Christopher Eugene O'Donnell (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor and former model. He played Charlie Sims in ''
Scent of a Woman'', Chris Reece in ''
School Ties'',
D'Artagnan in ''
The Three Musketeers'', Jack Foley in the
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...
''
Circle of Friends'',
Dick Grayson
Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman and Teen Titans. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, he first appeared in ''Detective Com ...
/
Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
in ''
Batman Forever
''Batman Forever'' (on-screen title is simply ''Forever'') is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton, based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The third installment ...
'' and ''
Batman & Robin'', Jason Brown in
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New H ...
's ''
Cookie's Fortune'', Peter Garrett in ''
Vertical Limit'', and
Wardell Pomeroy in ''
Kinsey''. O'Donnell stars as special Agent
G. Callen on the
CBS crime drama television series ''
NCIS: Los Angeles'', a spin-off of ''
NCIS NCIS or N.C.I.S. may refer to:
Law enforcement
* National Criminal Intelligence Service, the predecessor to the Serious Organised Crime Agency of the United Kingdom
* Naval Criminal Investigative Service, a United States law enforcement and intelli ...
''.
Early life
O'Donnell was born in the
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
suburb of
Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka () is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located north of downtown Chicago. The population was 12,316 as of 2019. The village is one of the wealthiest places in the nation in terms of household income. It was the second ...
, the son of William Charles O'Donnell Sr., a general manager of
WBBM-AM, and Julie Ann Rohs von Brecht. He is the youngest of seven children, with four sisters and two brothers, and is of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
and
Irish descent. O'Donnell was raised in a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
family and attended Catholic schools. He graduated from
Loyola Academy in
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. Bordering Lake Michigan and Evanston, Illinois, it is located north of Chicago's downtown district. Wilmette had a population of 27,087 at the 2010 census. The ...
in 1988. O'Donnell then attended
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifi ...
and graduated with a
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...
in marketing in 1992.
O'Donnell began modeling at the age of 13.
Career
O'Donnell started his career by appearing in numerous commercials as a teenager, including commercials for
Cap'n Crunch cereal and
Fruit Roll-Ups
Fruit Roll-Ups is a brand of fruit snack that debuted in grocery stores across America in 1983. It is a flat, pectin-based, fruit-flavored snack rolled into a tube, spread on a backing sheet of cellophane to prevent the product from sticking to i ...
snacks, as well as a
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food
Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold ...
fast food commercial in which he served
NBA great
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
. An early television series role was an appearance on the TV series ''
Jack and Mike'' in 1986. In the early 1990s, he appeared in several films including ''
Men Don't Leave
''Men Don't Leave'' is a 1990 American comedy-drama film starring Jessica Lange as a housewife who, after the death of her husband, moves with her two sons to Baltimore. Chris O'Donnell, Arliss Howard, Joan Cusack, Charlie Korsmo and Kathy ...
'' (1990), starring
Jessica Lange; ''
Fried Green Tomatoes
''Fried Green Tomatoes'' is a 1991 American comedy-drama film directed by Jon Avnet and based on Fannie Flagg's 1987 novel '' Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe''. Written by Flagg and Carol Sobieski, and starring Kathy Bates, Jessi ...
'' (1991), reuniting him with
Kathy Bates
Kathleen Doyle Bates (born June 28, 1948) is an American actor and director. Known for her roles in comedic and dramatic films and television programs, she has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over five decades, includ ...
with whom he appeared with in ''Men Don't Leave''; ''
School Ties'' (1992); and ''
Scent of a Woman'' (1992) with
Al Pacino
Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Al Pacino, numerous accolades: including an Aca ...
; O'Donnell would receive two nominations: one for a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for Best Supporting Actor-Motion Picture (which was won by
Gene Hackman for ''
Unforgiven''), and one for a
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actor (which he won). He was also named one of the 12 Promising New Actors of 1992 in John Willis's ''Screen World'', Vol. 44.
After appearing in the film ''
Blue Sky'' (1994), reuniting him with Jessica Lange from ''Men Don't Leave'', he starred in ''
Circle of Friends'' (1995) with
Minnie Driver
Amelia Fiona Jessica "Minnie" Driver (born 31 January 1970) is an English actress. She rose to prominence with her break-out role in 1995's '' Circle of Friends''. She went on to star in a wide range of films including the cult classic '' Grosse ...
and ''
Mad Love __NOTOC__
Mad Love may refer to: Books
*''Mad Love'' (French ''L'amour fou''), collection of poems by André Breton
*'' The Batman Adventures: Mad Love'', an Eisner and Harvey award-winning comic by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm
* Mad Love (publisher), ...
'' (1995) with
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, director, producer, talk show host and author. A member of the Barrymore family of actors, she is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a ...
. O'Donnell then went on to play the character of Dick Grayson/Robin in ''
Batman Forever
''Batman Forever'' (on-screen title is simply ''Forever'') is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton, based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The third installment ...
