Rob Lowe is 62 years old, born on March 17, 1964, in Charlottesville, Virginia. His career spans more than four decades, taking him from a 1980s teen idol to a fixture of prime-time television and comedy.
Calculating his age and tracking his career milestones reveals how he adapted to changing Hollywood eras while maintaining a steady presence on screen. This breakdown looks at his exact birth date, his early entry into acting, and the specific projects that shaped his longevity.
Early Life and First Acting Steps
Born Robert Hepler Lowe, he grew up with his younger brother, actor Chad Lowe. After his parents separated, he moved to Dayton, Ohio, where he caught the acting bug early.
Unlike many children who enter the industry through familial connections, Lowe proactively pursued work. At age 12, he cold-called local theaters in Ohio to ask if any productions needed a child actor. That persistence landed him an errand boy role in a regional stage production of Sherlock Holmes. Further analysis by GQ explores related views on this issue.
By his mid-teens, his family relocated to California, opening the door to professional television opportunities. In 1979, at age 15, he secured his first major TV credit as Tony Flanagan in the short-lived sitcom A New Kind of Family.
Rising to Stardom in the Brat Pack Era
Lowe's breakout came rapidly in the early 1980s. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his work in the television film Thursday's Child (1983). That same year, director Francis Ford Coppola cast him as Sodapop Curtis in the film adaptation of S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders.
That role cemented his status as a prominent young actor. He quickly became a core member of the media-dubbed "Brat Pack," a group of rising stars who defined mid-1980s youth culture. Key projects from this period include:
- Class (1983) alongside Andrew McCarthy
- The Hotel New Hampshire (1984) opposite Jodie Foster
- St. Elmo's Fire (1985) alongside fellow Brat Packers like Emilio Estevez
- About Last Night... (1986) with Demi Moore
Transitioning from a teen heartthrob to an adult actor presented public hurdles in the late 1980s, but a well-received hosting gig on Saturday Night Live in 1990 helped pivot his career toward self-aware comedy. He leaned into comedic timing with memorable supporting turns in Wayne's World (1992) and the Austin Powers franchise.
Reinvention in Television
While many film stars struggle to find footing on television, Lowe made the medium his domain across the 2000s and 2010s. He played White House Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn on Aaron Sorkin's political drama The West Wing from 1999 to 2003, earning multiple Screen Actors Guild Awards.
He later joined the ensemble of Brothers & Sisters before taking on one of his most recognizable comedic roles: Chris Traeger, the relentlessly upbeat city manager on NBC's Parks and Recreation (2010–2015). His ability to balance deadpan drama with high-energy comedy kept him in continuous demand.
Recent Projects and Family Life
Lowe hasn't slowed down with age. He starred in and produced the Fox procedural drama 9-1-1: Lone Star as Captain Owen Strand and teamed up with his son, John Owen Lowe, for the Netflix comedy series Unstable. He also hosts the trivia game show The Floor and runs a popular podcast titled Literally! with Rob Lowe.
Outside of his professional life, he has been married to makeup artist and jewelry designer Sheryl Berkoff since 1991, and the couple shares two sons, Matthew and John Owen. He detailed his personal evolution and Hollywood history in two memoirs, Stories I Only Tell My Friends (2011) and Love Life (2014).
For more details on his filmography and ongoing television work, you can explore his profile on Britannica or review his comprehensive credits on Wikipedia.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Rob Lowe's exact birthday?
Rob Lowe was born on March 17, 1964. His astrological sign is Pisces.
Is Rob Lowe related to Chad Lowe?
Yes, actor Chad Lowe is his younger brother. Both grew up in Ohio after their parents relocated from Virginia.
What was Rob Lowe's first professional acting role?
His first paid stage role was playing an errand boy in a 1976 regional theater production of Sherlock Holmes in Dayton, Ohio, which he secured by cold-calling local theaters.
How long has Rob Lowe been married?
He married Sheryl Berkoff in July 1991. They have been married for over three decades and share two sons.
