Kevin Sorbo facts for kids

Kevin David Sorbo was born on September 24, 1958, and is an American actor. He is best known for playing the strong hero Hercules in the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys from 1995 to 1999. He also starred as Captain Dylan Hunt in the science-fiction show Andromeda from 2000 to 2005.

Between his time as Hercules, Sorbo took on his first main movie role in the 1997 fantasy film Kull the Conqueror. He has also acted in many Christian-themed films, like God's Not Dead (2014) and Let There Be Light (2017).

Early Life and Learning

Kevin Sorbo was born in Mound, Minnesota, on September 24, 1958. His family was of Norwegian background and they followed the Lutheran faith.

He went to Minnesota State University Moorhead. There, he studied both marketing and advertising. To help pay for his college, he started working as a model for TV ads and magazines.

His Acting Journey

Starting Out in Acting

In the mid-1980s, Kevin Sorbo traveled around Europe and Australia. He worked in many TV commercials and modeled for print ads. By the early 1990s, he had appeared in over 150 commercials! One famous ad was for Jim Beam, where he often said, "This ain't Jim Beam."

He began his acting career in 1986 with a small part in the TV show Santa Barbara. After that, he made guest appearances in other TV shows like 1st & Ten, Murder She Wrote, and The Commish. In 1993, he had his first movie role in Slaughter of the Innocents.

Becoming Famous as Hercules

In 1993, Kevin Sorbo got his big break playing the ancient greek demigod Hercules. He starred in five TV movies that led to the popular series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. The first movie, Hercules and the Amazon Women, came out in April 1994.

The TV series started in January 1995 and ran for six seasons. It made Sorbo an international star. The show was filmed in New Zealand and was one of the most-watched TV shows at the time.

The success of Hercules also led to a very popular spin-off show, 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, with Sorbo and Lawless voicing their characters.

Hercules ended in 1999. Kevin Sorbo made his last appearance as Hercules on Xena in February 2000.

While still playing Hercules, Sorbo also starred in the 1997 movie Kull the Conqueror. He was chosen for the role in 1995, and the movie was filmed in Slovakia and Croatia.

After Hercules: New Roles

After Hercules finished, Sorbo took on the main role of Captain Dylan Hunt in the science-fiction series Andromeda. This show 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, Walking Tall: The Payback and Walking Tall: Lone Justice. He also acted with his real-life wife, Sam Jenkins, in the Hallmark Channel movie Avenging Angel.

Sorbo in 2013

In 2008, he appeared in the comedy film Meet the Spartans. He also started doing voice acting, playing Prometheus in the video game The Conduit. He even voiced Hercules again in the video game God of War III and worked with his wife on the game Cloudberry Kingdom.

In 2014, Sorbo co-starred in God's Not Dead, a Christian movie. In it, he played a college professor who didn't believe in religion. Even though critics didn't love it, the movie was a big success. This led to Sorbo producing or acting in more Christian films.

In 2017, Sorbo directed and starred in the Christian drama film Let There Be Light. He played a character who finds faith. In 2024, he appeared in a movie about Ronald Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid.

About His Life

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

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

Health Challenges

In late 1997, while on a trip for Kull the Conqueror and between seasons of Hercules, Kevin Sorbo had a health issue in his shoulder that led to three strokes. This made him feel weak for several years. He kept this private while he recovered. During the last two seasons of Hercules, his filming schedule was reduced to help him. More guest stars appeared on the show to lessen his duties.

In his 2011 book True Strength, Sorbo shared details about his injury and how his wife, Sam, helped him get better.

In 2013, Sorbo received awards from the American Academy of Neurology and the American Brain Foundation. These awards recognized his efforts to help people learn more about strokes. He also received an award from the Invisible Disabilities Association.

His Views and Beliefs

Sorbo in 2020 at an event hosted by Turning Point USA

Kevin Sorbo has shared his views on different topics. In 2014, he defended the film The Passion of the Christ against claims that it was anti-Semitic. He later said he could have chosen his words differently but stood by his opinion.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, his Facebook page was removed. Facebook stated it was because he repeatedly shared "debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines." Sorbo said he posted things doctors said and that Facebook had been limiting his posts for a year before.

After the 2020 presidential election, Sorbo spoke out supporting claims of election fraud. He initially supported the protesters but later said the violence was caused by another group. This led to a public discussion on Twitter 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 called The Test of Lionhood. This book talks about what it means to be a man from a Christian point of view.

Movies and TV Shows

Film

Television

Video games

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Sorbo para niños