Dennis William Quaid is an American actor born in Houston on April 9, 1954. He gained widespread attention in the late 1970s, consolidating his status as a leading man with roles in films such as *Breaking Away* (1979) and especially *The Right Stuff* (1983). His career is characterized by notable versatility, which has allowed him to span various genres, from the science fiction comedy *Innerspace* (1987) and the biopic *Great Balls of Fire!* (1989) to family hits such as *The Parent Trap* (1998). In the early 2000s, he received widespread critical acclaim for his performance in *Far from Heaven* (2002), for which he won the New York Film Critics Circle Award and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor, as well as earning a Golden Globe nomination. His other significant works include *Frequency* (2000), *The Rookie* (2002), and the blockbuster *The Day After Tomorrow* (2004).