Aidan Quinn (born March 8, 1959) is an American actor. He made his film debut in Reckless (1984), and has starred in over 80 feature films, including Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), The Mission (1986), Stakeout (1987), All My Sons (1987), Avalon (1990), The Handmaid's Tale (1990), Benny & Joon (1993), Legends of the Fall (1994), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), Michael Collins (1996), Practical Magic (1998), Song for a Raggy Boy (2003), Wild Child (2008) and Unknown (2011). He also played Captain Thomas "Tommy" Gregson on the CBS television series Elementary (2012–19).
Quinn has received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in the television films An Early Frost (1985) and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007). Highly active in Irish cinema as well as in the United States, Quinn is a four-time Irish Film and Television (IFTA) Award nominee, winning Best Supporting Actor in a Film for the Conor McPherson film The Eclipse (2009).
Early life Quinn was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Irish Catholic parents. He was raised in Chicago and Rockford, Illinois, as well as in Dublin and Birr, County Offaly, Ireland. His mother, Teresa, was a homemaker, but also worked as a bookkeeper and in the travel business, and his father, Michael Quinn, was a professor of English literature at Rock Valley College. When he was nineteen and working as a roofer, Quinn realized he wanted to become an actor. He trained at the Piven Theatre Workshop.
He has three brothers and a sister. His older brother, Declan Quinn, is a cinematographer, and his younger sister, Marian, is an actress, director and writer. His brother Paul, an actor and director, died in 2015 at the age of 55.
Career His first significant film role was in Reckless, followed by a breakthrough role in Desperately Seeking Susan as the character "Dez" (the love interest of the character played by Rosanna Arquette). Quinn next starred in the controversial television film An Early Frost, about a young gay lawyer dying of AIDS (it was broadcast on NBC on November 11, 1985, and co-starred Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara and Sylvia Sidney). He received his first Emmy Award nomination for the role. He made a short, well received contribution as Robert De Niro's brother in The Mission. He played escaped convict Richard "Stick" Montgomery in the action comedy Stakeout opposite Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez.
In 1988, Quinn lost the role of Jesus Christ when Paramount Pictures dropped the distribution rights to the Martin Scorsese movie The Last Temptation of Christ. When Universal Pictures picked up the film, the role went to Willem Dafoe. In the meantime, Quinn starred as the protagonist in the film Crusoe, finished in 1989.
During the 1990s, he appeared in Legends of the Fall, Benny & Joon, The Handmaid's Tale, Haunted and Practical Magic. He also starred in Michael Collins, Song for a Raggy Boy, This Is My Father, and Evelyn. He had a cameo appearance as the captain of a doomed Arctic vessel in the Francis Ford Coppola-produced adaptation of Frankenstein.
In 2000, Quinn portrayed Paul McCartney in the VH1 television drama Two of Us.
Quinn played Kerry Max Cook in the 2005 movie The Exonerated, a true story about people on death row who had been freed.
Quinn played the main character on the NBC drama The Book of Daniel in 2006. After the first three weeks of its run, the show was canceled, and its last five episodes never aired. In 2007, Quinn received his second Emmy nomination for the television movie Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.
In 2010, he played a cameo role as William Rainsferd in the French-made film Sarah's Key, set during World War II.
He starred as Dermot opposite Taylor Schilling (Abby) in the Canadian-Irish drama film Stay (2013).
Quinn co-starred in the CBS Television series Elementary.
Personal life
In 1987, Quinn married his Stakeout co-star Elizabeth Bracco (sister of actress Lorraine Bracco). They have two daughters: Mia (b. 1998) and Ava Eileen (b. 1989), who is autistic. Ava appeared as the baby "David" in Avalon, and Mia played a ghost in The Eclipse. He has controversially suggested that the MMR vaccine led to his daughter's autism diagnosis. Former residents of Englewood, New Jersey, Quinn and his family now live in Palisades, Rockland County, New York, and Marbletown in the Catskills / Woodstock region of Ulster County, New York.
As an avid sports fan, Quinn supports the Chicago Cubs, the Green Bay Packers, Michael Jordan, Rory McIlroy, and Roger Federer.
Quinn is also an outspoken critic of Donald Trump.
Philanthropy Quinn has participated in charity golf events for the East Lake Foundation, a community redevelopment program, and Samuel L. Jackson's "One for the Boys" campaign about testicular cancer awareness. In 2010, Quinn attended a premiere benefit screening of A Shine of Rainbows for the International Children's Media Center (ICMC) and The American Ireland Fund (AIF). In 1991, he read a segment from Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis as part of MTV's "Books: Feed Your Head" literacy promotion PSAs.
