History of Rob Lowe in Timeline

Rob Lowe is an American actor, filmmaker, and host who rose to fame in the 1980s as a teen idol and member of the Brat Pack. He starred in popular films like 'The Outsiders,' 'St. Elmo's Fire,' and 'About Last Night...' A sex tape scandal in 1988 impacted his career, leading to supporting roles in comedies such as 'Wayne's World,' 'Tommy Boy,' and 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.'

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1983: First meeting with Sheryl Berkoff

In 1983, Rob Lowe met Sheryl Berkoff on a blind date.

1988: Sex scandal involving a minor

In 1988, Rob Lowe, aged 24, was involved in a sex scandal over a videotape of him having sex with two women, one of whom was 16 years old, at Club Rio in Atlanta, Georgia, the night before the 1988 Democratic National Convention.

1990: Completion of alcohol rehabilitation

In 1990, two years following the sex tape scandal, Rob Lowe quit drinking and completed an alcohol rehabilitation program and has maintained sobriety ever since.

1991: Marriage to Sheryl Berkoff

In 1991, Rob Lowe married former makeup artist Sheryl Berkoff.

1993: Birth of son Matthew Edward

In 1993, Rob Lowe's son, Matthew Edward Lowe, was born.

1995: Birth of son John Owen

In 1995, Rob Lowe's son, John Owen Lowe, was born.

1995: Age of consent raised in Georgia

In 1995, the age of consent in Georgia was raised to 16, following Rob Lowe's 1988 sex scandal involving a 16-year-old.

2000: Lee National Denim Day spokesman

In 2000, Rob Lowe became the first male spokesman for the Lee National Denim Day fundraiser, which raises money for breast cancer research and education.

2003: Death of mother

In late 2003, Rob Lowe's mother died of breast cancer.

July 6, 2006: Mass resignation at Santa Barbara News-Press

On July 6, 2006, Rob Lowe's protest over the publication of his empty lot's address in the Santa Barbara News-Press precipitated a mass resignation of senior employees at that newspaper.

April 2008: Lawsuits against former employees

In April 2008, Rob Lowe filed separate lawsuits against three former employees, accusing them of breach of contract, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

June 19, 2008: Dismissal of allegations

On June 19, 2008, Santa Barbara, California, Superior Court Judge Denise de Bellefeuille dismissed two allegations regarding labor-code violations made by Jessica Gibson against Rob Lowe due to lack of legal basis.

May 2009: End of legal battle with nannies

In May 2009, the legal battle between Rob Lowe and his former nannies ended with the dismissal of lawsuits filed by both parties in Santa Barbara, with both attorneys seeking dismissals.

2015: Launch of Profile™ men's skincare line

In 2015, Rob Lowe launched Profile™, a men's skincare product line featuring five antiaging products sold at Nordstrom stores and online, with prices ranging from $24.50 to $59.50.

August 27, 2016: Comedy Central Roast recording

On August 27, 2016, Rob Lowe's Comedy Central Roast TV special was recorded with David Spade as Roast Master and featuring Jewel, Nikki Glaser, Ralph Macchio, Pete Davidson, Peyton Manning, Rob Riggle, Jimmy Carr, Ann Coulter, and Jeff Ross.

September 5, 2016: Airing of Comedy Central Roast

On September 5, 2016, Rob Lowe's Comedy Central Roast TV special was aired, with David Spade as Roast Master and featuring Jewel, Nikki Glaser, Ralph Macchio, Pete Davidson, Peyton Manning, Rob Riggle, Jimmy Carr, Ann Coulter, and Jeff Ross.

2016: Launch of 18 Amber Wood fragrance

In 2016, Rob Lowe launched a fragrance product line called 18 Amber Wood under the Profile™ brand.

April 21, 2017: KFC astronaut Colonel Sanders campaign

On April 21, 2017, KFC released a campaign featuring Rob Lowe as astronaut Colonel Sanders, spoofing a JFK speech to launch the Zinger chicken sandwich into space.

August 2, 2017: Debut of The Lowe Files on A&E

On August 2, 2017, The Lowe Files, a reality series starring Rob Lowe and his sons Matthew and John Owen, debuted on A&E. The series explored urban myths and legends and lasted one season due to scheduling difficulties.

December 2017: Horatio Alger Award recipient

In December 2017, Rob Lowe was chosen to receive the Horatio Alger Award for 2018.

