Dylan Walsh


Dylan Walsh is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Dr. Sean McNamara on the FX television series Nip/Tuck, Al Burns on Unforgettable, Sam Lane on Superman & Lois, and David Hollander on Heated Rivalry.

Early life

Walsh was born Charles Hunter Walsh in Los Angeles, California. His maternal grandfather, Frank P. Haven, was a managing editor of the Los Angeles Times. His parents worked for the Foreign Service—they met in Ethiopia. As a result, Walsh lived in Kenya, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia as a child. His family returned to the United States when he was ten years old and settled in Virginia, where Walsh began acting in high school. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 1986 with a degree in English. After graduating from college, Walsh moved to New York City to act professionally. Per Julia Roberts, she met Dylan who was working as a waiter at Empire Diner in New York and she introduced him to her manager, Robert McGowan, who signed Dylan.

Career

Walsh's first role was in a television movie called Soldier Boys with James Earl Jones. He then landed a role in the movie Loverboy and a regular role on the television series Kate & Allie. In 1989, he started using the name Dylan Walsh professionally. He continued to work in films including Betsy's Wedding, Nobody's Fool, Congo, The Stepfather, and Secretariat and guest starred the television series Brooklyn South, The Twilight Zone, and Everwood.
In 2003, Walsh landed the role of Sean McNamara on the FX television series Nip/Tuck, after being approached by series creator Ryan Murphy in a coffee shop. Murphy remembered him from his roles in Nobody's Fool and in a television movie.
Walsh starred as Lieutenant Al Burns in all four seasons of CBS's crime-drama series Unforgettable, which ran from 2011 to 2016.
In April 2020, Walsh was cast as Sam Lane, the father of Lois Lane, on The CW action-superhero series Superman & Lois.

Personal life

Walsh was married from 1996 to 2003 to actress Melora Walters, with whom he had two children, Thomas Walsh and Joanna Walsh. After the couple divorced, Walsh married actress Joanna Going on October 10, 2004, and the two have a daughter, Stella Walsh, who was born in 2003. In 2010, Walsh announced he filed for divorce.
Walsh met Leslie Bourque and had a daughter, Amelie Belle, and a son, Hudson Scott. Walsh and Bourque were married June 3, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On August 15, 2025, Walsh was involved in a single car accident with two adult and two child occupants in Rumson, New Jersey. $5000 of electrical damage was done to a nearby residence after Walsh struck a utility pole. Alcohol was a likely factor in the crash, as multiple open containers were found in the vehicle.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989LoverboyJory TalbotCredited as Charles Hunter Walsh
1989When We Were YoungLee JamesonTV movie
Credited as Charles Hunter Walsh
1989ChameleonsStanTV movie
1990Betsy's WeddingJake Lovell
1990Where the Heart IsTom
1993Arctic BlueEric Desmond
1993Telling SecretsJesse GrahamTV movie
1994Nobody's FoolPeter Sullivan
1994Radio InsideMichael Anderson
1995CongoDr. Peter Elliot
1996EdenBill Kunen
1997MenTeo Morrison
1997Divided by HateLouis GibbsTV movie
1997Changing HabitsFelix Shepherd
1998The Almost Perfect Bank RobberyFrank SylerTV movie
1999Chapter ZeroAdam Lazarus
1999Final VoyageAaron Carpenter
2001Jet BoyBoon Palmer
2001Deadly Little SecretsCole Chamberlain
2002Jon/aTV movie
2002Blood WorkDetective John Waller
2002We Were SoldiersCapt. Robert Edwards
2002Power PlayMatt Nash
2002Par 6Mac Hegelman
2003The Lone RangerKansas City HaasTV movie
2003More Than Meets the Eye: The Joan Brock StoryJim BrockTV movie
2005EdmondInterrogator
2005AntebodyJacob AmbroShort film
2006The Lake HouseMorgan Price
2007Lost Holiday: The Jim and Suzanne Shemwell StoryJim ShemwellTV movie
2008Just Add WaterRay Tuckby
2009The StepfatherDavid Harris
2010SecretariatJack Tweedy II
2014Authors AnonymousAlan Mooney
2016C StreetSenator Fallon
2018Fright FestSpencer Crowe
2019Deadly SwitchPeter
2019Alter EgoAlan Schaeffer

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989Kate & AllieBenEpisode: "The Nearlyweds"
1990–1991Gabriel's FireLouis Klein22 episodes
1995The Outer LimitsSgt. EldritchEpisode: "Hearts and Minds"
1997–1998Brooklyn SouthOfficer Jimmy Doyle22 episodes
2002The Twilight ZoneAdamEpisode: "Night Route"
2002Presidio MedDanny GibsonEpisode: "Second Chance"
2003–2010Nip/TuckDr. Sean McNamara100 episodes
2003–2004EverwoodCarl Feeney3 episodes
2007Law & Order: Special Victims UnitMalcolm RoyceEpisode: "Annihilated"
2011–2016UnforgettableAl Burns61 episodes
2012Drop Dead DivaLawrence BrandEpisode: "Pick's and Pakes"
2012CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationTom CooleyEpisode: "CSI on Fire"
2013RevengeJason Prosser2 episodes
2013CastleAgent Harris2 episodes
2015NCIS: New OrleansCaptain Jim Messier3 episodes
2016Designated SurvivorSEAL Commander Max ClarksonEpisode: "The Mission"
2016LongmireShane Muldoon3 episodes
2017When We RiseDr. Marcus Conant2 episodes
2018Life SentencePeter AbbottMain role
2018Law & Order: Special Victims UnitJohn Conway2 episodes
2019Whiskey Cavalier Alex Ollerman4 episodes
2019–2024Blue BloodsMayor Peter ChaseRecurring role
2021–2024Superman & LoisGeneral Sam Lane, Bizarro Sam LaneMain role
2024SEAL TeamCaptain WalchRecurring role
2025–presentHeated RivalryDavid Hollander4 episodes