Quinn spoke at the 2003 "Night of Too Many Stars" gala benefiting The Autism Coalition. He was an honorary board member of the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR), which merged with Autism Speaks.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1982My Favorite Year behind Bologna 1/2 hour in1984RecklessJohnny Rourke1985Desperately Seeking SusanDezAn Early Frost Michael Pierson1986Felipe Mendoza1987StakeoutRichard 'Stick' Montgomery1989CrusoeCrusoe1990NickThe Lemon SistersFrankie McGuinnessAvalonJules Kaye1991At Play in the Fields of the LordMartin Quarrier1992The PlayboysTom Casey1993Benny & JoonBenjamin 'Benny' Pearl1994BlinkDet. John HallstromMary Shelley's FrankensteinCpt. Robert WaltonLegends of the FallAlfred Ludlow1995The Stars Fell on HenriettaDon DayHauntedProf. David AshLumière and CompanyHimselfShort film: "John Boorman"1996Looking for RichardRichmondMichael CollinsHarry Boland1997CommandmentsSeth WarnerThe AssignmentLt. Cmdr. Annibal Ramirez / Carlos1998This Is My FatherKieran O'DayAlso executive producerPractical MagicOfficer Gary Hallet1999In DreamsPaul CooperMusic of the HeartBrian Turner2000SongcatcherTom Bledsoe2002Stolen SummerJoe O'Malley'EvelynNick Barron2003Song for a Raggy BoyWilliam Franklin2004Bobby Jones: Stroke of GeniusHarry VardonShadow of FearDetective ScofieldReturn to SenderFrank NitzcheProudCommodore Alfred Lind2005Nine LivesHenry2007Dark MatterProf. Jacob Reiser32AFrank Brennan2008Wild ChildGerry Moore2009Alec O'DonnellThe EclipseNicholas HoldenHandsome HarryProf. Porter2010FlippedRichard BakerFestival of LightsAdemJonah HexPresident Ulysses S. GrantSarah's KeyWilliam RainsferdAcross the Line: The Exodus of Charlie WrightCharlie WrightThe 5th QuarterSteven AbbateThe Pilgrims: The Journey to a New World for AutismHimselfDocumentary2011UnknownMartin B.The Stand UpSandy HardwickThe Greening of Whitney BrownHenry BrownMuide ÉireHimselfDocumentary 2012If I Were YouDerekAllegianceLieutenant Colonel Owens2013The Last KeepersJohn CarverRushlightsCameron BrogdenStayDermot Fay2014Journey to SundanceHimselfDocumentary2018Change in the AirMoody2021SpikedJohn Wilson2022BlacklightGabriel Robinson2023Daughter of the BrideBruceTBACry from the SeaTBA
Television Year Title Role Notes1981American DreamScooterEpisode: "Casey's Romance"1985An Early FrostMichael PiersonTelevision movie1987All My SonsChris Keller1989Perfect WitnessSam Paxton1991Lies of the TwinsJames McEwen/Jonathan McEwan1992Bob Finkbine1994BaseballHimself/Various 2 episodes1995The Irish in AmericaNarratorTV movieOut of Ireland: The Story of Irish Emigration to America1997Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for LivingstoneHenry Morton Stanley2000The Prince and the PauperMiles HendonTwo of UsPaul McCartneyThe Young MessiahNarratorVoice; TV movie2001Night VisionsJeremy BellEpisode: "The Passenger List"2003Benedict Arnold: A Question of HonorGen. Benedict ArnoldTV movieFreedom: A History of USMob Member/Philadelphia Press Editorial2 episodes2004See You in My DreamsJoe F. BrownTV moviePlainsongTom Guthrie CavedwellerClint WindsorMiracle RunDouglas Thomas2004–2005Third WatchLieutenant/Captain John Miller5 episodes2005The ExoneratedKerry Max CookTV movieEmpire FallsDavid Roby 2 episodesMaydayJohn BerryTV movie2006The Book of DanielDaniel Webster8 episodes2007Bury My Heart at Wounded KneeHenry L. DawesTV movieLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitBen NicholsonEpisode: "Savant"2008Canterbury's LawMatthew 'Matt' Furey5 episodesThe Prince of Motor CityCharlie HamiltonPilot2010White CollarProf. George OswaldEpisode: "Copycat Caffrey"2011WeedsFoster 'Chuck' Klein4 episodesPrime SuspectLt. Kevin SweeneyRecurring role2012The Horses of McBrideMatt DavidsonTV movie2012–2019ElementaryCaptain Thomas 'Tommy' Gregson Main role2014From Tee to Green: The Story of Irish GolfNarratorVoice; 3 episodes2019The American GuestTheodore RooseveltMain role2021-2022Law & Order: Special Victims UnitBurton LoweEpisodes: "The Five Hundredth Episode" & "Confess Your Sins to be Free" 2024Blue Bloods Detective Gus VanderlipEpisode: "The Heart of a Saturday Night"2025The Walsh SistersJack WalshUpcoming comedy drama series
Theatre Year Production Role Venue1979The Man in 605Jerry GreenPiven Theatre WorkshopScheherazadeChicagoThe Irish Hebrew Lesson1984Fool for LoveEddieDouglas Fairbanks Theater1985HamletPrince HamletWisdom Bridge Theatre1985–1986A Lie of the MindFrankiePromenade Theatre1988A Streetcar Named DesireStanley Kowalski Circle in the Square Theatre2003The ExoneratedKerry Max Cook45 Bleecker Theater Curran Theatre2004Trumbo: Red, White and BlacklistedDalton TrumboWestside Theatre 2005The ExoneratedKerry Max CookQueen's Hall2006Riverside Studios Dublin Theatre Festival2008Conversations in TusculumBrutusThe Public Theater
Awards and nominations Year Award Work Result1986Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or SpecialAn Early Frost1988Theatre World AwardA Streetcar Named Desire1993CableACE Award for Supporting Actor in a Movie or MiniseriesA Private Matterrowspan=3 1999Irish Film and Television Award for Best Actor in a Male RoleThis Is My FatherBlockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor – Comedy / RomancePractical Magic2000Sundance Film Festival – Special Jury Prize For Ensemble Cast Songcatcher2003Irish Film & Television Award (IFTA) for Best Actor in a Film – Public Voterowspan=8 Irish Film & Television Award (IFTA) for Best Actor in a Film – Jury AwardSong for a Raggy Boy2005Irish Film & Television Award (IFTA) for Best Actor in a Feature FilmReturn to Sender (aka Convicted)Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting MaleCavedwellerGotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast Nine Lives2007Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or MovieBury My Heart at Wounded KneeOnline Film & Television Association (OFTA) Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesSatellite Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television2010Irish Film & Television Award (IFTA) for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – FilmThe Eclipse
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