Hulking and husky with a baby face, this supporting actor can play dumb or domineering with equal aplomb. Suplee started out with a recurring role as a good-natured bully on the sitcom
Boy Meets World and made his film debut opposite his childhood friend Jason Lee in Kevin Smith's 1995 flop
Mallrats. But the collaboration proved important: Not only did Smith cast him in three more movies (
Chasing Amy,
Dogma,
Clerks II), but Suplee became a star as Lee's dim-witted buddy on the sitcom
My Name Is Earl in 2005. During the 10 years between the two projects, Suplee proved his versatility in a string of big-screen roles, segueing from sweet (
Return of the Titans) to scary (
American History X) to stupid (
Without a Paddle), and also dropped a noticeable number of pounds, although he remained a heavyweight.
Ethan Suplee Fast Facts:
- Has known his My Name is Earl costar, Jason Lee, since childhood.
- Friend Giovanni Ribisi convinced him to take acting classes at age 16. Ribisi's mother was later Suplee's manager.
- Is a member of the Church of Scientology, as is My Name Is Earl creator Gregory Thomas Garcia, leading to rumors that the sitcom has a disguised religious subtext.
- His wife, Brandy, is Juliette Lewis' sister.
- Ethan Suplee Relationships:
- Bella - Stepdaughter
- Billie Grace Suplee - Daughter
- Brandy Lewis - Wife
- Francis Clementine Suplee - Daughter
- Lily - Stepdaughter
- Samantha Suplee - Sister
