Date of Birth: July 29, 1973
Place of Birth: Atlanta, Ga., USA
Sign: Sun in Leo, Moon in Leo
Relations: Reported companion: Rhea Durham (model); father: Steve Dorff (composer, songwriter); stepmother: Lori Dorff (actress); brother: Andrew (singer, musician); half-sisters: Callie, Kaitlyn
In an alternate universe, actor Stephen Dorff would have been heard to proclaim, "I'm king of the world!" His visage would have adorned the walls of swooning adolescent girls, all of whom fervently wished themselves into Rose's bodice and his arms. And after his Titanic success died down, Dorff's career would have floated listlessly on the Sea of Over-Hype.
Luckily, in this universe, Dorff lost the role of the doomed Jack to Leonardo DiCaprio and never mourned James Cameron’s. "[I] think things happen for a reason," Dorff told the Toronto Sun. "At the end of the day, I think [Titanic] is more about a boat than anything else… I don't know if I'd want that to be my monster hit."
Dorff is still biding his time for said hit, padding his resume with a series of independent pictures, made-for-TV offerings, and not-too-dismal studio flicks. Already, his career has spanned almost two decades; growing up in southern California, Dorff studied at the Young Actors Space in Van Nuys. A month after starting classes, the 11-year-old filmed his first TV ads. "I was in the He-Man commercials for Mattel," Dorff explained in a 1995 interview with Details magazine. "I came up with the voice of Skeletor."
At 13, he found further acting inspiration when he visited the set of Clint Eastwood’s Every Which Way But Loose with his father, Steve, a successful film composer who scored most of Eastwood's early films. "There was a kid on the [Every Which Way But Loose] set my age," Dorff recalled to the Calgary, Alberta, Sun. "I loved the idea that he didn't have to go to regular school. That's what made me want to be an actor. I've only grown to love and understand what acting really means these past couple of years."
Armed with the desire to avoid public education, Dorff started earning roles in various TV and big-screen movies. His biggest breaks came in 1989, with both a recurring role as Becky Connor's first boyfriend, Jimmy, on Roseanne, and a part in the dramatic I Know My First Name Is Steven, starring Corin Nemic.
Dorff spent three more years on television, either educating the public about some serious current issue or guest-starring on such dissimilar shows as Father Dowling and Married … With Children. Hollywood finally sat up and took notice when 18-year-old Dorff portrayed a South African boxer in The Power of One. Rather than cultivate his burgeoning hunk status, Dorff bypassed proffered parts in such mainstream movies as Mad Love and Speed and remained ensconced in Indieville. "It's weird," Dorff acknowledged to the Toronto Sun. "I didn't do any big commercial stuff … because I always preferred to be the victim or the more active one in the story."
Dorff blipped off and on the celebrity radar for years. He garnered press and decent notices for his work as the fifth Beatle, Stuart Sutcliffe, in Backbeat (1993); as the reluctant and rebellious anti-hero in SFW in 1994; and as drag queen Candy Darling in I Shot Andy Warhol (1996).
Around this time, Dorff's personal life was in turmoil. He and girlfriend Courtney Wagner, the only daughter of Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, were at the end of their intense relationship. "I fell in love so strong at such a young age," Dorff confessed to Details. "I met [Courtney] when I was 18 … and I fell in love with her and she's still on my mind, but it's just too much. I mean, I love her, but I can't be with her."
His parents, who met in the elevator of an ad agency, also announced the end of their 25-year marriage in 1994. "I got really angry, because in my mind, the picture was destroyed, you know, the ultimate picture, the picture I took advantage of my whole life, the picture of the perfect family that really cared about me," Dorff continued.
Dorff used his emotional upheaval to career advantage and, in 1997, exercised his chops opposite such screen icons as Dennis Hopper, Harvey Keitel and Jack Nicholson. Not surprisingly, it was Nicholson who left the most lasting impression. "Working with him was the most incredible and unbelievable experience I have ever had," Dorff says. The two stars hit it off immediately, and Dorff maintains a friendship with the Statesman of Cynical Delivery, even inviting him to his 25th birthday party in 1998.
Dorff also counts the members of U2 and REM lead singer Michael Stipe among his celebrity friends. As Dorff's recognition grew, particularly with his role as a yuppie bloodsucker in the 1998 adaptation of the vampire comic series Blade, the rumors surrounding him and the bisexual Stipe grew exponentially. "I don't feel I need to put my private life in perspective, but I don't mind," Dorff explained to the Calgary Sun. "I'm straight, but I feel very comfortable around gay men and women. I grew up around them. … I honestly think I could be happy being gay, but I like women too much to make the switch."
Back in his professional life, Dorff completed a brace of movies in 1999 and starred in Quantum Project, the first film produced exclusively for the Internet from Metafilmics and SightSound.com. John Cleese and Fay Masterson were also featured in the production, which premiered in May 2000.
Currently, Dorff is poised to hit the media circuit again for his summer 2000 release, Cecil B. Demented. In John Waters' latest offering, Dorff plays Demented, the radical anti-Hollywood terrorist who kidnaps a famous actress Melanie Griffith and forces her to spread his message.
Next year, Dorff can be seen alongside Debbie Harry and Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz in Deuces Wild, which pits the Deuces against the Vipers in 1950s Brooklyn.
MOVIES:
2001 Deuces Wild
2000 Cecil B. Demented
1999 Entropy
1998 Blade
1997 City of Industry
1997 Blood and Wine
1997 Space Truckers
1996 The Audition
1996 I Shot Andy Warhol
1995 Reckless
1995 Halcyon Days
1995 Les Cent et une Nuits
1994 SFW
1993 An Ambush of Ghosts
1993 Backbeat
1993 Rescue Me
1993 Judgment Night
1992 The Power of One
1988 Wonderworks: Hiroshima Maiden
1987 The Gate
TV:
1999 Earthly Possessions
1991 Blossom
1990 Always Remember I Love You
1990-1991 What a Dummy
1990 A Son's Promise
1990 Father Dowling Mysteries
1990 The Outsiders
1989 Do You Know the Muffin Man?
1989 I Know My First Name Is Steven
1989 Roseanne
1989 Married... With Children
1989 Empty Nest
1988 Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story
1987 In Love and War
1987 Family Ties
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
