Dermot Mulroney

American actor (b. 1963)
Catherine Keener
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 2007)​
  • Prima Apollinaare
    ​
    (m. 2008)​
    • Children3

    Dermot Patrick Mulroney (born October 31, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in romantic comedy, western, and drama films.

    Mulroney is known for his work in various films such as Long Gone (1987), Young Guns (1988), Staying Together (1989), Where the Day Takes You (1992), Point of No Return (1993), The Last Outlaw (1993), Angels in the Outfield (1994), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), About Schmidt (2002), The Wedding Date (2005), Zodiac (2007), August: Osage County (2013), Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015), Scream VI and Anyone But You (2023).

    Mulroney played the main antagonist Francis Gibson in NBC's Crisis (2014), Dr. Walter Wallace in Pure Genius (2016–2017), Sean Pierce in Showtime's Shameless (2015–2017), and Bobby Sheridan in USA's The Purge (2018–2019).

    Early life

    Mulroney was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on Halloween Day in 1963. His father, Michael Mulroney, from Elkader, Iowa, was a law professor at Villanova University School of Law beginning in the 1990s, prior to which he had a private practice in tax law for thirty years in Washington, D.C. His mother, Ellen, originally from Manchester, Iowa, was a regional theater actress.[1][2] Mulroney is of Irish and German descent, and is the middle child among five siblings. He has two older brothers, Conor and Sean; a younger brother, Kieran Mulroney, who is an actor and screenwriter; and a younger sister, Moira.[3]

    Mulroney attended Matthew Maury Elementary School and played cello in school and city youth orchestras, as well as acted in children's community theater. He finished 9th and 10th grades at George Washington High School, before attending T. C. Williams High School (class of 1981) in Alexandria, Virginia.[4] During his sophomore year in high school, he attended the Interlochen Arts Camp as a cellist.[3] Beginning at age 18, Mulroney studied communications at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois,[5] where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and graduated in 1985.[6]

    Mulroney has a scar on his upper lip from a childhood accident, about which he explained, "I was 3½ and I was carrying a dish for our pet rabbits. And I tripped and it broke, and I fell on it."[7]

    Career

    1986–1996

    Mulroney at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival

    In his senior year in college, Mulroney responded to a sign-up sheet and auditioned in front of WMA agent Barbara Gale,[3] who offered him a contract and asked him to relocate to Hollywood. There, Mulroney auditioned for three months before landing the role of the male lead in his debut in Sin of Innocence.[8] In his first decade acting, Mulroney appeared in a slew of drama films often dealing with heavy subject matter: Sin of Innocence (1986), in which he played a stepbrother romantically involved with his stepsister after their parents marry; Daddy (1987), in which he played the boyfriend in a couple struggling with teenage parenthood; the Lee Grant sibling family drama Staying Together (1989); Unconquered (1989), in which he portrayed the son of Richmond Flowers Sr., an opponent of Alabama Governor George Wallace's segregationist policies; Longtime Companion (1989), in which he portrayed the first HIV/AIDS patient to die of the disease in a widely released film; Where the Day Takes You (1992), in which he plays the leader of a group of teenage runaways trying to survive in the streets of Los Angeles; and supporting roles in the Emmy Award-nominated Family Pictures (1993), which dealt with the struggles of raising a child with autism, and Bastard out of Carolina (1996), which dealt with abuse and molestation.

    In 1988, Mulroney appeared in the baseball flick Long Gone, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie at the CableACE Awards. In 1989, he appeared in Survival Quest, during which he met Catherine Keener. While filming, in 1986,[3] Keener was caught in a river current and floated precariously close to whitewater rapids when Mulroney jumped in and the pair were picked up half a mile downstream. The two eventually married in 1990.[9] The couple would go on to appear together in four other films: Living In Oblivion (1995), Heroine of Hell (1996), Box of Moonlight (1996) and Lovely & Amazing (2001). Mulroney's roles in Samantha (1991) and Where The Day Takes You (1992) awarded him Best Actor at the Seattle International Film Festival. In 1993, he wrote the song "Someone Else's Used Guitar" for Peter Bogdanovich's The Thing Called Love, in which he also starred. Mulroney also had a cameo in the Joaquin Phoenix–directed video "Tired of Being Sorry" for Balthazar Getty's band Ringside.

