Robert Hammond Patrick was born on November 5, 1958, in Marietta, Georgia, and spent his childhood moving between various cities, including Boston, Massachusetts, Dayton, Ohio, Detroit, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio. He was the eldest of five children and attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio before dropping out to pursue a career in acting.
After leaving college, Patrick worked as a house painter and later took a job as a bartender to make ends meet. However, his life took a dramatic turn in 1984 when he was involved in a boating accident on Lake Erie. Patrick swam for three hours to rescue his fellow passengers, nearly drowning in the process. This harrowing experience led him to re-evaluate his priorities and move to Los Angeles, California, where he began to focus on his acting career.
Patrick's breakthrough role came in 1991 when he played the liquid-metal T-1000 in James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day. This performance caught the attention of Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files, and Patrick went on to play the role of FBI Special Agent John Doggett in the show's seventh season.
In addition to his work on The X-Files, Patrick has appeared in a wide range of films and television shows, including Last Action Hero, Fire in the Sky, Striptease, The Sopranos, True Blood, Sons of Anarchy, Community, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, and Yellowstone. He has also had notable roles in films such as Identity Thief, Gangster Squad, Trouble with the Curve, Lovelace, Endless Love, Kill the Messenger, and The Road Within.
Patrick is also a devoted philanthropist and has been involved with the USO since 2008. He has participated in four USO tours, visiting over 8,100 service members and military families in seven countries. He is also a passionate Harley-Davidson enthusiast and co-owner of Harley-Davidson of Santa Clarita.
In his personal life, Patrick is married to Barbara and they have two children together. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California, and continues to work in the entertainment industry.