Steve Zahn Biography

A native of Marshall, Minnesota, Steve Zahn was the class clown who easily developed a knack for improvisational comedy. Working in several high school theater productions, he honed his skills by making his fellow students laugh. Enrolled at Gustavus-Adolphus College, he dropped out his freshman year and got a job at a local machine shop. Still longing to express himself on stage again, he dropped in uninvited to an audition for a dinner theater production of Biloxi Blues and was cast in the lead.

Seeking better training, Steve auditioned for the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and got into the exclusive school in 1989. After training there for two years, he relocated to New York City. Taking up residence in Hoboken, New Jersey, he made the daily commute into the Big Apple to make the audition circuit, while also making time for odd jobs.

Steve got a break after appearing with actor Ethan Hawke in an off-Broadway play. Spotted by Ben Stiller in the audience—who was still in the process of casting Reality Bites (1994) — Steve was cast in a supporting role in the film. It was his first appearance on the big screen. Since then, he has been logging supporting roles in films such as That Thing You Do! (1996), You've Got Mail (1998), Saving Silverman (2001), Daddy Day Care (2003), Sahara (2005), Rescue Dawn (2007) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010). He reprised his Diary role as Frank Heffley, the lead character's father, for the the two sequels, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012).

Steve has also done voice work, including for the movie Escape from Planet Earth (2013) and the Pixar/Disney animated feature The Good Dinosaur (2015). He appeared in the comedy western The Ridiculous 6 (2015) and the dramedy Captain Fantastic (2016).

On the small screen, Steve starred on the ABC TV series The Crossing in 2018, played Michael Fenne on National Geographic's Valley of the Book in 2019 and Chase on Showtimes' miniseries The Good Lord Bird in 2020.

In the Amazon Studios film Uncle Frank (2020), he played the brother of the character played by Paul Bettany.

He is married to actress Robyn Peterman with whom he has a son, Henry James and a daughter, Audrey Clair.

Filmography:

Cowboys (2020)
Uncle Frank (2020)
Tall Girl (2019)
Blaze (2018)
Lean on Pete (2017)
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Captain Fantastic (2016)
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
The Ridiculous 6 (2015)
Knights of Badassdom (2014)
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Escape from Planet Earth (2013)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)
Calvin Marshall (2009)
A Perfect Getaway (2009)
Night Train (2009)
Management (2008)
Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs & a Baby (2008)
Strange Wilderness (2008)
Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
The Great Buck Howard (2008)
Rescue Dawn (2006)
Bandidas (2005)
Chicken Little (2005)
Sahara (2005)
Speak (2004)
Employee of the Month (2003)
Shattered Glass (2003)
Daddy Day Care (2003)
National Security (2003)
Stuart Little 2 (2002)
Chelsea Walls (2001)
Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)
Joy Ride (2001)
Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)
Saving Silverman (2001)
Hamlet (2000)
Chain of Fools (2000)
Stuart Little (1999)
Happy, Texas (1999)
Forces of Nature (1999)
Freak Talks About Sex (1999)
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Safe Men (1998)
Out of Sight (1998)
The Object of my Affection (1998)
Suburbia (1996)
Race the Sun (1996)
That Thing You Do! (1996)
Crimson Tide (1995)
Reality Bites (1994)
Rain Without Thunder (1992)