Dylan Baker

A remarkably versatile actor whose chilling breakthrough performance as a pedophile in Todd Solondz's Happiness (1998) rocketed him to instant recognition among film critics and art-house patrons, straight-faced actor Dylan Baker has been appearing on-stage and in television and film since the early '80s. While his early stage training led him to numerous performances on and off-Broadway, Baker gained increasing screen presence with memorable roles in such films as The Cell (2000) and Along Came a Spider (2001). Born to a pair of lawyers in Syracuse, VA, and raised in nearby Lynchburg, Baker attended Georgetown Prep and William and Mary College before earning his B.F.A. at Southern Methodist University, where his passion for acting was ignited with numerous stage roles. Later refining his talents at Yale's School of Drama, Baker continued to develop his skills and earn positive critical notice before making his television debut in A Case of Deadly Force (1986). After making the leap to film with a small role in Planes, Trains and Automobiles the following year, Baker would continue to gain momentum on the big screen with memorably humorous turns minus hair and teeth in Delirious (1991), and as a prince entranced under the spell of Sandra Bullock in Love Potion No. 9 (1992). The mid-'90s found the increasingly busy actor dividing his time between stage, screen, and television, and Baker would soon wed actress Becky Ann Baker (the couple later appeared together in Woody Allen's Celebrity [1998]). A successful stage performance of La Bete found Baker nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards, and Baker and his wife continued to develop a close association with New York's Drama Department theater troupe. Following his remarkable performance in Happiness, offers began flowing in and Baker would appear in a number of high-profile films such as Random Hearts, The Cell, and Thirteen Days (all 2000). Continuing the trend in 2001 with memorable turns in The Tailor of Panama and Along Came a Spider, Baker's career trajectory seemed to ensure interesting roles for years to come.

by Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide