Dean George Tanaka, better known as Dean Cain, was born to Sharon Thomas Cain, an actress, and Roger Tanaka, in Mount Clemens, Michigan. His early life took a significant turn when his mother married Christopher Cain, a director, when Dean was just three years old.
As a child, Dean grew up in Malibu and attended Santa Monica High School, where he developed a passion for professional football. In fact, he had plans to pursue a career in football over acting. At Princeton University, Dean majored in history, dated Brooke Shields for two years, and even set a record for interceptions in a season with an impressive 12 catches.
Although Dean's professional football career was cut short due to a knee injury before it even began, he had already made his acting debut in his father's film, The Stone Boy, in 1984. He then went on to appear in various commercials and television shows, including Beverly Hills, 90210, in 1990.
Dean's big break came when he landed the iconic role of Superman/Clark Kent in the popular television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, which premiered in 1993.
