Tim Robbins Facts: Celebrities Who Started on Soaps

Tim Robbins is best known for playing Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption, but the actor has been in other films such as Mystic River, War of the Worlds, and Jacob’s Ladder. He also appeared on a soap.

Along with his accomplished acting career, Robbins is also a very talented writer and director. From winning an Oscar to directing his A-list then-partner, here are five fast facts about the star.

Who Is Tim Robbins?

Robbins was born on October 16 in West Covina, California, but he was raised in New York City. He started acting in the theater when he was 12 and joined the drama club at Stuyvesant High School. He then attended SUNY Plattsburgh for two years before going to UCLA film school.

Soap Beginnings
After graduating from college, Robbins began doing a lot of theater and he even founded the Actors’ Gang, which was an experimental theater group. He appeared on the NBC soap Santa Barbara, where he bullied Jade — played by longtime Days of our Lives star Melissa Reeves.

Tallest Winner
He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in the film Mystic River. With the win, Robbins became the tallest actor to ever win an Oscar at 6’5. The tallest actor to ever be nominated was James Cromwell, who was 6’7.

He’s The Boss
While he and Susan Sarandon were together, Robbins directed her in a movie called Dead Man Walking. which also starred Sean Penn. The movie was a critical success and Sarandon won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance, while Robbins himself earned a Best Director nomination.

Getting Personal With Tim Robbins

He began a relationship with Sarandon in 1988 after they met on the set of Bill Durham with Kevin Costner. They have two sons together, Jack, who was born on May 15, 1989, and Miles, who was born on May 4, 1992. While they never got married, the couple ended their relationship in December 2009.