Matthew Broderick

Matthew Broderick was the very definition of cool when he starred in the hit 1986 comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. He gave a classic performance as the too-cool-for-school, wise-beyond-his-years teenager Ferris Bueller, who takes his best friend and his girlfriend on a day of playing hooky that Hollywood, movie fans—and a fictionalized city of Chicago—would never forget. It was not his first film role (he had already starred in the fantasy tale Ladyhawke, among others) but it was where he would begin to define his career.

Matthew Broderick possesses an intelligent charm and knowing sarcasm that has made him a successful comic actor, though he is actually a highly versatile performer. Like John Cusack, he often appears several years younger than he actually is, and lends a certain amount of his own personality to some roles. While his strongest suit is black comedy, such as The Road to Wellville, Election or The Stepford Wives, Matthew Broderick has also lent his talents to action movies, slapstick comedies such as Inspector Gadget, and performed voice work in The Lion King animated franchise.

He surprised his movie audiences by revealing a talent for Broadway, appearing in a string of its most successful shows, although longtime fans likely knew that he had started in theater, winning a Tony award in 1983, the year he filmed his first movie, Max Dugan Returns. He and costar Nathan Lane have generated a lot of buzz through high earning productions of The Producers and the Odd Couple.

His comedic talent remains highly valued, and he has worked with such greats as Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, Will Ferrell and Jim Carrey. He was born March 21, 1962 and raised in New York City. Both his parents were professionals in the theater world. He has been married to Sarah Jessica Parker since 1997. They have one child.