FULL BIOGRAPHY // (click here for basic bio)

Known to millions for his occasional role on NBC's Friends as Lisa Kudrow's slow-witted brother, Ribisi first appeared on television a little over a decade ago as Vonni Ribisi on shows such as My Two Dads, Married...with Children, and The Wonder Years. But it wasn't until his role on Friends that people began to take notice, and by then Ribisi had already taken on roles in films such as Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do!, David Lynch's Lost Highway, and Richard Linklater's Suburbia.

Though all of these parts amounted to either small roles in big films or big roles in small films, Ribisi still managed to land a crucial part in what would become his breakout film, Steven Spielberg's World War II epic blockbuster, Saving Private Ryan. As the haunting, tragic P/T Medic Wade Ribisi left an indelible impression on audiences and critics. The role was a standout from the ensemble and justly catapulted this young actor to the top of the heap of his generation.

He followed up Saving Private Ryan with a leading role opposite Juliette Lewis in The Other Sister as a mentally impaired young man who falls in love with a like-minded young lady. The film did mild business and was largely panned by critics, but nonetheless, the film gave Ribisi a chance to display his considerable talent and range. And shortly thereafter, Ribisi shifted gears once again to co-star with Omar Epps and Claire Danes in Scott Silver's The Mod Squad, a youthful, hip '90s version of the '70s television show in which a trio of juvenile delinquents are given a second chance at rehabilitation by helping the police force. Ribisi played Pete Cochran and delivered yet another memorable performance that furthered his reputation as a versatile young actor.With his basset hound eyes and lost soul persona, Ribisi manages to create unforgettable characters that consistently show that he is not merely the "next big thing," but a truly, potentially bankable talent worth every bit of his hype and more.