Matthew Fox

Matthew Chandler Fox is an American actor best known for his leading television roles as Charlie Salinger on the drama series Party of Five and as Dr. Jack Shephard on the drama series Lost. His portrayal of Shephard earned him wide recognition, along with nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, as well as a Satellite Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of an ensemble cast. Over the course of his career, Fox has also appeared in a variety of feature films and stage productions.

Fox was born in Abington, Pennsylvania, to Loretta B. and Francis G. Fox, and was raised alongside two brothers. When he was a year old, his family relocated to Crowheart, Wyoming, on the Wind River Indian Reservation. His mother worked as a teacher, while his father raised longhorn cattle, horses, and barley after working as an oil company consultant. Fox attended Wind River High School in Morton, Wyoming, graduating in 1984, and completed a postgraduate year at Deerfield Academy. He later attended Columbia University, playing as a wide receiver on the football team and graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in economics in 1989.

At the age of 25, Fox made his screen debut in an episode of the television series Wings and starred in the drama series Freshman Dorm. After appearing in supporting roles, including his feature film debut in My Boyfriend's Back, he landed a starring role on Party of Five in 1994. Playing the eldest sibling caring for his family following their parents' death, Fox remained with the show through 2000. During this period, he starred in the television film Behind the Mask and was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World by People Magazine in 1996. Following Party of Five, he starred in the 2002 series Haunted.

In 2004, Fox was cast as Dr. Jack Shephard on Lost after initially auditioning for another role. He starred in the series until its conclusion in 2010. During his time on Lost, Fox hosted Saturday Night Live in 2006 and appeared in feature films, including the sports drama We Are Marshall, the action film Smokin' Aces, the thriller Vantage Point, and Speed Racer as Racer X. After Lost concluded, Fox made his West End stage debut in the 2011 play In a Forest, Dark and Deep.

Fox continued his film career with roles in Alex Cross in 2012—physically transforming to play the antagonist—as well as roles in World War Z, Extinction, and the horror Western Bone Tomahawk in 2015. Between 2014 and 2021, Fox took a break from acting to spend time with his family. He returned to acting in 2021 after being cast in the lead role of the Peacock limited series Last Light.

In 1992, Fox married Margherita Ronchi, whom he met while attending Columbia University, and the couple has two children. Outside of acting, Fox is a photographer whose set photography was featured on a Lost home release, and he is a pilot who owns and flies a Bonanza G36 airplane.