Steve Zahn is one of Hollywood’s most notable actors. Over the course of his career, he has tackled varied roles from quirky sidekicks and bad guys to playing dads with existential crises and good guys. His latest role as the beloved Mark Mossbacher in The White Lotus has reintroduced him to global audiences and put him into the spotlight again.
It is laudable that Zahn is finally getting his moment in the spotlight. He is an undoubtedly talented actor, comedian, and true Hollywood veteran, but there’s so much more to him than his eccentric roles and funny side. Here are eight facts you didn’t know about Steve Zahn.
1. Steve Zahn Is of Swedish and German Descent
Zahn is an American actor who was born and raised in Marshall, Minnesota, but he has interesting roots. His father, Carleton Edward Zahn, who is a Lutheran minister, is of German and Swedish descent. His mother, Zelda Clair Zahn, who is a bookstore clerk, is of German descent, which makes Zahn half Swedish and half German.
2. He Is an Accomplished Singer and Guitarist
Another interesting thing about Zahn is that he’s a man of many talents. He’s not just an accomplished actor. He’s also a gifted singer and guitarist. He sang and played lead guitar in the 1996′ comedy drama That Thing You Do! and also sang and played guitar in the 2001 film Saving Silverman. He also appeared on HBO’s drama Treme, where he played a part-time DJ and a musician.
3. He Has Two Children With Robyn Peterman
Steve Zahn has been happily married since 1994 to best-selling author and theater artist Robyn Peterman, who is the daughter of American catalog and retail entrepreneur J. Peterman. The couple met in 1991 while performing on a national tour of Bye Bye Birdie. The pair have two children together, Henry and Audrey.
4. He Won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for Happy, Texas
Zahn won Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his incredible performance in the 1999 comedy-drama Happy, Texas. The movie follows two prisoners (played by Jeremy Northam and Steve Zahn) as they escape from a chain gang, steal an RV, and then are mistaken for a gay couple traveling around Texas as consultants for beauty pageants. Both actors give astonishing performances in this light-hearted comedy.
5. Steve Zahn Has an Impressive Portfolio of TV Shows and Movies
Steve Zahn is one of Hollywood’s most familiar faces, and it’s no wonder everyone knows him. He’s very likable, funny, and talented. From eccentric and goofy characters to bad guys and dark characters, he’s done it all. He has an impressive portfolio of remarkable TV shows and movies.
He first found breakout success in 1990’s movies like That Thing You Do!, Reality Bites, Out of Sight, and You’ve Got Mail. Then, he was in Riding in Cars with Boys, Shattered Glass, Rescue Dawn, War for the Planet of the Apes, and more. Other than that, he’s a regular on television, appearing in hit shows like Friends, Monk, Modern Family, George & Tammy, and recently The White Lotus.
6. He Formed a Theater Company With His Fellow Actors
Another fact you probably didn’t know about Steve Zahn is that he began his career in theater. At the beginning of his career, he enrolled in American Repertory Theater’s two-year training program. He later went on to form a theater company with his actor friends (Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard) called the Malaparte theater company. The company, unfortunately, dissolved in 2000 as group members had other affairs and commitments.
7. He Considers War for the Planet of the Apes His Most Challenging Job
War for the Planet of the Apes was quite an unusual project for Zahn. In fact, the actor even admits it himself, saying mo-cap performance for the character of Big Ape is the most challenging job he ever had. He explained, “To be honest, this was the hardest acting job I’ve ever done! If I didn’t have experience in theater before this, I don’t know if I could have done it. I mean, I do feel like I’m tooting my own horn when I get asked this, but you have to be really good to do this stuff!”
8. Steve Zahn Lives on a Horse Farm Outside Lexington, Kentucky
Another interesting fact about Steve Zahn is that he moved with his family to a 360-acre horse farm outside Kentucky. Together, they garden and raise horses, goats, and sheep. Other than that, they run a local community theater in the area. Zahn says, “We have horses and goats. We’ve been there for 13 years outside Lexington, Kentucky. I just don’t want this business to define my life.” It is clear that Zahn leads an fulfilled life, alongside his exciting career.
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