Early life
Mihok was born in New York City,[5] the son of theater actors Andrea Mihok (née Cloak) and Raymond Thorne (né Mihok).[6][7] He has two older sisters: Gwen Mihok, an actress, and Cecily Trenka, a science teacher.[8][9] He is of Czech and British descent.[10]
Mihok grew up in Greenwich Village and lived in the artist community Westbeth on Bank Street.[5][10][11] Mihok went to PS 3, a public elementary school in Manhattan, currently named the John Melser Charrette School.[10] He attended the Center School (MS 243) for middle school. While attending Bronx High School of Science, where he played baseball as a middle infielder, Mihok joined CityKids Repertory, and appeared in the short-lived TV show, CityKids, which featured local New York child actors and Jim Henson's The Muppets. Mihok also attended the Professional Children's School in Manhattan with best friend, actor Donald Faison.[12]
Career
Acting
Mihok got his start doing guest spots in local New York City productions of Law & Order, NYPD Blue, and New York Undercover. In 1994, Mihok debuted in the independent film, Black is White. In 1995, Mihok appeared in the CBS movie of the week, Murderous Intent.
In 1996, Mihok appeared in director Barry Levinson's film Sleepers, which was notable for its depiction of sexual abuse. The same year, Mihok also appeared in the Angelina Jolie film, Foxfire.[13] His breakout role was in the Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes-starring Romeo + Juliet. To prepare for his audition, Mihok studied Shakespeare and had five extensive audition sessions with director Baz Luhrmann before landing the role of Benvolio.[10]
In 1998, for Terrence Malick's Thin Red Line, Mihok said he spent an intensive six months working on the film,[14] with the amount of footage constituting a starring role, but during editing was reduced to an ensemble part as Private First Class Doll.[10][15]
In 1996, Mihok was a featured regular in the role of Joey in the Rhea Perlman CBS sitcom Pearl.[13] In 1999, he appeared on The WB series Felicity, where he portrayed Lynn, a competitive swimmer, in multiple episodes. He has been featured in roles in films such as The Day After Tomorrow, The Perfect Storm, I Am Legend, and Silver Linings Playbook.[16] He has had starring roles in independent features such as Telling You and Loveless in Los Angeles.
In 2006, Mihok appeared in the film Hollywoodland and in 2007 in the film, Firehouse Dog. In 2008, he played Detective Martin Soap in the film Punisher: War Zone. In 2011, Mihok directed a short film called Abby. The film stars his sister, Gwen.[17] He also directed the 2006 short film called That Guy.[18]
As part of the 2011 straight-to-video film, Lifted, Mihok and the actor who plays his son in the film, Uriah Shelton, recorded a song called "I Miss You." The film features many musical and dance performances by Mihok.[19] In 2013, Mihok portrayed the character "Gage" in Payday 2 web series.
Since 2013, Mihok has co-starred as Brendan "Bunchy" Donovan in the Showtime drama Ray Donovan.[20][21] Bunchy had been sexually abused by a priest as a child and is an alcoholic and has sexual anorexia.[22][23] For the show the cast works out at the Santa Monica, California boxing gym Wild Card West with boxer Rob Garcia.[24] Mihok was slated to direct an episode in 2017,[25] as he said he has been directing pilots to prepare.[26] He directed the season 7 episode "An Irish Lullaby" which aired December 15, 2019.[27]
In 2014, he portrayed Whelan, in the horror-thriller film, Before I Wake, co-starring in the Mike Flanagan-directed film Annabeth Gish, Thomas Jane and Kate Bosworth.[13][28][29]
In 2016, Mihok appeared in the film, So B. It, which stars Alfre Woodard, Cloris Leachman, Jacinda Barrett, and John Heard.[30] In 2017, Mihok appeared in the independent film, The Girl Who Invented Kissing, as Victor, a man who becomes mentally disabled after being in a car accident. He stars opposite Suki Waterhouse and Vincent Piazza, who plays his younger brother.[31][32] In 2017, Mihok played a car salesman in the film Car Dogs, which features Patrick J. Adams, Octavia Spencer, Josh Hopkins, among others.[33] In 2022, he played Derek, an intellectually disabled man, in Wildflower.[1]
Music
When he was 12 years old, Mihok started a band with his friends called S.D.C. (Sam, Dash, Chris aka Strictly Devastating Crew).[34]
In 2004, Mihok appeared on Sicilian-Puerto Rican New York-based rapper Sabac Red's record Sabacolypse: A Change Gon' Come, on the track "I Have A Dream." The lyrics refer to tics that people exhibit as symptoms of Tourette syndrome.[35][36] For the 2005 movie Green Street Hooligans, Mihok wrote the title track "Test of a Man." During this time he also collaborated with Daniel Freedman, a jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer on various music projects.[37]
Since 2015, Mihok has been in the band Diz and the Fam.[38][39] Members of Diz and the Fam are Mike Choi, Kenny Echizen, Justin Frazier, Sharlotte Gibson, Morris Hayes, Joel Hellman, Brett Nolan, and Elliot Yamin.[13] The band has released three singles.[37] The 2015 video for Love (feat. Jeff Taylor) features many actors from Ray Donovan.[40]
Other work
Mihok studied dance. He can be seen dancing opposite then-girlfriend Alanis Morissette in her music video "So Pure".[41] Mihok is also a photographer. His photography of Morissette is used on the back cover of her "Thank U" single[42] and is credited for Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie.[43][44]
Personal life
I'd say don't be afraid to tell people about your TS [Tourette's Syndrome]; don't hide it. The stress of hiding it is too much. If you're afraid that people won't understand, then they probably won't be in your life, anyway. Be as open as you can. It takes it off you and alleviates the worst of your TS.
Don't be afraid. You can do anything you want to do. If you think you can, you can. There are top neurosurgeons with TS. The sky is the limit. Don't limit yourself.
—Dash Mihok, when asked what advice he'd give others with Tourette's[45]
Mihok was named after writer Dashiell Hammett, the author of The Thin Man, The Glass Key and The Maltese Falcon. His Czech surname is pronounced "my"-Hawk.[10]
Mihok was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at age six,[46][47][48] and is a spokesperson and is on the board for the nonprofit Jaylen's Challenge,[49] founded by the then 9-year-old, Jaylen Arnold.[50] He is an active supporter of the Tourette Syndrome Association.[45][51] Mihok's two older sisters both have Tourette's; it is often genetic.[46]
Mihok once stated that an early reason he became an actor was because he had so much experience in hiding his Tourette's.[47] He said the focus required of acting allows him to mask many of his tics.[47] Mihok says the biggest misconception about Tourette's Syndrome is about vocal tics, called coprolalia. Not everyone with Tourette's does that: "Tics tend to wax and wane, not everybody's screaming obscenities all the time."[3] Mihok said he took medication during high school for the Tourette's.[10]
In 1997, Mihok met Alanis Morissette through mutual friend Leonardo DiCaprio during a trip to Cuba.[52] The lyrics to the songs "So Pure" from Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and "That Particular Time" from Under Rug Swept are about him.[13]
In 2009, Mihok married singer Valeria Mason. They have two children and live in Los Angeles.[5] Mihok has said that he is a Roman Catholic.[13]
