John Stockwell

John Stockwell Samuels IV is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained recognition for his performances in popular films during the 1980s and later transitioned into a career as a writer and director in television and cinema.

Stockwell was born on March 25, 1961, in Galveston, Texas, to Ellen (Richards) and John S. Samuels III, an attorney and coal magnate who acquired the Salutation estate in Glen Cove, Long Island. His family includes his sister, historian Evelyn Welch, and his niece, singer-songwriter Florence Welch. While attending Harvard University near Boston, Stockwell began commuting to New York City to perform in the soap opera Guiding Light.

Early in his career, Stockwell worked as an international model, during which time he developed a friendship with pop artist Andy Warhol. He made his feature film acting debut with a minor role in the 1981 film So Fine. He soon landed prominent film roles, appearing as Spider in the 1983 comedy Losin' It, Dennis Guilder in John Carpenter's horror film Christine (1983), and Michael Harlan in the 1985 comedy My Science Project. He also appeared in the 1985 film City Limits.

Alongside his feature film work, Stockwell performed in the acclaimed 1985 television mini-series North and South. In 1986, he portrayed the character Cougar in the feature film Top Gun. His early television career also included guest appearances on series such as The Young Riders and Friday the 13th: The Series.

Stockwell later expanded into writing and directing. He wrote the screenplay for the 2001 feature film Rock Star. As a director, his credits include television and feature films such as Crazy/Beautiful (2001), Blue Crush (2002), Into the Blue (2005), Turistas (2006), Heart (2009), the Gina Carano vehicle In the Blood, and the 2016 reboot Kickboxer: Vengeance.

For his work writing and directing the 2000 television film Cheaters, Stockwell received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special. In his personal life, he is married to chef and caterer Helene Henderson, with whom he has three children.