A veteran of over ten years of professional experience in New York theater and commercials, O'Connell made an auspicious feature film debut at age 11 playing the chubby, winsome Vern Tessio of Rob Reiner's "Stand By Me" (1986). While he held his own against such future feature heavyweights as River Phoenix and Kiefer Sutherland, O'Connell found much of his subsequent employment in TV.After several TV-movies, including a lively adaptation of humorist Jean Shepherd's twisted nostalgic story "Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss" (Disney Channel/PBS, 1988), O'Connell landed the lead in the fantasy series, "My Secret Identity" (syndicated, 1988-91). His Andrew Clements was an ordinary teen bestowed with super powers, including the ability to fly, after a run-in with a photon beam. This marked the beginning of O'Connell's regular employment as a TV juvenile lead. After starring in the short-lived "Camp Wilder" (ABC, 1992), O'Connell co-starred with Jason Priestly in the feature "Calendar Girl" (1993), as Scott 'The Dood' Foreman, an eighteen-year-old with a wooden leg. He delivered a solid comic performance in this coming-of-age tale about three boys' search for their idol, Marilyn Monroe.
O'Connell's returned to TV in "Blue River" (Fox, 1995), based on the novel by Ethan Canin. Showcasing his pumped-up physique, the actor believably played both the youthful and middle-aged versions of an unstable man coping with a dysfunctional family. O'Connell also headed the cast of the sci-fi adventure series, "Sliders" for its duration on Fox (1995-97) and one season on the Sci-Fi Channel (1998-99), as a physics grad student who unknowingly creates a doorway to parallel universes. His sculpted body was even more evident when he donned "Rambo" gear to battle some pesky roaches in "Joe's Apartment" (1996). Based on the popular MTV short of the same name, the film featured a lovelorn protagonist whose life is ruined by his "friendly" insect roommates. He also won the coveted role of a football player handled by sports agent Tom Cruise in "Jerry Maguire" (1996) before tackling the part of Neve Campbell's boyfriend in "Scream 2" (1997).
After playing an astronaut in the sci-fi misfire "Mission to Mars" (2000) O'Connell returned to the youth sex-comedy genre with the "American Pie"-wannabe "Tomcats" (2001), an unfunny film which performed poorly. He found a comfortable niche by returning television, however, playing Det. Woody Hoyt on the NBC crime series "Crossing Jordan" (2001 - ). O'Connell returned to the big screen in 2003 as one of a down-on-their-luck duo of losers who run afoul of both the mafia and a troublesome marsupial in "Kangaroo Jack" (2003). After being one of many celebrities to jump aboard the poker bandwagon by appearing on “Celebrity Poker Showdown” (Bravo, 2003- ), O’Connell voiced a character for an episode of “Justice League Unlimited” (Cartoon Network, 2003- ). He then had a supporting role in the romantic comedy “Yours, Mine and Ours” (2005), a remake of the 1968 Lucille Ball-Henry Fonda comedy about two high school sweethearts who reunite after the deaths of their spouses and rush to get married only to discover their children hate the new arrangement.
Profession(s):
Actor, producer, director, screenwriter
Sometimes Credited As:
Family
brother:Charlie O'Connell (born c. 1975; was a junior fencing champion; joined cast of "Sliders" in 1998; appeared as the Bachlor on the reality show, "The Bachlor" (ABC))
father:Michael O'Connell (British)
mother:Linda O'Connell
wife:Rebecca Romijn (met in the fall of 2004; they became engaged September 2005; wed July 14, 2007 in an intimate ceremony in Los Angeles)
Companion(s)
Estella Warren
, Companion
, ```..co-starred in "Kangaroo Jack"; dated in 2002; no longer together
Geri Halliwell
, Companion
, ```..briefly dated in 2003; no longer together
Giuliana DePandi
, Companion
, ```..began dating January 2003; split briefly in fall 2003; reunited November 2003; ended relationship in 2004
Sarah Michelle Gellar
, Companion
, ```..dated; no longer together
2005 Co-starred with Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo in the remake of "Yours, Mine and Ours, a comedy about a blended family
2003 Starred in the mafia comedy "Kangaroo Jack"
2001 Had lead in the dismal teen comedy "Tomcats"
2001 Played recurring role of a police officer on the NBC series "Crossing Jordan"
1999 Co-starred in the NBC minseries "The 60s", playing a Vietnam veteran
1999 Had featured role in the ensemble drama "Body Shots"
1999 Sold script "First Daughter" to New Regency; executive produced the feature, which starred Katie Holmes (released in 2004)
1997 Played Neve Campbell's boyfriend in "Scream 2"
1995 Received critical praise for playing a man who ages nearly twenty years in the Fox TV movie "Blue River"
1995 First starring feature role, "Joe's Apartment"
1995 - 1999 Starred in the sci-fi series "Sliders" (Fox, 1995-97; Sci-Fi Channel 1998); became producer during the third season and also directed episodes
1993 Returned to features (in older roles) with "Calendar Girl"
1988 Had first TV episodic guest shot on "The Equalizer"
1988 - 1991 Made TV series debut, starred in the syndicated fantasy "My Secret Identity"
1987 First TV-movie, "The Room Upstairs"
1986 Made feature film debut playing Vern in "Stand By Me"
1982 Appeared in first TV commercial at age eight
1980 Began taking acting and dance classes at age six (date approximate)
Stage debut in the off-Broadway production, "Water Music"
Cast in the Mike Binder comedy "Man About Town" (lensed 2004)