'', in which Barrymore also made an appearance. He reportedly was part of a field of candidates for the role of Robin that included
Leonardo DiCaprio,
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among '' Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Amer ...
,
Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary CÃ ...
,
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British ...
,
Corey Haim
Corey Ian Haim (December 23, 1971 – March 10, 2010) was a Canadian actor. He starred in a number of 1980s films, such as '' Lucas'', '' Silver Bullet'', '' Murphy's Romance'', '' License to Drive'' and '' Dream a Little Dream''. His role alon ...
,
Corey Feldman,
Toby Stephens
Toby Stephens (born 21 April 1969) is an English actor who has appeared in films in the UK, US and India. He is known for the roles of Bond villain Gustav Graves in the 2002 James Bond film ''Die Another Day'' (for which he was nominated for the ...
, and
Scott Speedman. Casting directors narrowed their choices to O'Donnell and DiCaprio with O'Donnell eventually winning the role. O'Donnell was said to be one of the considerations of
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film studio, film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm o ...
studios to play the lead role of Jack Dawson in ''
Titanic
RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...
'' (1997), but that role was ultimately won by DiCaprio.
O'Donnell followed with a starring role in 1996's ''
The Chamber'', based on the
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham Jr. (; born February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas) is an American novelist, lawyer and former member of the 7th district of the Mississippi House of Representatives, known for his popular legal thrillers. According to the Am ...
novel. He subsequently reprised his role as Robin in 1997's ''
Batman & Robin''. Although it was a box-office success, the movie was critically panned and O'Donnell attested he believed it didn't turn out well.
O'Donnell did not appear in another movie for two years. He was one of the producers choice for the role of James Darrell Edwards III/Agent J in ''
Men in Black
In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black (MIB) are purported men dressed in black suits who claim to be quasi- government agents, who harass, threaten, or sometimes even assassinate unidentified flying object (UFO) witnesses ...
'' (1997), but after turning it down because he thought the character would be too similar to his role in ''Batman Forever'', the role went to
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...
. The subsuquent films ''Cookie's Fortune'' (1999) and ''
The Bachelor'' (1999) were moderately successful, while ''
Vertical Limit'' (2000) was a box office hit.
Following a four-year hiatus, O'Donnell returned in 2004 with the widely praised ''
Kinsey''. He also appeared in the 2004 episode of ''
Two and a Half Men'' entitled "An Old Flame With A New Wick."
O'Donnell took a lead role in the
Fox Network
The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations a ...
television series ''
Head Cases
''Head Cases'' is an American primetime comedy-drama television program, best known as the first show cancelled for the 2005–06 season. It was broadcast by Fox and aired from September 14 to 21, 2005.
Premise
The program starred Chris O'D ...
'' in 2005. The show was the first of the fall 2005 season to be canceled, and only two episodes were aired. He was subsequently cast as
veterinarian
A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...
Finn Dandridge
'' Grey's Anatomy'' is an American television medical drama series created by Shonda Rhimes, broadcast by ABC. The show features an ensemble cast of lead characters, along with multiple supporting cast members. During its first season the show f ...
on the
ABC medical drama ''
Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into ...
''.
O'Donnell featured prominently in the
TNT miniseries ''
The Company
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...
'' as CIA case officer Jack McAuliffe, a character who progressed from spoonfed Yale elitist to jaded, post-Cold War cynic. In 2008 he appeared in ''
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl'' as
the titular character's father Jack Kittredge, and in ''
Max Payne'' as Jason Colvin.
Since 2009, O'Donnell has starred in ''
NCIS: Los Angeles'', a spinoff of ''
NCIS NCIS or N.C.I.S. may refer to:
Law enforcement
* National Criminal Intelligence Service, the predecessor to the Serious Organised Crime Agency of the United Kingdom
* Naval Criminal Investigative Service, a United States law enforcement and intelli ...
'', as
G. Callen, an NCIS Special Agent in charge of the Office of Special Projects Team stationed in Los Angeles.
CBS describes Callen as "a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld."
In 2010, O'Donnell appeared in the sequel to the 2001 movie ''
Cats & Dogs'', ''
The Revenge of Kitty Galore''.
Personal life
O'Donnell married Caroline Fentress in April 1997 at St. Patrick in the City in
Washington, D.C. They have five children.
O'Donnell is a practicing
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
.
According to ''Rolling Stone'', O'Donnell is
afraid of heights.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
*
*
Feature article on O'Donnell in June 2008 issue of ''Men's Vogue''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Odonnell, Chris
1970 births
Male actors from Illinois
American male film actors
American people of German descent
American people of Irish descent
American male television actors
Boston College alumni
Living people
People from Winnetka, Illinois
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
People from Northfield, Illinois
People from Pacific Palisades, California
People from Islesboro, Maine
Catholics from Illinois
Catholics from Maine