Brian O'Halloran
Brian Christopher O'Halloran (born December 20, 1969) is an American actor, producer and podcaster best known for playing Dante Hicks in Kevin Smith's debut 1994 film Clerks and its 2006 and 2022 sequels Clerks II and Clerks III. He has also made appearances in most of Smith's View Askewniverse films, either as Dante Hicks or one of Dante's cousins.
Also recorded as Brian Christopher O'Halloran
Brian O'Halloran

John Manard · John Manard / WikiPortraits · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Birth Name
- Brian Christopher O'Halloran
- Born
- 20 December 1969
- Birthplace
- Manhattan, New York, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor, producer, podcaster
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- Old Bridge High School
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Brian Christopher O'Halloran (born December 20, 1969) is an American actor, producer and podcaster best known for playing Dante Hicks in Kevin Smith's debut 1994 film Clerks and its 2006 and 2022 sequels Clerks II and Clerks III. He has also made appearances in most of Smith's View Askewniverse films, either as Dante Hicks or one of Dante's cousins.
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Note VALÉORINE
Brian O'Halloran (born 1969) is an American actor, film actor and game show contestant, among other activities. The actor was born in Manhattan. Brian O'Halloran studied at Old Bridge High School. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q723672 · wikipedia · Brian O'Halloran
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Birth Name — Brian Christopher O'Halloran • Born — 20 December 1969 • Birthplace — Manhattan, New York, U.S. • Occupation — Actor, producer, podcaster • Years Active — 1991–present
Career
Career
O'Halloran's first role was as main character Dante Hicks in Kevin Smith's film Clerks, in 1994. He has returned many times as Dante or another of the Hicks family in films by Smith. O'Halloran is the lead actor in the 2000 film Vulgar, about a small town clown who is traumatized after he is attacked during one of his performances. Writer/director Bryan Johnson wrote the lead specifically with O'Halloran in mind. He has worked on theatre productions since high school. He has said on the subject of doing theatre: "Oh, yeah. It's the best training you can do, as an actor. To be in front of a live audience. There's no 'Stop, wait, oh geez, what was that line again?' It just sharpens your reflexes. It sharpens your interaction. And it definitely sharpens your memory because you have to know an entire show from beginning to end." Since Clerks (1994), O'Halloran has primarily been a stage actor, working with The Boomerang Theatre Company, The New Jersey Repertory Company and The Tri-State Actors Theatre, among others. In 2020, O'Halloran began presenting his own pop culture podcast, The O'HalloRant, on YouTube. In 2025, O'Halloran appeared as a contestant on the American version of The Floor on FOX. He was eliminated in the first duel of the Semifinal episode. He won $110,000 for holding the most floor across episodes 2-6.
Personal life
Personal life
A first-generation Irish-American, with parents from Galway and Roscommon, O'Halloran was born in Manhattan, New York City, and lived in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey, from the age of 13. His father died when O'Halloran was 15 years old in 1985. He graduated from Cedar Ridge High School. He has two older brothers.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1994 — Clerks — Dante Hicks • 1995 — Mallrats — Gill Hicks • 1997 — Chasing Amy — Executive Jim Hicks • 1999 — Dogma — Grant Hicks — As Brian Christopher O'Halloran • 2000 — Clerks: The Animated Series — Dante Hicks — Voice • Vulgar — Will Carlson/Flappy/Vulgar — As Brian Christopher O'Halloran • 2001 — Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back — Dante Hicks — As Brian Christopher O'Halloran • Drop Dead Roses — Shawn — As Brian C. O'Halloran • 2002 — The Flying Car — Dante Hicks • 2003 — Moby Presents: Alien Sex Party — Clerk • 2006 — Clerks II — Dante Hicks • 2007 — Brutal Massacre — Jay • The Junior Defenders — Mitch Stone — Originally titled Groupies; its principal photography occurred in February–March 1997 • 2008 — The Happening — Jeep Driver • Hooking Up — Dr. Jordan • 2011 — Pokémon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions — Stadium Announcer • 2011 — Pokémon: Black & White — Mr. Garrison — Episode: "Gotta Catch a Roggenrola!" • 2012 — Cry for Revenge — TBA • 2016 — Monsters Anonymous — Dracula — Short • 2017 — Right Before Your Eyes — John McCann • 2019 — Madness in the Method — Self • Jay and Silent Bob Reboot — Dante Hicks, Grant Hicks • 2021 — The Retaliators — Obnoxious Guy at XMas Tree Place • 2022 — Clerks III — Dante Hicks — Also executive producer • 2023 — Shooting Clerks — Elis Heimermann — Also associate producer and special thanks • 2024 — The 4:30 Movie — Father Hicks • 2025 — The Floor — Himself (Contestant) — TV game show • Delco: The Movie — Pastor Joel Powers • Smiling Friends — Himself — Episode: "Shmaloogles" • TBA — Flea — Scavenger — Post production

Brian O'Halloran at Nightmare Weekend Cleveland 2025
Super Festivals

Brian O'halloran at Galaxycon Oklahoma City 2025
John Manard for Galaxy Con
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result • 2015 — Atlantic City Cinefest — Livesaver Achievement Award — Himself • 2018 — Hang Onto Your Shorts Film Festival, NJ — Best Actor in a Comedy — Monsters Anonymous • 2019 — Garden State Film Festival — Spirt of New Jersey — Himself
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Hoad, Phil. Kevin Smith: how we made Clerks. The Guardian. 7 May 2019.
- 2.View Askew. Interview with Brian O'Halloran. February 2, 1998.
- 3.Adler, Renzo. “Clerks” Star Brian O’Halloran Recalls His Career and Irish Heritage. Film Festival Traveler. 24 March 2023.
- 4.The OHalloRANT - YouTube. www.youtube.com.
- 5.Cahillane, Kevin. "For the Stars of 'Clerks,' It's Take Two" . The New York Times. July 16, 2006. Accessed February 15, 2011. "Mr. O'Halloran, a resident of Old Bridge since age 13 in 1983, has not had to go the McJob route."
- 6.Filichia, Peter. "Brian O'Halloran goes from 'Clerks' to 'The Crucible'", The Star-Ledger, July 23, 2010. Accessed March 26, 2011.
- 7.O'Donnell, Chuck. "O'Halloran revisits Central Jersey theater roots", Courier News, August 3, 2015. Accessed October 6, 2019. "Playing Dante Hicks in Clerks has made Brian O'Halloran a working-class hero to generations of register jockeys.... Funny thing is, it all almost never happened. The skinny kid with glasses who once played the titular role of Snoopy at Cedar Ridge High School in the late 1980s had given up acting."
- 8.Brian O'Halloran. Happy Mother's Day to my mom Evelyn. Putting up with my nonsense and raising me & my two older brothers was not the easiest. Thank you for everything you did and have taught me about being a loving and caring person. I love you❣️ #HappyMothersDay https://t.co/p0DsPSbIX3. 995715178774876160. May 13, 2018.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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