Most people know John Dale Sarsgaard as the father of actor Peter Sarsgaard. John Dale is like many parents who feature in notable people’s biographies because of their famous children. John’s son is one of the most famous American actors and has been featured in several television shows and movies that made him famous. Peter’s first feature role was in Dead Man Walking in 1995. Since then, he has had successful roles in films like Desert Blue, Boys Don’t Cry, and Shattered Glass which won him the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Please keep reading to learn more about engineer John Dale Sarsgaard and his famous son.
All There is to Know About John Dale Sarsgaard
John Dale Sarsgaard was an Air Force engineer and later worked for IBM and Monsanto. Sarsgaard and his family were Catholic. Due to the nature of his job, he moved his family more than twelve times when Peter was young. Sarsgaard’s wife and Peter’s mother was Judy Lea. No more information is provided on any websites regarding John Dale’s life. Let’s focus on his son, who is why Sarsgaard is featured in this article.
John Dale Sarsgaard’s Son: Early Life
John Peter Sarsgaard was born at Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Illinois, on 7 March 1971. His surname Sarsgaard is of Denmark origin, where his paternal great-great-grandparents were born. He was raised Catholic and served as an altar boy. His family moved a lot in his childhood because of his father’s job. At the tender age of 7, Peter wanted to be a soccer player, but he suffered multiple concussions while playing soccer and gave it up. His interests shifted to writing and theatre.
Peter Sarsgaard attended Fairfield College Preparatory School, where his interest in film peaked. After graduation from Fairfield in 1989, he joined Bard College for two years, then transferred to Washington University in St. Louis. In 1991, he co-founded a comedy troupe, Mama’s Pot Roast, while in WUSTL. He also performed in plays in an offshoot of Actors Studio. His first role was in Tartuffe as the servant Laurent. He graduated in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in history and moved to New York.
Peter Sarsgaard Career
Sarsgaard started with guest roles in TV productions filmed in New York with Law & Order in 1995. His first film role was in Dead Man Walking as a murdered teenager in 1995. He also got featured in New York Undercover and Subway Stories, both in 1997. His other substantial roles were in Another Day in Paradise (1997), Desert Blue (1998), The Man in the Iron Mask (1998), Boys Don’t Cry (1999), and The Center of the World (2001). In 2002, Peter starred in three films; K-19: The Widowmaker, Empire, and The Salton Sea.
Since 2003, he has had significant success in his career when he starred in Shattered Glass. The Dying Gaul, The Skeleton Key, Year of the Dog, The Dying Animal, Orphan, Knight and Day, and The Lost Daughter are more of his recent works.
Peter is a vegan but cooks meat for his children. He has been married to Maggie Gyllenhaal since 2009, and they have two adorable daughters, Ramona (2006) and Gloria Ray (2012).
Wrapping Up
The award-winning celebrity son of engineer John Dale Sarsgaard is an example of what we can accomplish when we don’t give up after one of our dreams hits rock bottom.
