There are two kinds of actors in Hollywood, those who make headlines for their movies and those who make headlines for everything but their movies. Chris O’Donnell belongs firmly in the first camp. Despite spending decades in the entertainment industry, he has managed to avoid the scandals, outbursts, and inexplicable social media rants that seem to plague so many of his colleagues.
While his peers were making headlines for their wild parties and regrettable tattoo choices, O’Donnell was busy being…well, normal. And that might just be his most impressive feat yet. Raised in a big Catholic family in suburban Chicago, he brought his Midwestern values to Hollywood and never let go.
So, how did a guy who started off as a child model for Sears manage to resist the temptations of Hollywood excess? The answer lies in his deep-rooted values, a strong family bond, and, as one director put it, the fact that he collects friends like trading cards.
From altar boy to aspiring stockbroker
Chris O’Donnell grew up in Winnetka, Illinois, the youngest of seven children in a tight-knit Catholic family. If you’re the baby of the family, you usually have two options, become the most spoiled member of the household or develop the kind of charm that gets you out of trouble. Chris seems to have done a little bit of both.
While most 13-year-olds were perfecting their jump shots or memorizing the lyrics to the latest pop hits, O’Donnell was plotting his entry into the world of modeling. And not just because he had a passion for fashion, he saw it as an easy way to make money. Clearly, Hollywood corruption wasn’t going to get him, this kid was focused on financial stability before he even had a learner’s permit.
Since cold-calling talent agencies didn’t exactly work out, shocking, right? fate had to intervene. According to Rolling Stone, his sister casually mentioned his interest to a talent agent at a wedding, and the next thing you know, Chris was posing in pajamas for Sears and Montgomery Ward’s catalogs.
And because being a child model wasn’t enough, he started investing his earnings in the stock market. Just imagine a teenage O’Donnell, flipping through stock reports while his classmates were worried about prom.
By 1987, he landed a small but unforgettable gig, playing a McDonald’s cashier serving none other than Michael Jordan in a commercial. Not a bad start for a kid who just wanted to make a few extra bucks.
Chris O’Donnell is the friendliest guy in Hollywood
If Hollywood is high school, then Chris O’Donnell is the guy who somehow manages to stay friends with everyone he’s ever met. If you shake his hand today, you might find yourself invited to Thanksgiving dinner in five years. In fact, Batman director Joel Schumacher once told the Chicago Tribune,
Chris has every friend he’s made since the delivery room. From the doctor who slapped his bottom to the person he met yesterday, they’re all his best friends. He had 14 ushers at his wedding. When you work with him, you become part of his extended family. You inherit 20,000 people.
That level of loyalty and connection has been a hallmark of his life and career. It’s why he’s had such a long-lasting marriage, why he’s one of the rare child models who didn’t have a public meltdown, and why working with him apparently means inheriting a family-sized network of friends.
While Hollywood churns out actors with dramatic backstories, scandal-ridden pasts, and shocking revelations, Chris O’Donnell remains refreshingly… predictable. He’s a great actor, a devoted husband and father, and probably the only guy in Hollywood who still remembers the name of the doctor who delivered him. And if you ever get invited to his birthday party, don’t be surprised if you end up making 20 new best friends before the cake is even served.
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