One Degree Of Separation From Matt Dillon

I worked with him twice. He was every inch the gentleman, never mentioning our special moments together to the press. He could have chosen to have a special lunch in his trailer, but chose to sit with the other actors & the grips at a big table. He stayed to feed me his lines for the reverse shots, a generous gesture. He is funny, good looking, & gives off a true sexual heat.

 I might have wished to give the readers of my little spot on the Internet, some spicy anecdotes from my experiences of filming Drugstore Cowboy or Singles, but this is my most treasured Matt Dillon story: In the early 1990s, The Husband was working at an awesome antique store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, repairing furniture & making displays. I had stopped in to visit & the Husband was gathered at the large front desk with the shop’s owner & a collection of assorted acquaintances. As the group made small talk, in strolled a solo Matt Dillon. Heads snapped & there was a low chatter of: “Oh my God, that is Matt Dillon! Really? I love him! Should we say something to him? What is Matt Dillon doing here?”

The Husband remarked: “Yeah, that’s him. Steve knows him, you know.” The hangers-on retort: “Yeah, right… sure he does." Dillon continued down one aisle & as he turned down the next & moved toward our group, when his head came up & we make eye contact.

Dillon smiled a crooked, come-hither, toothy grin, pointed at me & announced: “Yo, Steve!”. Heads whipped from Dillon to me & back to the actor. I attempted to be nonchalant as I crossed the store to spend a few moments chatting with the star. I then left him to shop on his own, then stopped by the front of the store to say good bye. The circle of Seattleites stood open mouthed as I made my exit with Matt Dillon tossing off: “Remember what I told you, Steve!  See ya soon, dude”.

I cannot reveal what he said to me & I have never encountered him again.

The never married Matt Dillon but he still looks yummy as he turns 48 years old today.

In the really terrific- About a Boy (2002), Hugh Grant’s character wears a black leather jacket that he liked to think made him look like Matt Dillon in Drugstore Cowboy when he goes on to meet his love interest. My favorite Matt Dillon film is Wild Things. If you have not seen this gem, I simply insist that you put it on your Netflix queue. It is a wicked little film with lots of twists & turns & full frontal Kevin Bacon in the shower. Be sure & stay with it through the ending credits.