Dennis Quaid

Early life and education

Dennis William Quaid was born in Houston, Texas, to Juanita Bonnie Dale "Nita" (née Jordan) (1927–2019), a real-estate agent, and William Rudy Quaid (1923–1987), an electrician. He has English, Irish, Scots-Irish, and Cajun (French) ancestry. Through his father, Quaid is a first cousin, twice removed, of cowboy performer Gene Autry. Quaid attended Paul W. Horn Elementary School in Bellaire and Pershing Middle School in Houston. He studied Mandarin Chinese and dance at Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas, and later in college, at the University of Houston, under drama coach Cecil Pickett, who had previously taught at Bellaire High and whose daughter is actress Cindy Pickett. Quaid was raised in the Baptist faith. He is the younger brother of actor Randy Quaid.

Career

1979–1982: Early roles

Quaid dropped out of the University of Houston before graduating and moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. He made his film debut in an uncredited role in the action comedy film Crazy Mama (1975) starring Cloris Leachman. Quaid then acted in the psychological drama I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977) and the drama September 30, 1955 (1977). He initially had trouble finding work but began to gain notice after appearing in Breaking Away (1979) and the musical drama The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981), During this time, Quaid appeared in a variety of films, such as the drama Our Winning Season (1978), the comedy The Seniors (1978), the romantic comedy All Night Long (1981), and the slapstick comedy Caveman (1981). He portrayed outlaw Ed Miller in the Walter Hill–directed Western drama The Long Riders (1980). Quaid appeared as an extra at a graduation ceremony in the Ivan Reitman–directed comedy Stripes (1981) starring Bill Murray.

1983–2002: Stardom and acclaim

Known for his grin, Quaid has appeared in both comedic and dramatic roles. His breakout role was for his portrayal of astronaut Gordon Cooper in the critically acclaimed Philip Kaufman–directed historical epic The Right Stuff (1983). The film received positive reviews, earning an Academy Award for Best Picture nomination. Critic Roger Ebert praised the film, writing, "It contains uniformly interesting performances", naming Quaid, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, and Fred Ward. That same year, Quaid had starring roles in the horror film Jaws 3-D (1983) and the romantic sports drama Tough Enough, acting alongside Pam Grier. He later acted in the science fiction films Dreamscape (1984), Enemy Mine (1985), and Innerspace (1987).

In 1987, Quaid starred in the neo-noir romance thriller The Big Easy (1987) opposite Ellen Barkin. Hal Hinson of The Washington Post praised his performance, comparing him to Jack Nicholson: "The same is true for Quaid. A gator grin spreading over his face, Quaid is so unabashedly full of himself that you get swept up in his enthusiastic high spirits. He's a life-giver, like Nicholson." For his performance. Quaid received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead. He also achieved acclaim for his portrayal of Jerry Lee Lewis in Great Balls of Fire! (1989) acting alongside Winona Ryder. In 1989, Quaid also appeared throughout the Bonnie Raitt music video for the song "Thing Called Love."

Quaid's career lost steam in the early 1990s after he fought anorexia nervosa, brought on when he lost 40 pounds to play the tuberculosis-afflicted Doc Holliday in the Western drama Wyatt Earp (1994), and recovered from a cocaine addiction. However, Quaid continued to garner positive reviews in a variety of films. He played the lead role in the 1996 adventure film Dragonheart, and starred in the remake of The Parent Trap (1998) directed by Nancy Meyers, playing the part of the twins' divorced father. He also starred as an aging pro football quarterback in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday (1999) and in the science fiction film Frequency (2000). He was the guest star of a Season 2 episode of Muppets Tonight (1997). In 1998, Quaid made his debut as a film director with Everything That Rises, a television movie Western in which Quaid also starred.

In 2000, Quaid acted in Steven Soderbergh's critically acclaimed crime drama Traffic. Quaid earned a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture along with the ensemble. He gained acclaim for his role in the Norman Jewison–directed HBO film Dinner with Friends (2001), based on the Donald Margulies play of the same name; Quaid acted alongside Andie MacDowell, Greg Kinnear, and Toni Collette. In 2002, Quaid portrayed former baseball pitcher Jim Morris in the Walt Disney sports drama The Rookie (2002). That same year, he earned acclaim for his role as the closeted husband Frank Whitaker during the 1950s in the Todd Haynes–directed romantic period film Far From Heaven, where he acted alongside Julianne Moore, earning a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture, and winning the Independent Spirit Award and the New York Film Critics Circle Award.

