Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe (born March 17, 1964) is an American actor, filmmaker, and entertainment host. Following numerous television roles in the early 1980s, he came to prominence as a teen idol and member of the Brat Pack with starring roles in The Outsiders (1983), Class (1983), The Hotel New Hampshire (1984), Oxford Blues (1984), St. Elmo's Fire (1985), About Last Night... (1986), and Masquerade (1988). Experiencing a career decline in the 1990s, Lowe mostly starred as a lead in direct-to-video and television film productions, while having supporting roles in widely released comedy films like Wayne's World (1992), Tommy Boy (1995), and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). Lowe returned to prominence portraying Sam Seaborn in the NBC political drama series The West Wing (1999–2003), for which he received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. His other series roles include Robert McCallister on the ABC drama Brothers & Sisters (2006–2010), Chris Traeger on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2010–2015), and Captain Owen Strand on the Fox drama 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020–2025). He was also nominated for an Actor Award for playing John F. Kennedy in the television film Killing Kennedy (2013) and received another Golden Globe Award nomination for his role of Dr. Jack Startz in Behind the Candelabra (2013). He currently hosts his podcast Literally! with Rob Lowe (2020–present) and the game show The Floor (2024–present).