Photo: Tiger Aspect Productions Limited / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on November 7, 1940, Dakin Matthews is from Oakland, California, United States. Public records list Dakin Matthews as a playwright, theatre director and teacher. That works out to 85 years old in 2026. Awards on record include Drama Desk Special Award (2004) and Ovation Awards. Credited works include Waitress.
My Take
I have a deep affection for character actors like Dakin Matthews, the kind who never headline but quietly hold a scene together. A playwright, director, scholar and teacher as well as an actor, he brought gravitas to Gilmore Girls and Desperate Housewives across decades of steady work. What impresses me is the discipline of building a whole career in the margins, earning honors like the Ovation Awards without ever chasing the spotlight. Still performing past eighty, he is proof that craft, not fame, is what keeps an artist alive. He is exactly the sort of performer I respect most.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dakin Matthews
- Name (Japanese)
- デイキン・マシューズ
- Reading
- でいきん・ましゅーず
- Born
- November 7, 1940 (age 85)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Dragon
- Origin
- Oakland, California, United States
- Occupation
- playwright / theatre director / teacher / stage actor / film actor
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 2004 Drama Desk Special Award
- Ovation Awards
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Waitress | — |
4. Links
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Dakin Matthews born?
Born November 7, 1940 (age 85).
Where is Dakin Matthews from?
Dakin Matthews is from Oakland, California, United States.
What does Dakin Matthews do?
Dakin Matthews works as playwright, theatre director, teacher, stage actor, film actor.
What is Dakin Matthews known for?
Notable works include Waitress.
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