An actor whose strong features and sinewy 6'4" physique make him appear to have been chiseled from a slab of testosterone, Vince Vaughn is Hollywood's closest human approximation of a Chevy pick-up. Rangy, solid, and all-American in a dirt, sweat, and beer sort of way, Vaughn has unsurprisingly been cast in roles that reflect these qualities. Thanks to his skills as a performer, however, he has resisted typecasting, giving effortless portrayals of characters ranging from slick bachelors to raving psychopaths to morally conflicted limo drivers.

A tried-and-true Midwestern boy, Vaughn was born in Minneapolis on March 28, 1970, and raised in the wealthy Chicago suburb of Lake Forest. The son of a self-made businessman and a mother who had done well for herself in stocks and real estate, Vaughn did not follow the upwardly mobile pattern established by his parents. Hyperactive and a lackluster student, Vaughn spent time in special ed. and ran with a fast crowd, although he has claimed that he never felt the need for all-out rebellion. Despite his poor school performance, Vaughn derived ambition from his interest in acting -- an interest he had clung to since the age of seven -- and used his position as president of his senior class to ensure that he would graduate from high school. Upon graduation, with only his diploma and a role in a Chevy commercial as his credentials, Vaughn headed for Hollywood. Upon arrival, he proceeded to work in almost complete obscurity for the next seven years.

During this period, Vaughn made the acquaintance of Jon Favreau, another struggling actor who hailed from the East. Their ensuing friendship and real-life adventures would provide the inspiration for their ticket out of career nonentity, 1996's Swingers. Directed by Doug Liman and starring Vaughn and Favreau (who also wrote the script) as two amiable Rat Pack-obsessed losers prowling the streets and bars of L.A. for "beautiful babies" and the occasional job opportunity, the irreverent-but-insightful comedy was a sleeper hit. Vaughn, whose character, Trent, was the film's resident fast-talking ladies' man, emerged as a sex symbol in the making. His profile was further heightened the following year when he appeared in a supporting role in Steven Spielberg's The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

Vaughn subsequently took the small, quiet film route, starring in The Locusts (1997), an overheated but half-baked melodrama that owed more than a few dollars in debt to both Tennessee Williams and East of Eden, and A Cool, Dry Place, a family drama that garnered a cool, dry reception from both audiences and critics. In 1998, the actor fared substantially better with his turn as a limo driver who is called upon to make a great sacrifice for a friend in the acclaimed Return to Paradise, and he proved himself almost too convincing as a charismatic sociopath in Clay Pigeons. Colossal mental dysfunction was the defining aspect of Vaughn's most publicized character to date when he starred as Norman Bates in Gus Van Sant's controversial remake of Psycho that same year. Vaughn earned mixed reviews for his work, and the film itself was treated with a tepid blend of indifference and bewilderment.

After the disappointment of Psycho, Vaughn took a couple of years off before re-emerging with a number of projects in 2000. Included among them were The Cell, a thriller co-starring Jennifer Lopez and Vincent D'Onofrio, Prime Gig, which starred Vaughn as California's best telemarketer, and South of Heaven, West of Hell, an ensemble Western that marked the directorial debut of country singer Dwight Yoakam. Following-up with a role in Swingers writer John Favreau's Made, Vaughn's next big role would come in the form of a deceptive stepfather harboring a dark secret in the thriller Domestic Disturbance. Unfortunately, the film proved to be a dud with critics and audiences and Vaughn would again disappear from movie theaters for more than a year.

Teaming with Will Ferrell and Luke Wilson for director Todd Phillips' 2003 comedy Old School, Vaughn scored his first big hit in years and found his career gaining momentum. The following year, Vaughn would star as the villain in Phillips' comedic take on Starsky and Hutch, giving the actor another minor hit under his belt and an opportunity to work with many of his Old School costars again. The actor's newfound momentum continued to build when, only a handful of months later, he starred in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Seeming to channel Bill Murray circa-1985, Vaughn received positive reviews for playing the good-guy opposite muscle-bound baddie Ben Stiller (who coincidentally was one of the heroes in Starsky and Hutch).

Vaughn could next be seen in a small but memorable role in the Will Ferrell vehicle Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. ~ Rebecca Flint

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