    Mulroney appeared in a number of western films throughout this period, namely Young Guns in 1988, Silent Tongue and The Last Outlaw in 1993, and Bad Girls in 1994.[10] The Sam Shepard-directed Silent Tongue would mark the second in a series of four collaborations, with the two previously appearing together on screen in Bright Angel (1990), for which Mulroney won the Jury Special Prize at the Torino International Festival of Young Cinema. Mulroney co-starred in the comedy-drama films: Staying Together (1989); The Thing Called Love (1993), the second of two collaborations with River Phoenix before his death; and There Goes My Baby (1994), originally filmed in 1990.[5] Mulroney appeared in the thriller films Point of No Return in 1993; Copycat in 1995; the Palme d'Or-nominated Kansas City, and The Trigger Effect in 1996. He was nominated for Best Kiss, with Winona Ryder, for How to Make an American Quilt (1996) at the MTV Movie Awards.

    1997–present

    Mulroney in 2016

    Several of his lead performances have been in romantic comedy films. Mulroney has appeared in many films, including as the male lead in My Best Friend's Wedding alongside Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz. In 1993 Mulroney played "J.P", the boyfriend of star "Maggie" (played by Bridget Fonda) in Point of No Return. Mulroney also played the love interest of Madeleine Stowe in the western Bad Girls. In 2005, he played a male escort alongside Debra Messing in The Wedding Date, and co-starred in the ensemble film The Family Stone, with Sarah Jessica Parker. He was also in the film Abduction (2011) as Martin Price.

    In 2003, Mulroney played Gavin Mitchell on the TV series Friends. He appeared in three episodes of the ninth season, his character briefly dating Rachel. This would mark Mulroney's last on-screen appearance on television for a number of years, later revealing in a May 2007 interview that he had turned down TV series roles in favor of film.[11] In 2007, Mulroney appeared in the fifth season of The Batman as Green Lantern / Hal Jordan.[12] In 2011, he directed the feature film Love, Wedding, Marriage.

    In 2012, Mulroney played the love interest of Zooey Deschanel, Russell, in the Fox series New Girl. In 2013, he played the title starring role in the psychotronic horror film The Rambler, which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. He also starred alongside Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, and Stefanie Scott in the 2015 horror sequel Insidious: Chapter 3.[13] He is the narrator of Legends & Lies (2015-2016) executive produced by Bill O'Reilly for Fox News Channel. He also appeared in the hit Showtime series Shameless as Sean, a recovering drug addict who runs a restaurant. In 2023, Mulroney starred in the sixth installment of the Scream franchise[14] and starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Secret Invasion.

    Personal life

    Dermot Mulroney in 2018

    Mulroney married actress Catherine Keener in 1990 after they met in 1986 when filming Survival Quest.[9] They have a son named Clyde Keener Mulroney (born June 21, 1999) who is a singer. The couple separated in May 2005 and Mulroney filed for divorce on June 11, 2007, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce became final on December 19, 2007.[15] He later married Italian Prima Apollinaare in 2008. They have two daughters, and the family lives in Los Angeles.

    Mulroney is an accomplished cellist. In 1996, he was part of a band called the Low and Sweet Orchestra that released an album in 1996, "Goodbye to All That".[16] In 2005 he appeared alongside Boyd Tinsley for Alanis Morissette's show at the House of Blues in Hollywood. He played the cello in the films The Thing Called Love, where he portrayed an aspiring country singer, the 1987 made-for-TV movie Daddy, and Samantha, where he portrayed a college student studying music. He played cello in the song "Place Your Hand" from Melissa Etheridge's 1992 album Never Enough, on the EP for Rain Phoenix's band Papercranes, and on the scores for Mission: Impossible III (2006), Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013).[17] In 2016 his band, Cranky George, released its debut album Fat Lot of Good.[18] Most recently, he portrayed a cello soloist in the second and third seasons of Mozart in the Jungle.