2003–present: Established actor

Quaid then acted in films in various genres, such as the thriller Cold Creek Manor (2003), the survival drama Flight of the Phoenix (2004), the war film The Alamo (2004), the romantic comedy In Good Company (2004), the disaster film The Day After Tomorrow (2004), and the family comedy Yours, Mine & Ours (2005). He played the president in the political comedy American Dreamz (2006) with Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore, Marcia Gay Harden, and Willem Dafoe. In 2008, Quaid starred in the political action thriller Vantage Point (2008) alongside Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, and Forest Whitaker. That same year, he portrayed football coach Ben Schwartzwalder in the sports drama The Express: The Ernie Davis Story (2008). In 2009, Quaid portrayed General Clayton M. Abernathy / Hawk in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009). He also acted in Pandorum (2009) and guest starred in an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, playing Mr. Krabs' grandfather, Captain Redbeard.

Quaid returned to television, portraying U.S. President Bill Clinton alongside Michael Sheen as Tony Blair and Hope Davis as Hillary Clinton, in the HBO film The Special Relationship (2009). He received acclaim as well as nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie as well as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2012 and 2013, Quaid played Sheriff Ralph Lamb in the CBS TV drama series Vegas. In 2015, he made guest appearances playing Lucky Luciano in Drunk History and a chief and a judge in Inside Amy Schumer. From 2015 to 2016, Quaid played Samuel Brukner in the Crackle series The Art of More. He played Michael Lennox in the British series Fortitude in 2017, and Wade Blackwood in the Amazon Prime legal series Goliath in 2019.

In 2017, Quaid starred in A Dog's Purpose as Ethan Montgomery, billed as "a celebration of the special connection between humans and their dogs." The following year, Quaid starred in I Can Only Imagine, where he played Arthur Millard, the father of singer and songwriter Bart Millard, and Kin, where he plays Hal, the father of the film's two protagonists. In 2019, Quaid portrayed Vice Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey in the war drama Midway. In 2022, he voiced a leading role in the Walt Disney Animated film Strange World. In 2023, Quaid starred in the sports drama The Hill (2023).

In March 2018, it was confirmed by director Sean McNamara that Quaid would portray President Ronald Reagan in a biopic, titled Reagan, the second time Quaid has portrayed a U.S. president. The film was slated to have a summer 2019 release; however, in May 2020 it was still in pre-production and was scheduled to begin filming, but was stopped and postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released in theaters on August 30, 2024. The same year, Quaid starred alongside Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley in the body horror film The Substance, in which he portrays a sleazy television studio executive named Harvey.

Personal life

Relationships and children

Quaid has been married four times and has three children. He met his first wife, actress P. J. Soles, on the set of the film Our Winning Season. They were married in 1978 and divorced in 1983.

On February 14, 1991, Quaid married actress Meg Ryan. Quaid and Ryan fell in love during the shooting of their second film together, D.O.A. They have a son, Jack Quaid (born 1992). Quaid and Ryan announced their separation on June 28, 2000, saying they had been separated six weeks by then. Their divorce was finalized in July 2001.

Quaid dated model Shanna Moakler from February to October 2001.

Quaid married Texas real estate agent Kimberly Buffington on July 4, 2004, at his ranch in Paradise Valley, Montana.

On November 18, 2007, hospital staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center mistakenly gave Quaid's 10-day-old twins a dosage of heparin (a blood thinner) that was 1,000 times the common dosage for infants. The babies recovered, but Quaid filed a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer, Baxter Healthcare, claiming that packaging for the two doses of heparin are not different enough. In May 2008, the Quaids testified before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asking the U.S. Congress not to preempt the right to sue drug manufacturers for negligence under state law. http://www.citizen.org/documents/QuaidTestimony.pdf http://www.pharmattorney.com/etc/pharm/files/quaid/Quaid%20Test%27y.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/*dc_/http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20080514103204.pdf -- The incident led Quaid to become a patient-safety advocate, producing a series of documentaries on preventable medical errors that aired on the Discovery Channel, as well as co-authoring a medical-journal article addressing the positive influence of patient stories in motivating change in healthcare. The first documentary, Chasing Zero: Winning the War on Healthcare Harm, aired on the Discovery Channel in 2010, and the second documentary, Surfing the Healthcare Tsunami: Bring Your Best Board, aired on the Discovery Channel in 2012.

