JOHN C. REILLY

Name, Age & Place of Birth

John Christopher Reilly was born on May 24, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Now 60 years old in 2025, he remains deeply connected to his Midwestern roots .

Early Life & Education

The fifth of six children, John was raised in Chicago’s Lawn neighborhood in an Irish-Scottish/Lithuanian family. His father managed an industrial linen supply business, while his mother worked a typist gig . Politely mischievous as a kid, John once famously “stole 500 boxes of Sugar Corn Pops from a freight train” at age 12. He attended Brother Rice Catholic High School, then earned a BFA in acting from DePaul University's Theatre School .

Breakthrough Roles & Dramatic Range

John entered the film world in 1989 with Casualties of War, later expanding into notable character roles: Buck in Days of Thunder (1990), roles in State of Grace and The River Wild, and his collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson in Hard Eight (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), and Magnolia (1999) . He earned widespread acclaim—and an Academy Award nomination—for playing Amos Hart in the musical Chicago (2002), earning a Golden Globe nod as well .

Comedy Icons & Voice Acting

Following dramatic peaks, John effortlessly moved into comedy, delivering fan favorites like Cal Naughton Jr. in Talladega Nights (2006) and Dale Doback in Step Brothers (2008) . He is also the lovable voice behind the title character in Disney’s Wreck‑It Ralph series (2012, 2018, 2023), and lent his voice to animated projects including Sing, Guardians of the Galaxy, and more .

TV & Stage Highlights

On TV, John co-created and starred as Dr. Steve Brule in Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007–2010), later headlining its spin‑off Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule (2010–2016) . He continued with Moonbase 8 (2020) and took dramatic turns as Jerry Buss in HBO’s Winning Time (2022–2023) . On Broadway, he earned a Tony nomination for Sam Shepard’s True West in 2000 .

Music & “Mister Romantic”

John’s creative range extends into music. He toured as Dewey Cox in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), earning Golden Globe and Grammy nominations . In March 2024, he debuted Mister Romantic, a vaudeville-style musical persona. In June 2025, under that alter ego, he released What’s Not to Love?, an album of Great American Songbook classics aimed at spreading empathy and kindness .

Awards & Recognitions

John has garnered an Oscar nomination, four Golden Globe nods, and a Tony nomination . He’s earned two Screen Actors Guild Awards and multiple Independent Spirit Award nominations, reflecting his agility across drama, comedy, voice acting, and stage performance .

Personal Life & Values

Married since 1992 to independent film producer Alison Dickey, John is a father to two sons, including musician Leo (stage name: LoveLeo) . A private person, he balances his creative work with hobbies like roller-skating and collecting clown art . He also practices Transcendental Meditation .

John C. Reilly stands out as a rare kind of performer—grounded yet adventurous, equally at ease in award-winning dramas, laugh-out-loud comedies, heartfelt animation, intimate stage plays, and even crooning in tuxedos.