Matthew Fox
Matthew Fox is an American actor renowned for his roles in popular television series, particularly as Jack Shephard in "Lost" (2004–10) and Charlie Salinger in "Party of Five" (1994–2000). Born on July 14, 1966, in Abington, Pennsylvania, he grew up in Wyoming, where his father worked as a rancher. Initially pursuing a career in economics, Fox's trajectory changed when he was encouraged to model, leading to his entry into acting. His breakout role came with "Party of Five," where he played the oldest sibling navigating family responsibilities after a tragic loss. His portrayal of Jack in "Lost" solidified his status in Hollywood, earning him several awards and nominations.
Fox has also appeared in films, including "We Are Marshall" and "World War Z," and returned to television in recent years with roles in "Last Light" (2022) and "C*A*U*G*H*T" (2023). Despite not initially aspiring to become an actor, he achieved the rare distinction of leading two successful series, showcasing his versatility in both drama and action genres. Outside his professional life, Fox is married to Margherita Ronchi, with whom he has two children.
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Matthew Fox
Actor
- Born: July 14, 1966
- Place of Birth: Abington, Pennsylvania
Contribution: Matthew Fox is an actor best known for playing Jack on the television show Lost (2004–10) and Charlie on the drama Party of Five (1994–2000).
Background
Matthew Chandler Fox was born on July 14, 1966, in Abington, Pennsylvania, but he grew up in Crowheart, Wyoming. His father was a rancher who raised longhorn cattle and horses and farmed barley for Coors Brewing Company. Fox played football throughout high school and attended Columbia University on a football scholarship. He majored in economics, as he had no interest in acting during much of his youth. Fox’s life plan involved graduating with a degree in economics and getting a job on Wall Street—not portraying a paratrooper fighting his way through a zombie-infested city.
This plan changed when his girlfriend’s mother, a modeling agent, convinced a young Fox to try his hand at modeling prior to pursuing his eventual career at Wall Street. Fox was relatively successful as a model, and he landed bit parts in several commercials. He enjoyed the experience so much that he decided pursue a full-time acting career.
Career
Fox’s first acting role was a guest part on a single episode of the television comedy Wings in 1992. Following this, he starred in the short-lived drama Freshman Dorm. His breakthrough role, however, came in 1994, when he was cast as Charlie Salinger on the drama Party of Five. The series tells the story of five siblings whose parents were killed by a drunk driver. Charlie, the oldest sibling, becomes the head of the family at twenty-four-years old and struggles with the new responsibility of raising his four younger siblings. The show suffered from poor ratings during its first season before winning a Golden Globe and picking up support from critics—along with a large bump in ratings. Party of Five aired until 2000.
Following Party of Five, Fox played the lead in the short-lived horror drama Haunted in 2002. On the show, he portrays Frank Taylor, a private eye who learns that he can speak to the deceased victims of murder cases and uses his newfound powers to aid investigations. Despite positive reviews, only seven of the twelve filmed episodes were shown before the show was canceled because of poor ratings.
After Haunted, in 2004, Fox was given a starring role on the television show Lost. In Lost, Fox plays one of the passengers on the infamous Oceanic Flight 815, which crashes on what appears to be a deserted island. A former surgeon, Jack gives emergency medical care to many of the survivors. He is the natural leader of the survivors and is regulated almost entirely by logic and reason. Jack becomes the rival of fellow survivor John Locke, a man of faith who believes that the crash restored the use of his legs. Contrasting Jack, Locke believes that the survivors were brought to the island for a specific purpose that would later be revealed to them.
For his role as Jack, Fox won several awards, including Saturn Awards for best actor in 2005 and 2007. He was also nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award. As part of the cast, Fox won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2005. While Lost was on the air, Fox also acted in small parts in several films, including Smokin’ Aces (2006), We Are Marshall (2006), Speed Racer (2008), and Vantage Point (2008).
Once Lost concluded in 2010, Fox concentrated on the big screen with the period drama Emperor (2012). In the film, Fox plays General Bonner Fellers, who must decide whether to execute Japanese emperor Hirohito for war crimes after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II. For his next role, Fox adopted a grueling diet and exercise program, shaved his head, and underwent mixed-martial-arts training to meet the physical profile of the homicidal villain in the 2012 action movie Alex Cross. In this film, Fox portrays an elite assassin who is being hunted for the torture and murder of executives in Detroit. Fox followed this with the role of a zombie-hunting parajumper in the apocalyptic film World War Z (2013).
Though Fox went on to have roles in two films in 2015, he ultimately began to keep a lower profile professionally following these projects. The first 2015 film that he was a part of, Extinction, was a post-apocalyptic story once again involving zombies. Fox's character, Patrick, is one of three people that the film centers on attempting to survive in a small town. The film, while including elements of horror, also focuses on the complexities of their relationships in this setting. The second film that he had a role in, Bone Tomahawk, marked a shift for Fox to the Western genre. When people in town are abducted, Fox's Brood is one of those who goes along to help the sheriff, played by Kurt Russell, rescue them. Overall, critics praised many aspects of the film.
Fox returned to television in 2022, starring as Andy Yeats in the miniseries Last Light. He then took on the role of Lieutenant Pete in the television series C*A*U*G*H*T (2023).
Impact
Unlike many actors, Fox did not grow up with aspirations of becoming a star—he wanted to work on Wall Street. However, he became a marquee actor in Hollywood, accomplishing the rare feat of twice portraying notable lead characters in commercially successful and critically acclaimed television series.
Personal Life
Fox married Margherita Ronchi in the early 1990s. They are the parents of a daughter, Kyle, and a son, Byron.
Bibliography
Fox, Matthew. “Matthew Fox Is Lost to the Dark Side in Alex Cross.” Interview by Bryan Alexander. USA Today. Gannett, 16 Oct. 2012. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Fox, Matthew. “Matthew Fox Uncensored – The Alex Cross Star Talks about Career and Controversy.” Interview by Nate Millado. Men’s Fitness. Weider, Nov. 2012. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Fox, Matthew. “Not Blinded by Bright Lights: There’s No Place Like Home for Film, TV Star Matthew Fox.” Interview by Rena Delbridge. Made in Wyoming. Lee Enterprises, n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Fox, Matthew. “‘Some Guys Have a Garden Shed. This Is My Sanctuary.’” Interview by Jon Wilde. Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers, 19 Feb. 2011. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
"Matthew Fox." Internet Movie Database, 2024, www.imdb.com/name/nm0289142/. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
Tu, Janet I-Chin. “Success Surprises Stars of Acclaimed Party of Five.” Seattle Times. Seattle Times, 4 Mar. 1996. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.