Buffington filed for divorce from Quaid in March 2012. Buffington's attorney then withdrew the divorce papers on April 26, 2012. That summer, Quaid and Buffington moved to California. In October 2012, he and Buffington again decided to separate, and Buffington filed for legal separation, seeking joint legal and sole physical custody of the twins. After waiting to establish the required six months of residency in California, Quaid filed for divorce on November 30, 2012, asking for joint legal and physical custody of the children and offering to pay spousal support to Buffington. They then reconciled, and the divorce was dismissed by September 2013. On June 28, 2016, the couple announced in a joint statement that they were divorcing, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason, with Buffington asking for full physical custody and joint legal custody. The divorce was finalized on April 27, 2018.

Following his separation from Buffington, Quaid dated model Santa Auzina from July 2016 to 2019.

On October 21, 2019, Quaid confirmed his engagement to Laura Savoie. Their original wedding plans were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they married on June 2, 2020, in Santa Barbara. Savoie is a CPA and yoga instructor, 39 years his junior, who shares his Christian faith. Quaid says, "God is in the relationship. I've never had a relationship like that before." Together, they launched the production company Bonniedale Films, based in Nashville, where they live.

Religious beliefs

Quaid is a Christian, coming to faith around 1990 after struggling with addiction. He wrote the Christian song "On My Way to Heaven", dedicated to his mother and included in the film I Can Only Imagine, in which Quaid starred.

Interests

In addition to acting, Quaid is a musician and plays with his band, the Sharks. Quaid wrote and performed the song "Closer to You" in the film The Big Easy (1987). He also has a pilot's license and owned a Cessna Citation. Quaid is also a one-handicap golfer, and in 2005, he was named the top golfer among the "Hollywood set" by Golf Digest magazine.

Quaid is a fan of the Houston Astros, and after the team's 2005 National League Championship-winning season, he narrated their commemorative DVD release. After the filming of The Express: The Ernie Davis Story, Quaid went to Cleveland Browns Stadium to dedicate Davis's jersey.

Quaid began podcasting in 2020, starting The Pet Show with Dennis Quaid and Jimmy Jellinek. Its first episode premiered on July 10, 2020. During that podcast, Quaid learned of a shelter cat in Lynchburg, Virginia, also named Dennis Quaid. He adopted the cat and flew it out to California to live at his recording studio.

Substance use

There have been extensive stories about Quaid's past abuse of cocaine. In a 2002 interview with Larry King on his talk show, after King asked about his motives for using drugs, Quaid responded, "Well, you got to put it in context. Back in the late 1960s, early 1970s. That was back during the time where, you know, drugs were going to expand our minds and everybody was experimenting and everything. We were really getting high, we didn't know it. And cocaine at that time was considered harmless. You know. I remember magazine articles in People magazine of doctors saying it is not addicting. It is just—alcohol is worse. So I think we all fell into that. But that's not the way it was."

When Quaid was asked if he believed he had ever been addicted to the drugs, Quaid responded, "It was a gradual thing. But it got to the point where I couldn't have any fun unless I had it. Which is a bad place to be." Later in the interview, he said, "But I saw myself being dead in about five years if I didn't stop."

Political views

In a 2018 interview with the New York Post, Quaid stated he was a registered independent and has voted for both Democratic and Republican candidates, saying that he did not consider himself an adherent to any particular ideology; though he did opine that Ronald Reagan was his favorite president of his lifetime. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Quaid stated that President Donald Trump was handling the pandemic well, calling him "involved." Quaid subsequently recorded an interview with infectious-disease expert Anthony Fauci as part of an advertising campaign by the Department of Health and Human Services to "defeat despair" surrounding COVID-19.

In May 2024, Quaid endorsed Donald Trump for President during an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, and later spoke at Trump’s rally in Coachella, California, on October 12, 2024.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

For Far from Heaven (2002), Quaid won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male. He received nominations for Best Supporting Actor from the Golden Globe Awards, the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Quaid was also honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, the University of Houston, in April 2012.

