John C. Reilly

American actor and singer John C. Reilly was born in Chicago on May 24, 1965. Trained at the Theatre School of DePaul University, he made his screen debut in the 1990s, before going on to make a name for himself in such notable roles as Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights and Magnolia (1997 and 1999), Adam McKay's Talladega Nights (2006) and Step Brothers (2008), in which he sings with Will Ferrell. Parallel to his film career, Reilly explores music: he is a singer and musician in a variety of projects, including the soundtrack to Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) and the band John Reilly & Friends, with whom he performs bluegrass, country and folk on stage and on record. His musical range complements his nuanced, emotional acting style. In 2025, he released his first real personal album, What's Not to Love? featuring a selection of traditional songs including the standards "La Vie en Rose", "Falling in Love Again", "Moonlight Serenade" and "I'll Be Seeing You".