Kevin Kline Facts: Celebrities Who Started on Soaps

Kevin Kline is a film, television, and theater actor who is best known for his work in The Big Chill, Sophie’s Choice, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dave, The Road to El Dorado, and Beauty and the Beast. He also got his start on a soap.

Kline has also voiced a character on Bob’s Burgers and he’s been inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. From where he was born and raised to his family, here are five fast facts about the actor.

Who Is Kevin Kline?

Kline was born on October 24 in St. Louis, Missouri, where he also was raised. He graduated from Saint Louis Priory School and then went on to attend Indiana University, Bloomington. He graduated with a degree in theater and speech and even co-founded a theater troupe off-campus.

Soap Beginnings
After graduating from Indiana, Kline moved out to New York City and studied at the Juilliard School. He also formed The Acting Company, which traveled around performing Shakespeare plays, but Kline left the group and began working in television. He landed the role of Woody Reed on Search for Tomorrow — his first job on TV.

Not Technically His First Role
Though many people believe his first feature film role was as Nathan Landau in Sophie’s Choice, it’s not technically true. In fact, he actually filmed The Pirates of Penzance before he began shooting Sophie’s Choice, but the movie was delayed, so Sophie’s Choice ended up being released earlier.

Comedic Gold

Kline won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing Otto West in A Fish Called Wanda. He is one of the few actors to actually win an Oscar for a comedic performance. Of course, daytime fans love him for his hilarious turn in the soap-spoof, Soapdish.

Getting Personal With Kevin Kline
Kline met actress Phoebe Cates in 1983 and they began dating in 1985. The couple then married in 1989 and have two children together — son Owen, who was born in 1991, and a daughter named Greta, who was born in 1994.