Ray McKinnon

Ray McKinnon Headshot

Actor • Writer • Director • Producer

Birth Date: November 15, 1957

Age: 66 years old

Birth Place: Adel, Georgia

A rangy, amiable performer with a knack for playing humorous Southern types, Ray McKinnon was a popular character actor in films and on television in the late 1990s and beyond, most notably in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000) and "Deadwood" (HBO, 2004-06). But he was also an accomplished writer and director whose debut project, "The Accountant" (2001), netted an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in 2002. McKinnon balanced his acting roles with turns behind the camera as writer, director and/or producer on three indies, including the critically praised "That Evening Sun" (2009). His versatility made him one of the more accomplished under-the-radar talents of the modern independent scene.

Born on Nov. 15, 1957 in Adel, GA, McKinnon attended Valdosta State College in Valdosta and launched his acting career on the stages of Atlanta. His first feature and television credits were projects that filmed in his native state, including the hit "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989) and the TV movie "Murder in Mississippi" (NBC, 1990), which co-starred his future producing partner, actor Walton Goggins who would go on to fame himself as vogue cop Shane Vendrell on "The Shield" (FX, 2002-08). McKinnon's talent eventually brought him to Hollywood, where he was frequently employed in character roles, essaying all varieties of Southern men in major features like "Bugsy" (1991), "A Perfect World" (1993) and "Apollo 13" (1993), as well as on series like "Designing Women" (CBS, 1986-1993) where he portrayed the classless car salesman husband of Carlene (Jan Hooks). While working on "Needful Things" (1993), he met actress Lisa Blount, who would later become his personal and professional partner.

McKinnon's profile continued to rise in the late 1990s and early 2000s with prominent roles in projects like "Dead Man's Walk" (ABC, 1996), the prequel to "Lonesome Dove" (ABC, 1986), and the Coen Brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou" (2000), in which he played George Clooney's rival for the affections of wife Holly Hunter. The following year, McKinnon made his directorial debut with "The Accountant" (2001), a comedy short about a rough-hewn moneyman (McKinnon) who reveals the secrets of corporate America to a desperate farming family. With Goggins on board as co-star and co-producer (along with Blount), the film won the Academy Award for Best Live Short in 2002, and opened the door for additional directing projects.

McKinnon continued his steady flow of roles while preparing his feature debut in 2005; his features during this period including Ron Howard's Western thriller "The Missing" (2003), and he enjoyed a recurring dramatic role as H.W. Smith, a sympathetic reverend whose attempt to bring civility to the town of "Deadwood" (HBO, 2004-06) ends with a prolonged and agonizing death. In 2005, McKinnon made his feature directorial debut with "Chrystal" (2005), a moody drama about a marijuana farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) who returns to his wife (Blount) after a lengthy stint in prison. Though infrequently seen outside of arthouse circles, the film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

McKinnon, Goggins and Blount followed this up with "Randy and the Mob" (2007), a comedy about identical twins (both played by McKinnon) who attempt to extricate themselves from the attention of a mob "fixer" (Goggins). It too was a hit on the festival circuit, and won top prizes from the Slamdance and Nashville Film Festivals. In 2009, McKinnon and Goggins co-produced the critically acclaimed drama, "That Evening Sun" (2009), an emotionally charged drama about an aging farmer (Hal Holbrook) who returns to his family home, only to find it occupied by a poor family ruled by an abusive father (McKinnon). The cast, which included Goggins, received the Special Jury Award at the SXSW Film Festival in 2009, while McKinnon was individually honored with an Independent Spirit nomination. That same year, McKinnon also appeared in the feel-good hit, "The Blind Side," in which he played the football coach who helps a troubled teen realize his gridiron dreams. Along with Goggins, he capped off a stellar year by selling the pilot for a television series called "Rectify" to the American Movie Classics network, with Goggins and Blount in the lead roles.

