Matthew Fox is an American actor known for portraying Charlie Salinger in Party of Five and Dr. Jack Shephard in Lost. His film work includes We Are Marshall, Vantage Point, Speed Racer, Emperor, World War Z, Alex Cross, and Bone Tomahawk. His performance in Lost brought Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy nominations, as well as major television awards.
Background
Matthew Chandler Fox was born on July 14, 1966, in Abington, Pennsylvania, to Loretta B. Eagono, a schoolteacher, and Francis G. Fox, who worked as an oil-company consultant before raising longhorn cattle and horses and growing barley for Coors beer. When Fox was one year old, his family moved to Crowheart, Wyoming, where he grew up on the family ranch near the Wind River Indian Reservation. He is the middle of three sons, with brothers Francis Jr. and Bayard. His rural upbringing fostered an early interest in horseback riding and outdoor activities.
Education
Fox attended Wind River High School in Wyoming and transferred to Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, for his senior year, graduating in 1985. He studied economics at Columbia University in New York, where he also played wide receiver on the football team, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989. Although he initially considered a career on Wall Street, modeling and commercial work led him toward acting after college.
Career
Fox began his screen career with television appearances in Wings and Freshman Dorm in the early 1990s, followed by a role in the CBS Schoolbreak Special episode If I Die Before I Wake. His feature-film debut came in My Boyfriend's Back in 1993. From 1994 to 2000, he played Charlie Salinger, the eldest sibling and legal guardian in the family drama Party of Five; he also directed one episode of the series. He appeared in the television film Behind the Mask in 1999 and played private investigator Frank Taylor in the supernatural drama Haunted in 2002. Fox achieved international recognition as Dr. Jack Shephard in Lost, which ran from 2004 to 2010. During and after the series, he appeared in We Are Marshall, Smokin' Aces, Vantage Point, Speed Racer, Emperor, Alex Cross, World War Z, Extinction, and Bone Tomahawk. He later served as executive producer of the miniseries Last Light and starred as Andy Yeats in 2022. His screen work also includes the television productions C*A*U*G*H*T and The Madison.
Achievements
Achieved international recognition for portraying Dr. Jack Shephard in the television drama Lost from 2004 to 2010.
Played Charlie Salinger in the long-running family drama Party of Five from 1994 to 2000.
Expanded his career from television drama into feature films including We Are Marshall, Vantage Point, Speed Racer, Emperor, Alex Cross, World War Z, and Bone Tomahawk.
Works
feature film
World War Z
(Fox appeared as a United States Air Force parajumper.)
2013
My Boyfriend's Back
(Fox made his feature-film debut as Buck Van Patten.)
1993
We Are Marshall
(Fox portrayed football coach William "Red" Dawson.)
2006
Vantage Point
(Fox portrayed Secret Service agent Kent Taylor.)
2008
Alex Cross
(Fox portrayed the assassin known as Picasso.)
2012
Emperor
(Fox portrayed General Bonner Fellers.)
2012
Smokin' Aces
(Fox appeared as Bill Security Super.)
2006
Bone Tomahawk
(Fox portrayed John Brooder.)
2015
Speed Racer
(Fox portrayed Racer X.)
2008
Extinction
(Fox portrayed Patrick.)
2015
Television miniseries
Last Light
(Fox portrayed Andy Yeats and served as an executive produ...)
2022
television series
Party of Five
(Fox portrayed Charlie Salinger and directed one episode o...)
1994
Haunted
(Fox portrayed private investigator Frank Taylor.)
2002
Lost
(Fox portrayed Dr. Jack Shephard, the central character in...)
2004
Interests
Fox has expressed an interest in outdoor pursuits and is a private pilot.
Sport & Clubs
Football, basketball, fly fishing, horseback riding, camping, and other outdoor activities.
Connections
Fox has been married to Margherita Ronchi since 1992. They have two children, Kyle and Byron.
Father:
Francis G. Fox
Former oil-company consultant who raised longhorn cattle and horses and grew barley for Coors beer.
