Stephen Dorff Jr. was born on July 29, 1973 in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the son of Steve Dorff, a country music songwriter who has worked with such luminaries as George Strait and Clay Walker, earning multiple award nominations. He has also composed the score for several TV shows, making this a true showbiz family. Steve and his wife have another son, Andrew, who is a songwriter like his father.
Although Dorff was born in Atlanta, his father’s work was primarily in Los Angeles, so the family moved there, and Dorff and his brother were raised there. He attended various private schools in the area, mainly because he was constantly expelled. By Dorff’s own account, he was expelled at least five times from various schools in the Los Angeles area.
Despite his status as a troublemaker at school, casting directors in Hollywood seemed to love the fresh-faced kid, and Dorff soon became a child actor. He first appeared in various commercials for products such as Mattel toys and Kraft foods. By the mid-1980s, he had turned to much larger acting jobs, actively pursuing film and television roles. His first job was a one-off guest appearance in 1985 on the popular TV show “The New Leave it to Beaver.” The same year, he also landed a one-time guest role as Scott on the classic comedy series “Diff’rent Strokes.”
Dorff didn’t land a single gig in 1986, but then came back into the fold in 1987, when he landed his first role in a TV movie called “In Love and War” with Jane Alexander and James Woods. Later that year, he also got his first feature film, a horror film called “The Gate”. Not only was it his first major film, but it was a leading role that attracted the attention of more casting directors, who were suddenly eager to cast Dorff in his films, even as he struggled at school. they increased.
The year 1988 was great for the young actor, who participated in a total of four television movies. In 1989, he again appeared in guest roles on television, mixing those concerts with more television movies.
Many child actors find the transition to adult actors difficult, and many act out and rebel, turning to drugs and alcohol to deal with their problems. Although Dorff was expelled from several schools, he was never arrested or used hard drugs, although he admits that he smoked and partyed during his youth. He credits his mom and dad for keeping him in check and not letting him go completely wild.
Unlike many of his peers, Dorff seemed to adapt easily to adult roles, especially in feature films. His big break that made him a bona fide adult actor was as Stuart Sutcliffe in “Backbeat,” a biopic about the early days of the legendary band The Beatles. Dorff received rave reviews for his portrayal of the tragic “fifth Beatle”, paving the way for his equally prestigious roles in future productions.
After “Backbeat,” Dorff began working at a breakneck pace, mostly in feature films, averaging three to four films a year. Some of his most notable work was in movies like “I Shot Andy Warhol,” where he played the person who literally shot Andy Warhol. However, it wasn’t until 1998 that his career really went to the next level, when he was cast as lead vampire Deacon Frost in the vampire hit “Blade,” starring Wesley Snipes. He received a lot of praise for his villain role, which was a big departure from the roles he used to take.
He continued to work steadily in movies and even managed to appear in an occasional music video. Many wondered when the busy actor would settle down, but Dorff was in no hurry to get married or have children. In fact, the actor, who is now 40 years old, has never been married and keeps his life very private.
Dorff remains as busy as ever, taking on the lead role in the crime drama “Officer Down” in 2013 alongside “Bones” star David Boreanaz and action movie star Stephen Lang. In 2014, he is scheduled to appear in at least two films, the lead role in “Oliver’s Deal” with David Strathairn and a role in the ensemble drama “Geography of the Heart.”
