Personal details
- Birth Date: 1955-12-16
- Height: 6′ (1.83 m)
- Birth Location: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- Children: (2 children) Olwyn Harper Berkely
- Parents: Margaret Berkeley
- Professions: Actor, Producer, Make-Up Department
Xander’s story kicks off with a pretty wild creative combo—his dad was a painter, mom taught school and stitched up costumes instead of buying him toys (which honestly sounds way cooler). Theater found him young, first with school plays, then community gigs, and by sixteen, he’s hanging out with a legit experimental troupe tied to Joseph Chaikin’s Open Theater. He credits those folks for giving him the guts to dive headfirst into the unknown, both as a person and an actor. College was Hampshire—if you know, you know, that’s the progressive mashup of all the big schools out in western Mass. He bounced between campuses, always chasing the next play. After graduation, New York called. Suddenly, he’s learning from heavyweights—Royal Academy, Moscow Arts Theater, HB Studios—the works. Then LA rolls around, and he’s soaking up whatever wisdom Lee Strasberg had left to give. Xander’s early career is a whole carousel—regional theater, off-Broadway, and then, boom, an agent spots his film potential. Mommie Dearest (1981) gives him his weirdly cult debut, and from there, it’s a string of wild roles: Sid and Nancy, Terminator 2, Candyman, Safe, Leaving Las Vegas, Gattaca… Not exactly your average Hollywood path. He’s picky, too, always chasing directors who’ll teach him something. Clint Eastwood, Spielberg, Michael Mann, you name it. Indies, big-budget flicks, crazy shoots in Bulgaria, China, Nicaragua during the Contra War—he’s done it all. Even TV, where his role in 24 almost didn’t happen, but ended up changing his life—on and off set.
This guy isn’t just your run-of-the-mill actor—he’s got mad skills with a paintbrush, clay, and, wild enough, makeup. Yeah, for real. On the show 24 back in 2001, he didn’t just slip into character and call it a day. When his role called for a gnarly, radiation-sick look, he straight-up designed the whole makeup effect himself. That’s some next-level dedication, right? Most folks would just plop down in the makeup chair, scroll their phone, and let the pros handle it. Not him. He’s all in, literally getting his hands dirty to bring that gritty realism. Plus, it’s not like he’s new to this. He’s got a background in painting and sculpting, so transforming a face into something haunting? Kinda just another day at the office. You gotta respect a dude who cares so much about the craft he’ll do the dirty work himself.
Look, I wanna direct films, y’know? That’s where my head’s at. I’ve spent years with paint under my nails and clay stuck in my hair, sculpting, scribbling, piecing stuff together. Writing, too—I kinda live in notebooks. So filmmaking just feels like pulling all those weird, messy pieces into one wild project. Movies are like this, uh, playground for every art I love. You get to build worlds, paint with light, shape stories, and twist ‘em around until they hit just right. Sometimes I’m convinced half the stuff I’ve learned splattering colors or wrestling with stone sneaks into my shots. To me, film isn’t just a job, it’s the ultimate mash-up of everything I do. I can’t just stick to one thing, and movies won’t let me. That’s why I’m all in.
December 16, 1955
6′ (1.83 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Yes, Olwyn Harper Berkely
Margaret Berkeley and Surekha
69 years old