Timothy David Olyphant was born on May 20, 1968, in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, and raised in Modesto, California. From a young age, he exhibited a strong interest in swimming, beginning competitive training at six years old under coach Darrell Lohrke. His dedication led him to become a nationally ranked swimmer.
He attended Fred C. Beyer High School in Modesto before enrolling at the University of Southern California, where he studied fine art. While attending classes at the nearby University of California, Irvine, he took an elective acting course to fulfill academic requirements—a decision that sparked his interest in acting and eventually shaped his career path.
Timothy Olyphant made his professional off-Broadway debut in 1995, playing the role of Tim Hapgood in Playwrights Horizons' production of The Monogamist. A year later, he performed a one-man play, The SantaLand Diaries, before making the transition to film and television in Los Angeles.
He had an early screen appearance in the 1996 film The First Wives Club and a small role in A Life Less Ordinary. Olyphant gained attention for his portrayal of Todd Gaines, a drug dealer in the 1999 film Go. He went on to appear in films such as Scream 2 (1997), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), The Broken Hearts Club (2000), Dreamcatcher (2003), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), Hitman (2007), A Perfect Getaway (2009), The Crazies (2010), I Am Number Four (2011), and the animated film Rango (2011). In 2009, he played a supporting role in the comedy The Girl Next Door alongside Elisha Cuthbert and Emile Hirsch.
His television breakthrough came with the role of Sheriff Seth Bullock in the critically acclaimed HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006). Later, he gained further prominence portraying U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in the FX series Justified (2010–2015), a role that solidified his status in Hollywood and showcased his versatility as an actor.
Olyphant received the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance for his work in The Monogamist, underscoring his strong theatrical foundation prior to his transition to screen roles.
Timothy Olyphant married his college sweetheart, Alexis Knief, in July 1991. The couple resides in Westwood, Los Angeles, with their three children: daughters Grace Katherine (born June 20, 1999) and Vivian, and son Henry. The marriage has remained stable, with no public reports of separation or divorce.
Standing at approximately 6 feet tall (183 cm), Olyphant is often praised for his charismatic screen presence. He earned the affectionate nickname “Olyphantastic” from fans and media alike. Apart from acting, he made recurring appearances as an unpaid sports commentator on Joe Escalante’s morning radio show on Indie 103.1 in Los Angeles.
| Birth Date: | 20 May, 1968 |
| Age: | 51 yrs |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Honolulu |
| residence: | Westwood |
| Education: | William Esper Studio USC Roski School of Fine Arts and Design |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | American actor |
| Net Worth 2021: | 20 million |