    Mulroney was included in People's Sexiest Men of the Year issue in 2005 as its "Sexiest Jack of Arts".[19]

    Filmography

    Key
    † Denotes works that have not yet been released

    Film

    Year Title Role Notes
    1988 Sunset Michael Alperin
    Young Guns Dirty Steve Stephens
    1989 Staying Together Kit McDermott
    Survival Quest Gray Atkinson
    Longtime Companion John
    1990 Bright Angel George Russell
    1991 Career Opportunities Nestor Pyle
    Samantha Henry
    1992 Where the Day Takes You King
    1993 Silent Tongue Reeves McCree
    Point of No Return J. P.
    The Last Outlaw Frank Wells
    The Thing Called Love Kyle Davidson
    1994 Bad Girls Josh McCoy
    There Goes My Baby Pirate
    Angels in the Outfield Mr. Bomman
    Scene Six, Take One Wolf Short film
    1995 Copycat Reuben Goetz
    How to Make an American Quilt Sam
    Living in Oblivion Wolf Überman Also associate producer
    1996 Kansas City Johnny O'Hara
    The Trigger Effect Joe
    Box of Moonlight Wick
    Bastard Out of Carolina Lyle Parsons
    1997 My Best Friend's Wedding Michael O'Neal
    1999 Goodbye Lover Jake Dunmore
    2000 Trixie Dexter "Dex" Lang
    Where the Money Is Wayne MacKay
    2001 The Safety of Objects Jim Train
    Investigating Sex Edgar Faldo
    Lovely & Amazing Kevin McCabe
    2002 About Schmidt Randall Hertzel
    2004 Undertow John Munn
    Hair High Rod Voice[20]
    2005 The Wedding Date Nick Mercer
    Must Love Dogs Bob Connor
    The Family Stone Everett Stone
    2006 Griffin & Phoenix Henry Griffin
    2007 Dante's Inferno Dante Alighieri Voice
    Zodiac Captain Marty Lee
    Georgia Rule Dr. Simon Ward
    Gracie Bryan Bowen
    2008 Jolene Uncle Phil
    Burn After Reading Star of "Coming Up Daisy"
    Flash of Genius Gil Previck
    2009 Kisses Over Babylon Warden Short film
    2010 Inhale Paul Stanton
    2011 Abduction Martin Price
    J. Edgar Colonel Schwarzkopf
    The Family Tree Jack Burnett
    Love, Wedding, Marriage Director
    2012 Struck by Lightning Neal Phillips
    The Grey Jerome Talget
    Big Miracle Colonel Scott Boyer
    Trade of Innocents Alex Becker
    Beyond Officer Jack Musker
    2013 Space Warriors Andy Hawkins
    Stoker Richard Stoker
    The Rambler The Rambler
    Jobs Mike Markkula
    A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III Doctor
    August: Osage County Steve Heidebrecht
    2015 Careful What You Wish For Elliott Harper
    Truth Lawrence Lanpher
    Insidious: Chapter 3 Sean Brenner
    The D Train Himself
    2016 Dirty Grandpa David Kelly
    Lavender Patrick
    2017 Sleepless Stanley Rubino
    The Christmas Train Tom Langdon
    The Mountain Between Us Mark Robertson
    2018 I Still See You August Bittner
    Cats and Peachtopia Blanket Voice
    2019 Sgt. Will Gardner Buddy
    The Courier Special Agent Roberts
    2020 Hard Luck Love Song Rollo
    2021 The Blazing World Tom Winter
    Deadly Illusions Tom Morrison
    Christmas Is Cancelled Jack Lockhart
    2022 Along for the Ride Robert [21]
    Gone in the Night Nicholas Barlow
    Umma Danny
    The Inhabitant Ben
    Agent Game Harris
    Section Eight Sam Ramsey
    2023 Scream VI Detective Wayne Bailey [22][23]
    You're Killing Me Congressman Schroder [24]
    Shooting Stars Keith Dambrot [25]
    Breakwater Ray Childress
    The Dirty South Jeb Roy [26]
    The Warrant: Breaker's Law Yule Bronson
    Ruthless Harry[27]
    Anyone but You Leo
    2024 Lights Out Sage Parker
    TBA The Gettysburg Address † Andrew Gregg Curtin Voice; post-production
    Depravity † TBA Post-production
    Play Dirty † TBA Filming

