- 2008: Directed Will Smith in the comedy superhero film, "Hancock'
- 2007: Helmed "The Kingdom," starring Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman as U.S. government agents, sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in Saudi Arabia; also co-wrote screenplay
- 2007: Co-starred with Ryan Reynolds and Jeremy Piven in the action-comedy "Smokin' Aces"
- 2007: Co-starred in Robert Redford's "Lions for Lambs"
- 2006: Executive-produced the NBC series based on his feature film, "Friday Night Lights"; also wrote and directed the pilot episode for which he received an Emmy nomination
- 2005: His production company Film 44, scored a first-look deal with Universal Pictures
- 2004: Played a cop opposite Tom Cruise's bad guy in the thriller "Collateral"
- 2004: Directed the high school football themed film, "Friday Night Lights"
- 2003: Directed The Rock and Seann William Scott in "The Rundown"
- 2002: Guest starred as SD-6 Agent, Noah Hicks on the FOX drama "Alias"
- 2001: Had featured role in the comedy "Corky Romano"
- 2000: Executive produced and created the ABC series "Wonderland"; wrote and directed pilot episode
- 1998: Feature directorial debut, "Very Bad Things"; also scripted and co-wrote the song "Walls Come Down"; Christian Slater starred and executive produced
- 1997: Portrayed tempermental macho man cop Joey Randone in James Mangold's "Cop Land"
- 1996: Played a sexual deviant travelling around the desert calling from his car in Spike Lee's "Girl 6"
- 1996: Cast as a punch-drunk former pugilist dragged out of retirement by Samuel L. Jackson in "The Great White Hype"
- 1995: Sold first script (co-wrote with Michael Schiffer), "Furious George"
- 1995: Authored the one-act play, "Miles and Mickey" that debuted in Los Angeles
- 1995: Joined the cast of the CBS medical drama "Chicago Hope" as a recurring character; became a regular for the 1995-1996 season; also wrote two episodes and directed one
- 1994: Breakthrough screen role as the hapless victim of femme fatale Linda Fiorintino in "The Last Seduction"; first aired on HBO before its theatrical release
- 1994: Portrayed paralyzed pro football player Dennis Byrd in the FOX TV-movie, "Rise & Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story"
- 1993: Co-starred in "Fire in the Sky," a film based on true events surrounding the supposed alien abduction of Travis Walton
- 1992: Appeared as a platoon-mate of Ethan Hawke in "A Midnight Clear"
- 1989: First film lead, Wes Craven's "Shocker"
- 1988: TV-movie debut, "Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story" (CBS)
- 1988: Made feature debut in "Miracle Mile"
- 1986: Made TV acting debut on the crime drama "The Equalizer" (CBS)
- 1985: Moved to Los Angeles and got a job as a production assistant for Trans World International
- Raised in Chappaqua, New York
- Appeared in local theater productions after attending college in Minnesota




