Dex Shepard is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, director and producer. He became famous for his supporting roles in the satirical comedy Idiocracy and the science fiction film Zatura: A Space Adventure. Also known for starring in the comedy Go to Jail and California Road Patrol, the series Parents. In total, during his career he took part in fifty television and full-length projects.
Childhood and youth
Dex Sheprad was born on January 2, 1975 in the provincial town of Milford in Michigan. Both parents worked in the auto industry, divorced when Dex was three years old. Mother after this was married three more times.
From adolescence, the future actor worked in the automotive industry, helping his mother organize professional events. After graduating from high school, Dex Shepard became interested in stand-up and improvisational theater. He enrolled in a school founded by one of the country's most popular improvisational troupes, the Groundlings.
In parallel, he began his studies at Santa Monica College, after which he transferred to West Los Angeles College. He received a diploma from the University of California, studied anthropology.
Carier start
In 1996, Dax Shepard moved to Los Angeles and began to try himself as an actor and comedian. After studying at the school of improvisation, he joined one of the Groundlings troupes, which also included the famous actress Melissa McCarthy in the future, and the director, screenwriter Tate Taylor, known for the film Servants.
In 2003, Shepard became one of the actors of the popular show "Podstav", on which he made friends with the host of the program Ashton Kutcher. Already a famous actor helped Dex find an agent. According to Shepard himself, he attended auditions for ten years before being able to get his first role.
First successes
In 2004, Dax Shepard was approved for one of the main roles in the comedy "Three in a Canoe", his screen partners were the popular comedians Seth Green and Matthew Lillard. The film received negative reviews from critics, but showed excellent results at the box office.
A year later, the actor appeared in the science fiction blockbuster directed by John Favreau "Zatura: A Space Adventure." The film received excellent reviews from critics and later became a cult picture, but could not return the funds spent on production following the results of the rental.
In 2006, Dax Shepard starred in several films at once. He played a major role in the romantic comedy "Date of My Dreams", appeared in the crime comedy "Go to Jail" and the satirical comedy "Idiocracy".
Career heyday
In 2008, the actor played a major role in the comedy "Oh Mommies." Two years later, he played one of the characters in the romantic comedy Once Upon a Time in Rome, and also joined the main cast of the series Parents. The family drama, based on the 1989 film of the same name by Ron Howard, lasted six seasons and was nominated for many prestigious awards.
Also in 2010, Dex Shepard played a major role in the romantic tragicomedy "Free Ticket." In the next few years, he concentrated on the activities of a screenwriter and director, appearing on the screen exclusively in his own projects.
In 2014, several notable films with Dex Shepard in one of the roles were released. He appeared in the film adaptation of the popular novel “Live Yourself Further” and the judicial drama “Judge”. The actor also played a small role in the full-length continuation of the cult series "Veronica Mars".
Director's work
In 2010, the directorial debut of Dax Shepard, the pseudo-documentary film "Brotherly Justice", was released. The actor wrote the script for the picture and put it together with David Palmer. In the film, he played a fictional version of himself, a popular comedian who decides to leave the comedian's career behind and become a martial arts star. The project received negative reviews from critics and low ratings from ordinary viewers.
However, soon the directorial filmography of Dax Shepard replenished with a new, much more successful film. The comedy action movie "Grab and Run", in which Shepard, his wife, actress Kristen Bell, and Bradley Cooper, played the main roles, was shot for only two million dollars and was able to collect at the box office about fifteen. Also, the film was much better received by critics and viewers.
Over the next few years, Dex directed several episodes of the series Parents and My Boy. In 2017, his third full-length project was released. This time, he adapted the California Road Patrol series of the seventies for the big screen. Shepard again played a major role in the project with Michael Peña. The film could not recoup the twenty-five million dollars spent on its production and was generally accepted worse than Shepard's previous work as a director.
Nevertheless, Dex Shepard was appointed screenwriter and director of the upcoming film about the popular character Scooby-Doo. The second director of the picture was an experienced animator Tony Cervone. Shepard will write the screenplay with Matt Lieberman, who is also responsible for the upcoming Addams Family movie. The release of the film is scheduled for 2020.
Views and beliefs
Dex Shepard was a vegetarian for many years, but recently he began to eat meat again. Also, the actor is interested in meditation. For about fifteen years he has not been using drugs and alcohol, after the uncontrolled use of illegal substances in high school and college led to problems with the police.
The actor is actively involved in charity, supports several foundations to help dysfunctional youth, performs at ceremonies and donates impressive amounts annually along with several other famous actors.
Personal life
Throughout the career of an actor, many people confuse Dax Shepard with Zach Braff. The star of the comedy series "Clinic" became famous several years earlier than Shepard. However, on the big screen, his career is more successful with Dex. Despite the fact that in the photo, Dex Shepard can be very similar to Braff from a certain angle, he is slightly taller than Zack, has a different hair color and several other noticeable differences from the television star.
In his spare time, Dex is fond of riding motorcycles and car repair. He has a brother and sister who starred in a small role in the film "Grab and Run."
Since 2007, the actor dated actress Kristen Bell, star of the detective series Veronica Mars. In 2010, the couple announced their engagement, the wedding took place three years later. Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell have two children, daughters Lincoln and Delta, both have a double surname: Bell Shepard. Kristen took part in the directorial projects of her husband as an actress, and the couple often appear as a cameo in each other's projects.