    Television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1986 Sin of Innocence Tim McGary Television film (CBS)
    Fame Max Episode: "Losin' It"
    CBS Schoolbreak Special Doug Dawson Episode: "The Drug Knot"
    1987 Daddy Bobby Television film (ABC)
    Long Gone Jamie Weeks Television film (HBO)
    1989 Unconquered Richmond Flowers Jr. Television film (CBS)
    1992 The Heart of Justice Elliot Burgess Television film (TNT)
    1993 Family Pictures Mack Eberlin Television film (ABC)
    The Last Outlaw Eustis Television film (HBO)
    1996 Heroine of Hell Callum Television film (PBS)
    2003 Friends Gavin Mitchell 3 episodes; Season 9
    2007–08 The Batman Green Lantern / Hal Jordan (voice) 3 episodes[20]
    2008 The Memory Keeper's Daughter Dr. David Henry Television film (Lifetime)
    2011 Silent Witness Tony Lord Television film (TNT)
    2012–18 New Girl Russell Schiller 8 episodes; Seasons 1, 2 and 7
    2012 Saturday Night Live Himself Episode: "Jamie Foxx / Ne-Yo"
    2013 Enlightened Jeff Flender 6 episodes; Season 2
    2014 Crisis Francis Gibson 13 episodes; Main cast
    2015 Extant Taalr (voice) Episode: "Change Scenario"; uncredited
    Northpole: Open for Christmas Ian Hanover Television film (Hallmark)
    2015–17 Shameless Sean Pierce 23 episodes; Seasons 5, 6 and 8
    2015–16 Mozart in the Jungle Andrew Walsh 3 episodes; Seasons 2 and 3
    Also contributed to soundtrack
    2016–17 Pure Genius Dr. Walter Wallace Main cast, 13 episodes
    2016 Soundbreaking Narrator 8 episodes
    2017 American Dad! Jesse (voice) Episode: "Julia Rogerts"
    American Horror Story: Cult Bob Thompson 3 episodes
    The Christmas Train Tom Langdon Television film (Hallmark Hall of Fame)
    Also contributed to soundtrack
    2018 LA to Vegas Captain Steve Jasser 2 episodes[28]
    Kingpin Narrator 4 episodes
    Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy Himself 3 episodes
    Homecoming Anthony Main cast, 3 episodes
    Into the Dark Henry Tooms Episode: "Flesh & Blood"
    Drunk History Georges Ladoux Episode: "Femme Fatales"
    2018–19 The Purge Bobby Sheridan Recurring cast (Season 2)
    Arrested Development Dusty Radler 7 episodes
    Station 19 Greg Tanner Recurring cast, 5 episodes
    2019 Four Weddings and a Funeral Bryce Dylan Recurring cast, 6 episodes
    The Righteous Gemstones Johnny Seasons Recurring cast, 4 episodes
    2020 Messiah President John Young 2 episodes
    Prodigal Son Nicholas Endicott 3 episodes; Season 1
    The Eric Andre Show Himself Episode: "Lizzo Up"
    2020–21 Hanna John Carmichael 16 episodes
    2023 Ghosts of Beirut Robert Ames Episode: "Emergence"[29]
    Secret Invasion President Ritson Main role, 4 episodes
    TBA The Hunting Wives Jed Banks Upcoming series[30]

    Awards and nominations

    Year Event Category Nominated work Result
    1988 CableACE Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Long Gone Nominated
    1990 Torino International Festival of Young Cinema Jury Special Prize Bright Angel Won
    1992 Seattle International Film Festival Best Actor Samantha
    Where The Day Takes You     		Won
    1996 MTV Movie Awards Best Kiss (shared with Winona Ryder) How to Make an American Quilt Nominated
    2007 Philadelphia Film Festival Artistic Achievement Award Himself Won
    2013 Seattle Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble August: Osage County Nominated
    2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
    2013 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards Best Ensemble Nominated