Credits

Sick Girl

Actor
Malcolm
Movie
2023

Knox Goes Away

Actor
Movie
2023
58%

The Dead Don't Hurt

Actor
Judge Blagden
Movie
2023
85%

Chaos WalkingStream

Actor
Matthew
Movie
2021
21%

News of the WorldStream

Actor
Simon Boudlin
Movie
2020
88%

Dolly Parton's HeartstringsStream

Actor
Roy Meegers
Series
2019
54%

Ford v. FerrariStream

Actor
Phil Remington
Movie
2019
92%

The Favored Strawberry

Narrator
Show
2017

Fear the Walking DeadStream

Guest Star
Proctor John
Series
2015
73%

Rectify: Extras

Actor
Show
2015

RectifyStream

Director
Series
2013
95%

RectifyStream

Writer
Series
2013
95%

MudStream

Actor
Senior
Movie
2013
97%

The Last Ride

Actor
Stan
Movie
2012

On Story

Guest
Show
2011

FootlooseStream

Actor
Wes Warnicker
Movie
2011
68%

Dolphin Tale

Actor
Mr. Doyle
Movie
2011

Take Shelter

Actor
Kyle
Movie
2011

Hick

Actor
Lloyd
Movie
2011

JustifiedStream

Guest Star
Series
2010
97%

That Evening Sun

Actor
Lonzo Choat
Movie
2009

That Evening Sun

Producer
Movie
2009

The Blind SideStream

Actor
Coach Cotton
Movie
2009
66%

Sons of AnarchyStream

Actor
Lincoln "Linc" Potter
Series
2008
87%

Sons of AnarchyStream

Guest Star
Lincoln "Linc" Potter
Series
2008
87%

The Last Lullaby

Actor
Ominous Figure
Movie
2008

Comanche Moon

Actor
Bill Coleman
Show
2007

Randy and the Mob

Actor
Randy/Cecil
Movie
2007

Randy and the Mob

Director
Movie
2007

Randy and the Mob

Writer
Movie
2007

Come Early Morning

Actor
Toby
Movie
2006

DeadwoodStream

Actor
Reverend H.W. Smith
Series
2004
92%

DeadwoodStream

Guest Star
Reverend H.W. Smith
Series
2004
92%

Chrystal

Actor
Snake
Movie
2004

Chrystal

Director
Movie
2004

Chrystal

Producer
Movie
2004

Chrystal

Screenwriter
Movie
2004

The MissingStream

Actor
Russell J. Wittick
Movie
2003

The Badge

Actor
Deputy C.B.
Movie
2002

The Accountant

Actor
The Accountant
Show
2001

The Accountant

Director
Show
2001

The Accountant

Writer
Show
2001

O Brother, Where Art Thou?Stream

Actor
Vernon T. Waldrip
Movie
2000
78%

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Director
Series
1999
78%

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Guest Star
William Labott
Series
1999
78%

Family LawStream

Guest Star
Series
1999

Goodbye Lover

Actor
Rollins
Movie
1998

Michael Hayes

Guest Star
Show
1997

The PracticeStream

Guest Star
Series
1997

Old Man

Actor
Shanty Man with Gun
Movie
1997

Dead Man's WalkStream

Actor
Miniseries
1996

Dead Man's Walk

Actor
Show
1996

Nash Bridges

Guest Star
Series
1996

Forgotten Sins

Actor
Steve Sweetler
Movie
1996

Dead Man's Walk

Actor
Long Bill Coleman
Movie
1996

The Client

Guest Star
Show
1995

LegendStream

Guest Star
Series
1995
60%

The NetStream

Actor
Dale Hessman
Movie
1995
44%

ScarlettStream

Actor
Will Benteen
Miniseries
1994

Moment of Truth: Caught in the Crossfire

Actor
Buddy Rivers
Movie
1994

NYPD BlueStream

Guest Star
Ted
Series
1993
83%

The X-FilesStream

Guest Star
Mad Wayne
Series
1993
74%

More Needful Things

Actor
Movie
1993

Le Bazar de l'épouvante

Actor
Movie
1993

Needful ThingsStream

Actor
Deputy Norris Ridgewick
Movie
1993
32%

A Perfect World

Actor
Bradley
Movie
1993

In Sickness and in Health

Actor
Dr. Nyland
Movie
1992

Indecency

Actor
Victor
Movie
1992

The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag

Actor
Detective Frank
Movie
1992

Pistola en la Cartera de Betty Lou

Actor
Movie
1992

Paris Trout

Actor
Carl Bonner
Movie
1991

Night of the Hunter

Actor
Ben Harper
Movie
1991

Designing WomenStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

MatlockStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

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