ended in 1999. Kevin Sorbo's health issues made it harder for him to do the demanding role in later seasons. He made his last appearance as Hercules on Xena in February 2000.

While playing Hercules, Sorbo also starred in the 1997 movie Kull the Conqueror. He was chosen for the role in 1995. The movie was filmed in Slovakia and Croatia. Critics noted that Sorbo brought humor and professionalism to the role.

After Hercules

After Hercules finished, Kevin Sorbo took on another main role. He played Captain Dylan Hunt in the science-fiction show Andromeda. This series ran from 2000 to 2005. In 2006, he had a recurring role in the final season of The O.C..

In 2007, he starred in two direct-to-video movies. These were Walking Tall: The Payback and Walking Tall: Lone Justice. He also co-starred with his real-life wife, Sam Jenkins, in the Hallmark Channel movie Avenging Angel.

In 2008, he appeared in the spoof movie Meet the Spartans. This movie did well at the box office.

Sorbo in 2013

Kevin Sorbo also started doing voice acting. He voiced Prometheus in the video game The Conduit. He also voiced Hercules in the video game God of War III. He worked with his wife on the game Cloudberry Kingdom.

In 2014, Sorbo co-starred in God's Not Dead. This was a Christian film. He played a college professor who did not believe in religion. Even though critics did not like it, the movie was a big success. It was the first of many Christian films Sorbo would be involved with.

In 2017, Sorbo directed and starred in the Christian drama film Let There Be Light. This movie featured conservative commentator Sean Hannity. Critics had mixed views, but some said Sorbo brought charm to his role.

In 2024, he appeared in the Ronald Reagan biopic. He acted alongside Dennis Quaid, who played Reagan.

Personal Life

Kevin Sorbo is a Christian. He grew up Lutheran but now attends a nondenominational church. On January 5, 1998, Sorbo married actress Sam Jenkins. They met when she had a small role on Hercules. They have three children, including Braeden Sorbo.

Sorbo is a spokesperson for A World Fit for Kids! (AWFFK!). This group helps train teenagers to be mentors for younger children. In 2001, Sorbo won $32,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He donated the money to his charity.

Health Journey

In late 1997, Kevin Sorbo had a health scare. He experienced an aneurysm in his shoulder, which led to three strokes. This made him weaker for several years. He kept his condition private while he recovered.

During the last two seasons of Hercules, his filming schedule was reduced. More guest stars appeared to help lessen his workload. In his 2011 book True Strength, Sorbo shared details about his injury. He also wrote about how his wife, Sam, helped him recover.

In 2013, Sorbo received awards for raising awareness about stroke. He was honored by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Brain Foundation. He also received an award from the Invisible Disabilities Association.

Public Views

Sorbo in 2020 at an event hosted by Turning Point USA

Kevin Sorbo has shared his views on various topics. In 2014, he defended Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ. He later said he could have phrased his statements differently.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, his Facebook page was removed. Facebook stated he shared "debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines." Sorbo said he posted what doctors said and questioned Facebook's actions.

After the 2020 presidential election, Sorbo spoke about election fraud claims. He initially supported the January 6 United States Capitol attack participants. Later, he blamed the violence on antifa. This led to public discussions with his former co-star Lucy Lawless.

In 2022, Sorbo was a speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference. In 2023, he published a children's book. It is called The Test of Lionhood. The book explores themes of masculinity from a Christian viewpoint.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Sorbo para niños