Aidan Quinn, born March 8, 1959 in Rockford, Illinois is an American actor of Irish descent who plays the part of President Grant. He was raised Roman Catholic in Chicago and Rockford, IL - as well as in Dublin and Birr, County Offaly in Ireland. His father was a professor in literature, his mother was a homemaker, and he has three brothers and a sister. His older brother, Declan Quinn, is a noted cinematographer. Though a roofer by trade, Quinn got his start in the Chicago theater at age 19, and trained at the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston, IL.