Gary Sinise

Biography:

Gary Sinise was born in Blue Island, Illinois, to Robert L. Sinise, a film editor, and Mylles (Alsip) Sinise. His paternal grandfather was of Italian descent, and his great-grandfather, Vito Sinisi, immigrated from Ripacandida in the Basilicata region of Italy. Sinise attended Glenbard West High School briefly before graduating from Highland Park High School, later earning his degree from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, where he remains an active alumnus.

In 1974, Sinise co-founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago with Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry. The company became a launching pad for numerous prominent actors, including John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, and Gary Cole. Sinise developed his directing and acting skills there and gained early recognition with his direction and performance in True West (1982), earning an Obie Award in 1983 and a Joseph Jefferson Award for directing Orphans (1985). He made his film directing debut with Miles from Home (1988), starring Richard Gere.

Sinise shared the Regional Theatre Tony Award with Steppenwolf in 1985 and later received four Tony nominations, including for The Grapes of Wrath (1988) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (2001). He directed, produced, and starred in the 1992 film Of Mice and Men, playing George Milton opposite John Malkovich. His performance as Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump (1994) earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Other major credits include Apollo 13 (1995), Ransom (1996), The Green Mile (1999), Mission to Mars (2000), and Impostor (2002).

Sinise portrayed several real-life figures on television, such as President Harry S. Truman in Truman (1995), which won him a Golden Globe, and Governor George Wallace in George Wallace (1997), earning an Emmy Award. He reprised the role in Path to War (2002).

In 2004, Sinise took on his first leading TV role as Detective Mac Taylor in CSI: NY, also serving as producer and occasional writer. His musical interests led him to co-found the Lt. Dan Band in 2003, named after his Forrest Gump character.

Beyond acting, Sinise has lent his voice to several projects, including Disney’s Mission: SPACE, the Discovery Channel’s When We Left Earth, and the History Channel’s World War II in HD. He also co-produced the Iraq War documentary Brothers at War (2009) and narrated multiple military-related documentaries and exhibits.

Sinise is widely recognized for his humanitarian and veterans’ advocacy work. He co-founded Operation Iraqi Children, supported the USO, and performed for troops globally with the Lt. Dan Band. For his efforts, he received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President George W. Bush, was named an honorary U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer (2012), and later an honorary Marine (2013). He also co-hosts the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, D.C., and serves as a spokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.

Through the Gary Sinise Foundation, he has raised over $30 million annually to support military veterans, including building smart homes for those with disabilities. His contributions earned him the Outstanding Civilian Service Award (2013) from the U.S. Army and the Sylvanus Thayer Award (2015) from West Point.

In 2017, Sinise received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and served as Grand Marshal of the 2018 Rose Parade. He was honored with the Location Managers Guild’s Humanitarian Award in 2020 and hosted the World War I Memorial dedication ceremony in 2021.

Sinise married actress Moira Harris in 1981. They have three children. Moira survived breast cancer diagnosed in 2018. Their son, McCanna “Mac” Sinise, a musician and foundation staff member, passed away in January 2024 from chordoma, a rare spinal cancer.

A practicing Catholic since 2010, Sinise has received honorary doctorates from Amherst College and California State University, Stanislaus. A loyal fan of the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, and the band Kansas, he also founded Friends of Abe, a support network for conservative figures in Hollywood.

While a long-time Republican supporter, Sinise declined to endorse or vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2024 elections, publicly criticizing Trump’s remarks about Senator John McCain’s war record.