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Norman Reedus
NormanReedus2023a.jpg
Reedus in 2023
Born
Norman Mark Reedus

(1969-01-06) January 6, 1969 (age 55)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • model
  • television host
Years active 1992–present
Partner(s)
  • Helena Christensen (1998–2003)
  • Diane Kruger (2016–present)
Children 2

Norman Mark Reedus (born January 6, 1969) is an American actor and former fashion model. He made his acting debut in the 1990s and was featured in the successful box office films 8MM, Blade 2, and American Gangster. Reedus also landed roles in the television series Law & Order and Hawaii Five-O and ventured into voice acting, appearing in video games and voicing lead character Sam Porter in the video game Death Stranding. He has also starred in music videos for Lady Gaga, Keith Richards, Radiohead, and R.E.M.

Reedus rose to prominence for his portrayal of Daryl Dixon in the hit AMC horror drama series The Walking Dead (2010–2022). Regarded as one of the show's most popular characters, he began starring in his own spin-off series, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, in 2023. Reedus is the host of the AMC show Ride with Norman Reedus (2016–present). He has modeled for various fashion designers, including Prada.

Early life

Reedus was born in Hollywood, Florida, the son of Marianne (née Yarber), a teacher, and Ira Norman Reedus. Reedus's paternal grandmother was of Italian descent, while his grandfather had English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry. His parents divorced when he was young. Reedus attended Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, for a semester. After living in Tokyo, he moved to California to work at a Harley-Davidson shop in Venice, California, and contributed artwork to various shows as a painter, photographer, sculptor, and video artist. He first acted in the play Maps for Drowners at the Tiffany Theater on Sunset Boulevard.

Career

Film and television

Norman Reedus Gage Skidmore 2
Reedus in 2014

Reedus played Jeremy in his major film debut Mimic and Mac in Giovanni Rodriguez's Red Canyon. He played Murphy MacManus in the 1999 film The Boondock Saints. He reprised the role in the 2009 sequel The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. He played Scud in Blade II. He guest-starred in Charmed as Nate, the boyfriend of Paige (Rose McGowan). Reedus starred in Hello Herman, which opened nationwide and on-demand on June 7, 2013. Reedus stars in the reality series Ride with Norman Reedus, which premiered in June 2016. Most recently, he started Bigbaldhead Productions with an overall deal at AMC.

The Walking Dead

In 2010, Reedus began playing Daryl Dixon in the AMC television series The Walking Dead, a horror drama about a group of friends and family members who fight to survive in a violent apocalyptic world populated with flesh-eating zombies and the few surviving humans. The character was not originally in the comic book series of the same name, but was created specifically for Reedus after his audition for the character of Merle Dixon. The Walking Dead comic creator Robert Kirkman feels "absolutely blessed Reedus has honored the show with his presence, and the way he has come in and taken over that role and defined Daryl Dixon. A lot of Reedus's portrayal of the character in the first season inspired all the writers to do what we did with him in the second season. We love writing him and end up doing cool stuff with him." The drama has evolved into the highest-rated in cable history, smashing all previous records. Reedus was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.

Reedus reprised his role of Daryl as the lead of a spin-off series centered on his character, following the conclusion of the 11th and final season of The Walking Dead. Angela Kang is the showrunner for the series, which debuted in September 2023.

Modeling, music videos, and art

Reedus has modeled for Prada, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Durban, Levi's, Lexus, and Morgenthal Fredrics. In 2015, Reedus posed for a Cruelty Free International advertisement in support of ending cosmetic tests on animals.

In the mid-1990s, while working as a model, he appeared in the music videos for "Wicked as It Seems" by Keith Richards, "Violently Happy" by Björk, "Flat Top" by Goo Goo Dolls, "Cat's in the Cradle" covered by Ugly Kid Joe, "Strange Currencies" by R.E.M., and "Fake Plastic Trees" by Radiohead. In 1999, he appeared in the video for "Mean to Me" by Tonic. Since achieving fame as an actor, he has also appeared in the videos for "Judas" by Lady Gaga, "Sun Down" by Tricky (feat. Tirzah), "Gypsy Woman" by Hilary Duff, "No Cities to Love" by Sleater-Kinney, and "Curse of the Blackened Eye" by Orville Peck.

He is also a painter, sculptor, and photographer, who has shown his artwork in galleries in New York City, Barcelona, Berlin, and Frankfurt. He released a book of photography on October 31, 2013, called The Sun's Coming Up... Like a Big Bald Head, and in September 2014 announced a fan-art compilation called Thanks for All the Niceness.

Video games

Reedus reprised his role as Daryl Dixon in the 2013 video game The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, which is based on the television series. He was set to star in Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro's reboot horror game Silent Hills, but Kojima left Konami and the game was canceled in 2015. Reedus starred in Kojima's video game Death Stranding.

Personal life

Reedus was in a five-year relationship with supermodel Helena Christensen from 1998 to 2003. Despite reports to the contrary, the two were never married. Together they have a son, born in 1999. They have remained friends and shared joint custody of their son.

In February 2005, Reedus sustained a head injury when a truck collided with his car in Germany. His nose was reconstructed with the aid of four screws and his left eye socket with titanium.

In 2015, during the filming of Sky, Reedus met German actress Diane Kruger; the two were first seen together as a couple in July 2016. In November 2018, Kruger gave birth to their daughter, Nova; his second and her first child.

