Matt Dillon biography, age, height, girlfriend, young photos, now 2025

Biography of Matt Dillon

Matt Dillon is a celebrated American actor who launched his career early and became a genuine teen heartthrob in the 80s and 90s. He's best known for playing tough guys with criminal backgrounds—both past and present. Over time, he successfully broke free from that typecast and tackled a wide range of characters.

Early Life

Matthew Raymond Dillon was born in New Rochelle, New York, on February 18, 1964. His mother, Mary Ellen, ran the household while raising six children—one daughter and five sons—as his father, Paul, balanced portrait painting with his job as a sales manager. The family has Irish, German, and Scottish ancestry.

Matt spent most of his childhood in the town of Mamaroneck. He attended a Roman Catholic church with his family, though the Dillons weren't particularly devout. Matt finished school while filming, returning to his trailer after scenes to do his homework.

Acting Career

Matt's debut film was the teenage drama "Over the Edge" (1979). This was followed by "Little Darlings" (1980) and "My Bodyguard" (1980). At that time, the actor caught Francis Ford Coppola's attention, who soon invited him to star in a film.

Matt Dillon in his youth (in the middle)

In 1983, Coppola's now-iconic film "The Outsiders" hit theaters, based on the popular American novel by S.E. Hinton. Alongside Dillon, the cast of desperate teenagers from troubled families included Rob Lowe, Diane Lane, Patrick Swayze, and other young talents.

Following this, Dillon landed the lead role in another Coppola film, the drama "Rumble Fish," also based on a work by S.E. Hinton. Dillon once again played the leader of a youth gang, with rising Hollywood stars like Mickey Rourke and Nicolas Cage as his co-stars.

A year later, Dillon worked with another American cinema legend, Garry Marshall, in "The Flamingo Kid" (1984).

Matt Dillon Interview (1982)

Dillon's true career breakthrough came with his role as drug addict Bob in Gus Van Sant's "Drugstore Cowboy" (1989), which quickly became a cult classic. According to Matt himself, this is the best acting work of his career. His co-stars were Kelly Lynch and Heather Graham, who would also become major stars.

Matt Dillon in the movie 'Drugstore Cowboy'

Dillon worked with Van Sant again on the 1995 drama "To Die For." The independent director assembled an impressive cast, from Nicole Kidman to a young Joaquin Phoenix, with Dillon playing the headstrong husband of Kidman's ambitious character, who unexpectedly becomes her victim.

Matt Dillon 'To Die For' Interview

By then, it was clear that Dillon had evolved beyond his pretty boy image, transforming from an '80s sex symbol into a versatile actor who could fit seamlessly into any genre. This is confirmed by his participation in projects like "Beautiful Girls" (1996) and "There's Something About Mary" (1998).

Matt Dillon in the movie 'Beautiful Girls'

Matt Dillon's acting in the erotic thriller "Wild Things" (1998) also deserves attention, where he once again brilliantly portrayed a charismatic and ruthless macho. His co-stars included Denise Richards, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Murray, and the tense plot twists kept the audience on their toes.

In 2002, Matt Dillon stepped behind the camera to direct the crime drama "City of Ghosts" while also taking on the lead role. The film featured Rose Byrne, Stellan Skarsgård, and Gérard Depardieu, and earned solid critical reviews.

Matt Dillon in the movie 'City of Ghosts'

Dillon delivered another standout performance as Henry Chinaski in "Factotum," adapted from Charles Bukowski's novel. But it was the controversial drama "Crash" (2004) that brought him major recognition, shocking audiences worldwide. His portrayal of Officer Ryan earned him nominations for major awards including the Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA.

Crash. Behind The Scenes

After "Crash," Dillon appeared in lighter, crowd-pleasing comedies like "Herbie Fully Loaded" (2005) with Lindsay Lohan and "You, Me and Dupree" (2006) with Owen Wilson and Kate Hudson.

In 2011, Matt made a guest appearance on "Modern Family." In 2015, he returned to television, starring in the dystopian series "Wayward Pines."

Matt Dillon in the series 'Wayward Pines'

In 2018, the thriller "The House That Jack Built" (2018) by Lars von Trier was released, giving Dillon the opportunity to work with another acclaimed auteur. Matt played a serial killer who "built" a house from the bodies of his victims.

Matt Dillon Discusses The House That Jack Built

Dillon admits he never became a superstar, but he's maintained his artistic integrity throughout his career. He's free to choose his projects and has no regrets about his three-decade journey in Hollywood.

Matt Dillon's Personal Life

Matt has always kept his personal relationships out of the spotlight. It's known that he dated Cameron Diaz for three years. The couple announced their breakup in 1998.

Years later, Dillon called Diaz his muse and described their split as simply running its course:

...Listen, I loved her, and we were very close, but everything just ran its course. We were both actors, she lived in Los Angeles, and I lived in New York, and I didn't want to commit to moving there. But I don't want to say it was because of any of that. Everything just ran its course

In a 2014 interview, Dillon said he was ready for a serious relationship and had already met "the one." He didn't mention her name but clarified that she wasn't a public figure. Media reports soon identified his girlfriend as Italian actress Roberta Mastromichele.

Matt Dillon and his girlfriend Roberta Mastromichele

Matt Dillon Now

Matt Dillon has been selective with his screen appearances in recent years, taking on roles in the biographical drama "Capone" (2020) as mobster Johnny Torrio, Al Capone's mentor, and "Asteroid City" by Wes Anderson.

Interesting Facts

Matt landed the role in "The Blue Lagoon" (1980) alongside Brooke Shields but ultimately turned it down because he didn't want to do nude scenes. He also passed on roles in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" (1994) and "Novocaine" (2001), with Steve Martin eventually taking the latter role.
Among the actor's hobbies are baseball, Cuban music, visiting flea markets, and traveling.
Matt's brother, Kevin Dillon, is also an actor.