John Christopher Reilly (born May 24, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American actor of Irish and Lithuanian descent from the South Side of Chicago. He is a graduate of Brother Rice High School and DePaul University. A proud member of the Chicago theater, Reilly credits the Windy City with helping him gain experience as he was working for his big break.
Reilly made his film debut in Casulaties of War (1989) and has consistently appeared in supporting roles since then.
His profile as a film actor was significantly raised in 2002 when he appeared in three of the year's Academy Award for Best Picture nominees - Chicago, Gangs of New York and The Hours. He received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Renée Zellweger's trusting husband in Chicago. He more recently appeared in The Aviator (2004) as Howard Hughes's (Leonardo DiCaprio) trusted financial advisor, Noah Dietrich. Ironically, two years before Reilly had appeared as a nemesis to DiCaprio's Amsterdam Vallon in Gangs of New York.
Reilly played drums in the comedy rock band, Tenacious D, as "Sasquatch".
Selected filmography
Casualties of War(1989)
Days of Thunder (1990)
Shadows and Fog (1992)
Hoffa (1992)
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
The River Wild (1994)
Dolores Claiborne (1995)
Hard Eight (1996)
Boogie Nights (1997)
The Thin Red Line (1998)
Magnolia (1999)
The Perfect Storm (2000)
The Good Girl (2002)
Gangs of New York (2002)
Chicago (2002)
The Hours (2002)
Anger Management (2003)
The Aviator (2004)
Criminal (2004)
A Prairie Home Companion (2006)
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
