This Chicago native was just a teen when he broke into showbiz as a movie extra. Boyishly appealing and extremely determined, he quickly graduated to speaking roles, beginning with the 1985 comedy
Heavenly Kid. For the rest of the decade he was a B-movie lead in such films as
Iron Eagles I and II and
Rooftops, although he occasionally landed smaller roles in A-list projects like
Born on the Fourth of July. In the 1990s he turned to the small screen, where his ruggedly handsome, working-class looks usually got him typecast as a cop or a criminal. After a critically acclaimed, one-season stint as a murder defendant on
Murder One, he continued to grace the small screen with a starring role on the short-lived 2006 series
Windfall, as well as guest appearances on such high-profile TV shows as
Ally McBeal and
Desperate Housewives.Jason Gedrick Fast Facts:
- Parents divorced when he was young; raised by his mother in Chicago, while his older brother and sister lived with their father.
- Started in films as an extra in 1983's Bad Boys and was inspired by the movie's star, Sean Penn.
- Auditioned six times for the role of a young pilot in 1986's Iron Eagle before landing the part.
- Made his Broadway debut in 1989 opposite Helen Hunt, replacing Eric Stoltz in Our Town.
- Has dyslexia.
- Jason Gedrick Relationships:
- Dana - Ex-wife
- Dawne Gedrick - Sister
- Garrett Reed Gedrick - Son
- Jian Gedrick - Son
- Joel Gedrick - Brother
- Ty Gedrick - Son
- College:
- Attended Drake University, Des Moines, IA