Early Life & Education
Michael C. Hall was born on February 1, 1971, in Raleigh, North Carolina. His mother, Janice Styons Hall, worked as a mental health counselor, and his father, William Carlyle Hall, was a systems engineer manager at IBM.
When Michael was 11, his father passed away from prostate cancer, a loss he has said deeply shaped his childhood.
He attended Ravenscroft School, graduating in 1989, then earned a BA from Earlham College in 1993—initially considering law before embracing acting. Hall went on to earn an MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1996.
Michael C. Hall’s Career
Michael C. Hall’s career began on stage—after graduating from NYU in 1996, he appeared on Broadway in a revival of Cabaret, mounted under the direction of Sam Mendes.
His breakout television role came when Mendes recommended him for the role of David Fisher in Six Feet Under (2001–2005), earning Hall Emmy and ensemble SAG nominations and wins in 2003 and 2004.
His most iconic portrayal followed in Dexter (2006–2013), where he played Dexter Morgan, a forensic expert leading a double life as a vigilante serial killer.
Hall won a Golden Globe and multiple Screen Actors Guild awards and received six Emmy nominations—tying the record for most nominations without a win.
The series spawned a revival, Dexter: New Blood (2021–2022), and most recently, Dexter: Resurrection premiered in July 2025, with Hall reprising his star role.
Beyond television, Michael C. Hall’s film work includes Paycheck (2003), Gamer (2009), Cold in July (2014), Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House, Game Night, and In the Shadow of the Moon.
He returned to Broadway in The Realistic Joneses (2014) and starred in the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2014–2015), as well as in the David Bowie–penned Lazarus (2015–2016).
Personal Life
Michael C. Hall married actress Amy Spanger in 2002; they divorced in 2006. He then wed his Dexter co-star, Jennifer Carpenter, on December 31, 2008.
The couple separated around 2010, finalizing their divorce in December 2011, although they remain close. In September 2012, Hall began dating Morgan Macgregor, whom he married on February 29, 2016.
Net Worth
Michael C. Hall’s net worth is estimated at $25 million, with reports indicating his salary during the latter seasons of Dexter reached around $350,000 per episode.
