Matthew Modine

In 1980, Matthew Modine married Caridad Rivera. They have two children Boman Mark Rivera Modine and Ruby Modine.

Matthew Avery Modine was born on 22 March 1959, in Loma Linda, California, to Dolores Modine, a bookkeeper, and Mark Alexander Modine, who managed drive-in theatres.

He is the youngest of seven children of his parents. He has four brothers, Mark Modine, Maury Modine, Michael Modine and Russell Modine as well as two sisters Elizabeth Modine and Marica Modine. He is also the nephew of stage actress Nola Modine Fairbanks and the great-grandson of the prospector and pioneer Ralph Jacobus Fairbanks.

He lived in Utah for a long time, moving within the state every year or two until the Modine family eventually returned to Imperial Beach, California where Matthew graduated from Mar Vista High School in 1977. Matthew moved to New York City after his graduation to pursue his interests in art and theatre. He graduated from Brigham Young University.

In 1983, Matthew Modine made his debut in the John Sayles film ‘Baby It’s You’. He also starred in the sex comedy ‘Private School’ alongside Phoebe Cates and Betsy Russell in the same year. It was the director Robert Altman who propelled Modine to international stardom by casting him in his film adaption of David Rabe’s play ‘Streamers’.

In 1984, he played the character of Mel Gibson’s brother in ‘Mrs.Soffel’ and also starred with Nicolas Cage in Alan Parker’s ‘Birdy’. The movie was awarded ‘Gran Prix’ at the Cannes Film Festival.

His exceptional performance in ‘Baby It’s You’ impressed director Harold Becker who cast him in ‘Vision Quest’ in 1985. Shortly after, he played the dangerous young criminal, Treat, in Alan Pakula’s film adaption of Lyle Kessler’s stage play ‘Orphans’.

In 1988, he played the goofy, earnest FBI agent Mike Downey opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in Jonathan Demme’s screwball comedy ‘Married to the Mob’.

In 1990, he acted in the film ‘Memphis Belle’, a fictionalized account of the famous ‘B-17 Flying Fortress’.

Matthew Modine is best known for his role in Stanley Kubrick’s Vietnam war movie ‘Full Metal Jacket’ (1987). Modine who played Private Joker was highly praised for his performance.

He has been nominated for an Emmy award twice. The first nomination was for his performance in ‘And the Band Played On’, a film about the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the second for his role in the dark comedy ‘What the Deaf Man Heard’.

His portrayal of Atticus Finch in a stage adaptation of Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' at Connecticut's Hartford Stage. Was highly admired. This production of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ became the most successful play in the theatre's 45-year history.