Matt Dillon in Living Color

The Matt Dillon Biography

Matt Dillon was born on February 18, 1964 in New Rochelle, New York. He was the second oldest of five boys and a girl. His father, Paul, was working as a stockbroker, while his mother, Mary Ellen, was a homemaker. The Dillon family has been described as a tight-knit, Irish Catholic family. His younger brother, Kevin, also entered the acting profession, and has appeared in such films as the Academy-Award winning Platoon, The Doors, and Immediate Family.

Matt actually made his acting debut as Benjamin Franklin in a fourth grade play. His feature film debut was in the film Over the Edge. His discovery for that part is legendary in Hollywood circles.

Matt was 14 years old at the time, and was roaming the halls of Larchmont's Hommocks School while cutting math class. He ran into some talent scouts sent by casting director Vic Ramos for the low-budget film, and they were definitely interested. When he got home that day, he told his mom that he might do a part in a movie some brothers were making… little did she know he was referring to the Warner Brothers.

On being summoned to Ramos' Manhattan office for an interview, he came in, never looked at the interviewers, looked into a mirror, and combed his hair. His first words were, "Do I get my carfare back?"

When they asked him to describe himself, he lit a cigarette and said, "I'm a thief. I'm working up some robbery schemes." When asked what his father did, he replied, "He's a fucking stockbroker." When asked what his mother did, he replied, "She don't do shit."

Ramos was taken aback a bit at this point, and he asked, "I beg your pardon?"

Realizing he may have gone a bit too far with projecting a persona, Matt eased up and replied, "I mean, she's a housewife - no profession… No offense."

When Matt left the office, Ramos and Jonathan Kaplan, the film's director, knew they had found the perfect actor to play the part of the delinquent pushed to the brink in the film. Ramos went on and became Matt's long-time manager.

His feature films then came one on top of the other, and he subsequently had to leave school while in the 11^th grade to concentrate on his film career. He has been working virtually non-stop ever since, while educating himself in music and the arts. He is also the co-owner of a bar and a restaurant, both located in New York, his home base.

Matt has made a smooth transition from teen-idol to serious actor. In the future, he hopes to get to do something classical, a period piece that can further hone his already impressive acting skills.

Matt has never been married. He is currently dating actress Cameron Diaz (The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding). Although he can see himself getting married and having children, he denies the rumors about him and Cameron tying the knot anytime soon.

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