    References

    1. ^ "Cover story: Dermot Mulroney – Interview with movie actor". June 1997. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007.
    2. ^ "The one and only Mulroney - actor Dermot Mulroney - Interview". January 1994. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007.
    3. ^ a b c d Brennan, Patricia (17 May 1987). "DERMOT MULRONEY FROM ALEXANDRIA TO TINSELTOWN". Washington Post.
    4. ^ "Dermot Mulroney's local roots". Alexandria Times. May 17, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
    5. ^ a b "Dermot Mulroney, at 27, Knows a Lot About Playing 18-Year-Olds". Los Angeles Times. 15 June 1991. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
    6. ^ "The Purple Pilgrim". August 2002. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
    7. ^ "Dermot Mulroney: Good In A 'Crisis'". Chicago Sun-Times: Splash. March 26, 2014. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
    8. ^ "Breaking Into the Act". The Washington Post. March 26, 1986. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
    9. ^ a b Dutka, Elaine (10 March 2003). "A mullet-proof reputation". Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018 – via LA Times.
    10. ^ "Genuine Gentleman Dermot Mulroney". Paper. September 1, 1996. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
    11. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Dermot Mulroney Coaches the First Female Soccer Player in Gracie". MovieWeb. 29 May 2007.
    12. ^ "Exclusive: Batman Nabs Mulroney for Green Lantern - TV Guide". TVGuide.com. 26 November 2007.
    13. ^ "New Insidious Chapter 3 Still Stares Over Your Shoulder - Dread Central". 6 January 2015.
    14. ^ Kit, Borys (June 3, 2022). "Dermot Mulroney Joins Latest Scream Horror Movie (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
    15. ^ "Dermot Mulroney Files for Divorce from Catherine Keener". People.com. June 11, 2007. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012.
    16. ^ "The Low & Sweet Orchestra Discography". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
    17. ^ "Dermot Mulroney on Jimmy Kimmel Live". Jimmy Kimmel Live. Retrieved January 11, 2012.[dead YouTube link]
    18. ^ "Cranky George - Fat Lot of Good". bandcamp.com. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
    19. ^ "Men of the Year". People. Vol. 64, no. 22. November 2005. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
    20. ^ a b "Dermot Mulroney (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 26, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
    21. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (April 22, 2021). "'To All the Boys' Scribe Sofia Alvarez To Helm 'Along for the Ride' Adaptation For Netflix; Kate Bosworth, Andie MacDowell Among Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
    22. ^ Kit, Borys (June 3, 2022). "Dermot Mulroney Joins Latest 'Scream' Horror Movie (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
    23. ^ Noraas, Dana (December 16, 2022). "'Scream VI': Release Date, Returning and New Cast, Trailer, and Everything We Know so Far About the Slasher Sequel". Collider. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
    24. ^ "YOU'RE KILLING ME OPENING IN THEATERS AND ON DIGITAL ON APRIL 7, 2023". www.investorsobserver.com. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
    25. ^ Kit, Borys (2022-05-13). "High School Basketball Star Mookie Cook to Play Young LeBron James in Drama 'Shooting Stars' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
    26. ^ Complex, Valerie (2023-06-29). "Cineverse Acquires Bayou Western The Dirty South Starring Dermot Mulroney, Willa Holland And Shane West". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
    27. ^ Stenzel, Wesley (November 8, 2023). "Dermot Mulroney beats the s--- out of a horrible dad in Ruthless trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
    28. ^ O'Connell, Michael (September 21, 2017). "Dylan McDermott and Dermot Mulroney Are Finally Acting Together". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
    29. ^ Vlessing, Etan (April 19, 2023). "Showtime's 'Ghosts of Beirut' Trailer Recounts CIA Manhunt for Deadly Terrorist (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
    30. ^ Cordero, Rosy (February 23, 2024). "Dermot Mulroney Joins Cast Of New Starz Drama 'The Hunting Wives'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 18, 2024.

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