Notes

References

References

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2. George-Warren, Holly. (May 7, 2007). "Public Cowboy No. 1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry". Oxford University.
3. "Actor Dennis Quaid on Jesus and the Bible – Christian Baptist Hindu Meg Ryan acting baptism Ganges prodigal son Sheahen – Beliefnet.com".
4. Peter T. Chattaway. (November 21, 2005). "Mr. Versatile 'Christianity Today'".
5. "The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia (1981)".
6. "The Big Easy". Washington Post.
7. (December 6, 2010). "Bonnie Raitt – Thing Called Love".
8. Boodman, Sandra. (March 13, 2007). "Eating Disorders: Not Just for Women". The Washington Post.
9. Richmond, Ray. (July 9, 1998). "Everything That Rises".
10. (January 19, 2017). "A Dog's Purpose filmmakers face animal cruelty accusations - BBC News". Bbc.com.
11. (March 28, 2018). "Dennis Quaid is playing Ronald Reagan in a biopic, confirms director Sean McNamara". Metro.
12. Hayes, Martha. (November 27, 2019). "Dennis Quaid: 'I didn't go looking for someone younger' – Ronald Reagan". [[The Irish Times]].
13. Price, Deborah Evans. (May 7, 2020). "Dennis Quaid Launches New Podcast, 'The Dennissance'". Sounds Like Nashville.
14. (March 26, 2024). "Dennis Quaid Starrer 'Reagan' Strikes North American Deal With Newly Launched ShowBiz Direct". Deadline Hollywood.
15. Fauria, Krysta. (2024-09-19). "Movie Review: 'The Substance' is brilliantly disgusting and deranged".
16. Keaton, Bob. (May 25, 1978). "Film Affair Blossoms Into Real Romance". [[Fort Lauderdale News]].
17. Wynne, Kelly. (June 25, 2020). "The Epic Romance Behind Dennis Quaid's Recent Secret Wedding".
18. Schneider, Karen S.. (July 17, 2000). "Sweethearts Sour". [[People (magazine).
19. Richter, Erin. (February 16, 2001). "Her Funny Valentine: Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan tied the knot 10 years ago".
20. Wilkins, Vanessa. (March 24, 2016). "Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid's Son Jack Opens Up About Parents' Divorce".
21. (October 26, 2001). "Shanna Moakler". [[Extra (U.S. TV program).
22. (August 11, 2006). "Shanna Moakler is Devastated over Split". Moakler [[MySpace]] blog via CelebSpin.com.
23. (November 8, 2007). "Dennis & Kimberly Quaid Welcome a Boy & Girl". People.
24. (November 21, 2007). "Dennis Quaid's Newborn Twins Fighting for Life". Fox News.
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26. (December 4, 2007). "Dennis Quaid and wife sue drug maker". USA Today.
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28. (September 2010). "Dennis Quaid's Quest".
29. (March 2010). "Story Power The Secret Weapon". The Journal of Patient Safety.
30. "Celebrities make pitch for patient safety panel". American Medical Association.
31. "Actor seeks media aid in sounding alert for health care safety".
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33. (March 9, 2012). "Dennis Quaid's Wife Files for Divorce". [[TMZ]].
34. (May 4, 2012). "Dennis Quaid's Wife Withdraws Divorce Papers". [[People (magazine).
35. "Dennis Quaid Files to Divorce Wife Kimberly Buffington-Quaid".
36. (October 19, 2012). "Dennis Quaid's Wife Files for Separation Five Months After Pulling Plug on Divorce". E News.
37. (September 7, 2013). "Dennis Quaid & Wife – Divorce Dismissed ... Now Let's Bike Together!". TMZ.com.
38. (June 28, 2016). "Dennis Quaid's Wife Files for Divorce ... Again". TMZ.com.
39. Norris, Rebecca. (2019-11-28). "Dennis Quaid Doesn't Care If You Criticize His Engagement to His 26-Year-Old Fiancée".
40. McCarthy, Tyler. (December 3, 2018). "Dennis Quaid reveals that he used to use 2 grams of cocaine every day before getting clean". [[Fox News]].
41. Spencer, Amy. (April 26, 2019). "Dennis Quaid on His Career, Baseball and Why He Feels Like a 12-Year-Old Most of the Time".