January 3, 2018: Atkins spokesperson announcement

On January 3, 2018, Atkins Nutritionals announced Rob Lowe as a new brand spokesperson for a series of multimedia ads due to his "low carb lifestyle".

January 2018: Southern California mudslides

In January 2018, Rob Lowe experienced the mudslides in Southern California that killed 23 people, including friends and neighbors, which led him to direct the documentary 'Madness in the Hills'.

October 2018: Announcement of Wild Bill

In October 2018, it was announced that Rob Lowe would star in the ITV series Wild Bill, about an American policeman in Boston, Lincolnshire.

2018: Receiving Horatio Alger Award

In 2018, Rob Lowe received the Horatio Alger Award for overcoming personal challenges to achieve personal and professional success.

March 19, 2019: Hosting Mental Samurai

On March 19, 2019, Rob Lowe began hosting the Fox competition series Mental Samurai, also serving as a producer; the show lasted two seasons.

May 12, 2019: Spin-off series ordered

On May 12, 2019, it was announced that a spin-off of the 9-1-1 series titled 9-1-1: Lone Star was ordered with Rob Lowe in the starring role.

January 19, 2020: Premiere of 9-1-1: Lone Star

On January 19, 2020, 9-1-1: Lone Star, starring Rob Lowe, premiered to generally favorable reviews.

June 25, 2020: Podcast launch

On June 25, 2020, Rob Lowe launched his podcast called Literally! With Rob Lowe, featuring guests such as Chris Pratt and Conan O'Brien.

October 9, 2020: Premiere of Madness in the Hills

On October 9, 2020, Rob Lowe's short documentary, Madness in the Hills, about the January 2018 mudslides in Southern California, debuted on the Peacock streaming service.

January 18, 2021: Renewal of 9-1-1: Lone Star for season two

On January 18, 2021, 9-1-1: Lone Star was renewed for a second season, starring Rob Lowe.

June 2021: Appearance on Celebrity Family Feud

In June 2021, Rob Lowe surprised his wife by fulfilling her dream to be a contestant on Celebrity Family Feud with him and their children.

Loading Video...

August 6, 2021: Dog Gone starring role

On August 6, 2021, Deadline announced that Rob Lowe would star in and executive produce the Netflix movie Dog Gone.

September 2021: Parks and Recreation recap podcast launch

In September 2021, Rob Lowe launched a second podcast, Parks and Recollection, a Parks and Recreation recap show, alongside Parks and Rec writer and producer Alan Yang.

Loading Video...

March 9, 2022: Premiere of The Andy Warhol Diaries

On March 9, 2022, Rob Lowe offered commentary in The Andy Warhol Diaries, which premiered on Netflix.

April 6, 2022: Announcement of Unstable

On April 6, 2022, it was announced that Rob Lowe would star in and executive produce Unstable with Victor Fresco and his son John Owen Lowe for Netflix.

March 30, 2023: Premiere of Unstable

On March 30, 2023, Unstable, starring Rob Lowe as biotech entrepreneur Ellis Dragon, premiered on Netflix. The show follows Ellis as he deals with his son and copes with the death of his wife.

January 2024: Hosting The Floor

In January 2024, Rob Lowe began hosting The Floor, a trivia game show.

March 2024: Production deal with Fox

In March 2024, Rob Lowe signed a production deal with Fox following The Floor's renewal for seasons two and three.

June 1, 2024: Commencement speech at SCAD

On June 1, 2024, Rob Lowe delivered the commencement speech and received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia.

2024: Appearance in Brats documentary

In 2024, Rob Lowe appeared in Andrew McCarthy's Hulu documentary about the Brat Pack titled Brats.

2024: Continuing Atkins ads

In 2024, Rob Lowe's multimedia ads for Atkins Nutritionals, highlighting his 'low carb lifestyle,' were still appearing.

February 3, 2025: Conclusion of 9-1-1: Lone Star

On February 3, 2025, the fifth and final season of 9-1-1: Lone Star concluded, with Rob Lowe in the starring role.

2025: Declined television series

In 2025, Rob Lowe mentioned on his podcast that he declined an unspecified television series because it was going to film in New York, as part of a larger conversation criticizing lack of support for the film industry in Los Angeles and the United States, noting that he filmed The Floor in Dublin.