Reedus has lived in New York City since 1997.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Floating Van
Mimic Jeremy
Six Ways to Sunday Harold
1998 I'm Losing You Toby
Dark Harbor Young Man
Davis Is Dead Larry
1999 Let the Devil Wear Black Brautigan
8mm Warren Anderson
Boondock Saints, TheThe Boondock Saints Murphy MacManus
2000 Beat Lucien Carr
Gossip Travis
Preston Tylk Jonathan Casey
Sand Jack
2001 The Beatnicks Nick Nero
2002 Luster Sextools Delivery Boy
Blade II 'Scud'
Deuces Wild Marco Vendetti
2003 Nobody Needs to Know Kurt
Tough Luck Archie
Octane Recovery Man
Overnight Himself Documentary film
2004 Until the Night Robert
Great Wall Great Medicine Norman
2005 A Lot Like Love Emily's Ex At Airport Uncredited
Antibodies Polizist Schmitz
Notorious Bettie Page, TheThe Notorious Bettie Page Billy Neal
2006 Walls Henry Flesh Short film
Crime, AA Crime Vincent Harris
I Thought of You Unknown Short film;
Also writer and director
Killer Queen Jack Trust
2007 American Gangster Detective Norman Reilly
Moscow Chill Ray Perso
2008 Hero Wanted Swain Direct-to-video
Meet Me in Berlin Unnamed American Short film
Red Canyon Mac
Dead*Line Seth Short film
Clown Lucien
Cadillac Records Chess Records Engineer
Echoes of Extinction Eric Richards
Styrofoam Soul Joe
2009 The Chase Dangerous Guy
Messengers 2: The Scarecrow John Rollins Direct-to-video
Pandorum Shepard
Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, TheThe Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Murphy MacManus
2010 Meskada Dennis Burrows
Conspirator, TheThe Conspirator Lewis Payne
Ollie Klublershturf vs. The Nazis Barry Short film
8:28 AM [fr] Stranger
2011 Hello Herman Lax Morales
2012 Night of the Templar Henry Flesh
2013 Iron Man: Rise of Technovore Frank Castle / Punisher Voice, direct-to-video
Sunlight Jr. Justin
Pawn Shop Chronicles Stanley
2014 Stretch Himself Cameo
2015 Vacation Truck Driver
Air Bauer Also executive producer
Sky Diego
2016 Triple 9 Russel Welch
2017 Alien Invasion: S.U.M.1 K.E.R.4 Voice
2023 The Bikeriders Funny Sonny
2024 Ballerina TBA Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Charmed Nate Parks 2 episodes
2005 Masters of Horror Kirby Episode: "John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns"
2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Derek Lord Episode: "Influence"
13 Graves Norman Television film
2009 The Chase Dangerous Guy #1 Web series
2010 Hawaii Five-0 Anton Hesse Episode: "Pilot"
2010–2022 Walking Dead, TheThe Walking Dead Daryl Dixon Recurring (season 1), main (season 2–11), 148 episodes
2016 American Dad! Tim Voice, episode: "Hayley Smith, Seal Team Six"
Turbo Fast Wild Pete Voice, episode: "The Good, The Bad, and the Bugly"
Voltron: Legendary Defender Rolo Voice, episode: "Taking Flight"
2016–present Ride with Norman Reedus Himself (host) 24 episodes
2017 Robot Chicken Daryl Dixon Voice, episode: "The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking"
2018 Ballmastrz: 9009 Bacchus LaBrute Voice, episode: "Leather Passions! 2 Hearts, 2 Wheelz, Infinite Roadz. Ride Now!"
2021 Helluva Boss Striker Voice, episode: "The Harvest Moon Festival"; web series
2021 The Walking Dead: Origins Daryl Dixon / Himself Episode: "Daryl's Story"
2023 The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Daryl Dixon Lead role; also executive producer

Video games

Year Title Voice role Notes
2013 The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct Daryl Dixon Based on the TV series
2014 P.T. Protagonist Motion capture
2019 Death Stranding Sam Porter Bridges
2020 The Walking Dead: Onslaught Daryl Dixon Voice and likeness
Fortnite Battle Royale Likeness
2021 State of Survival Hero Model
TBA Death Stranding 2 (working title) Sam Porter Bridges Motion capture

Music videos

Year Title Artist Role(s) Ref.
1992 "Wicked as It Seems" Keith Richards N/A
1994 "Violently Happy" Björk
1995 "Strange Currencies" R.E.M.
"Fake Plastic Trees" Radiohead
2011 "Judas" Lady Gaga Judas Iscariot
2015 "It Just Feels" Jihae N/A
2020 "Don't Chase the Dead" Marilyn Manson
2021 "Never Look Back" Run the Jewels N/A
2022 "The Curse of the Blackened Eye" Orville Peck The Curse

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1997 New England Film & Video Festival Special Jury Award for Best Acting Performance Floating Won
1998 Gotham Awards Breakthrough Actor Six Ways to Sunday Nominated
2012 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor on Television The Walking Dead Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Television Ensemble (shared with cast) Won
IGN Awards Best TV Hero Won
IGN People's Choice Awards Best TV Hero Won
2014 EWwy Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated
New York City Horror Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award Won
2015 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor on Television The Walking Dead Nominated
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best TV Supporting Actor Won
2017 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor on a Television Series Nominated
2018 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Unstructured Reality Series Ride with Norman Reedus Nominated
2019 People's Choice Awards The Male TV Star of 2019 The Walking Dead Nominated
The Drama TV Star of 2019 Nominated
The Game Awards Best Performance Death Stranding Nominated
2020 British Academy Games Awards Performer in a Leading Role Nominated
2022 Hollywood Walk of Fame Television The Walking Dead Won

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Norman Reedus para niños

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