42. Guglielmi, Jodi. (July 4, 2017). "Dennis Quaid Celebrates One-Year Anniversary with Model Girlfriend Santa Auzina: 'We Made It'".
43. Lahmers, Jenn. (October 21, 2019). "Dennis Quaid Dishes on His Romantic Proposal to Laura Savoie". [[Extra (American TV program).
44. Jordan, Julie. (June 24, 2020). "Surprise: Dennis Quaid and Laura Savoie are Married! Secret Elopement 'Was Beautiful,' He Says".
45. "Who Is Dennis Quaid's Wife? All About Laura Savoie".
46. "Dennis Quaid Says Faith Saved Him After Addiction: 'I'm Grateful to Still Be Here' (Exclusive)".
47. (March 22, 2018). "Dennis Quaid wrote Christian song 'On My Way to Heaven' while filming 'I Can Only Imagine'". Christian Today.
48. (May 2014). "A Plane Crazy America". AOPA Pilot.
49. "The Pet Show with Dennis Quaid and Jimmy Jellinek on Apple Podcasts".
50. (August 8, 2020). "Dennis Quaid (the cat)is here! and up for adoption!".
51. Ward, Lindsey. (August 12, 2020). "'I just couldn't resist': Actor Dennis Quaid is adopting a Lynchburg shelter cat named Dennis Quaid".
52. (March 12, 2002). "CNN.com – Transcripts". Transcripts.cnn.com.
53. (December 24, 2018). "Dennis Quaid to sing in new documentary on political censorship". [[New York Post]].
54. Bradley, Bill. (April 9, 2020). "Dennis Quaid Says Trump Is 'Doing A Good Job' Against The Coronavirus".
55. Diamond, Dan. (September 25, 2020). "'It's like every red flag': Trump-ordered HHS ad blitz raises alarms".
56. Fortinsky, Sarah. (May 29, 2024). "Dennis Quaid endorses Trump: 'He stands up to people'".
57. (2024-10-13). "Dennis Quaid says it's 'time to pick a side' at California Trump rally {{!}} Fox News Video".
58. (October 12, 2010). "Stripes – The Most Influential Non-Recruiting Film of My Youth". Pajiba.
59. (August 26, 2018). "Betty Gilpin Joins Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad in 'A Dog's Purpose' Follow-Up (Exclusive)".
60. (2022-06-17). "Jake Gyllenhaal Joined by Dennis Quaid, Lucy Liu, Gabrielle Union in Disney's 'Strange World'".
61. Linden, Sheri. (March 12, 2023). "'The Long Game' Review: Mexican Americans' Struggle for Acceptance Unfolds on the Golf Course in a Gently Rousing Family-Friendly Drama".
62. (2021-01-27). "Dennis Quaid To Star In MGM & LightWorkers' Faith-Based Feature 'On A Wing And A Prayer'".
63. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (January 5, 2023). "Briarcliff Entertainment Acquires Dennis Quaid-Led Sports Drama 'The Hill;' Sets Wide Domestic Theatrical Release August 18".
64. (2024-04-15). "The 10 Buzziest Releases Coming to Cannes in 2024".
65. Patten, Dominic. (November 9, 2020). "'Reagan' Biopic Back In Production After COVID-19 Crew Outbreak; Mena Suvari To Play Oscar Winner & 1st Wife Jane Wyman". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
66. Gaspeny, Al. (March 2, 2024). "Teachers, students see movie production up close as 'Sovereign' films at Elmdale Elementary in Springdale". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
67. D'Alessandro, Anthony. (2025-04-14). "Dennis Quaid, Nick Offerman & Jacob Tremblay Thriller 'Sovereign' Stakes Out Summer Release".
68. Petski, Denise. (2024-05-09). "''Happy Face'' Adds Damon Gupton & Momona Tamada As Recurring".
69. "About the Artist: Dennis Quaid".
70. "May 2012".
71. (2019-11-25). "Dennis Quaid felt 'humiliated' after losing out on an Oscar nomination for Far From Heaven".
72. "The Special Relationship".
73. Horn, John. (2011-01-16). "'The Social Network' is friended by the Hollywood Foreign Press". [[Los Angeles Times]].
74. Pete Vonder Haar. (January 7, 2016). "Join the Houston Film Critics Society This Saturday for Its 2015 Awards Show". houstonpress.com.
75. Lewis, Hilary. (February 28, 2025). "Razzie Awards: 'Madame Web' Named Worst Picture, Nabs Two Other Trophies".
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77. Keeps, David A.. (April 2006). "Dennis Quaid". Best Life.
78. Stated in interview at ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''.