Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe (born March 17, 1964) is an American actor. He became known after appearing in 1980s movies such as The Outsiders and St. Elmo's Fire, which included other members of the Brat Pack. Lowe is also known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and as Senator Robert McCallister on Brothers & Sisters.

Lowe was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, the son of Barbara (née Hepler), a teacher, and Charles Lowe, a trial lawyer; Rob's parents divorced when Lowe was young. His mother took Lowe and his younger brother, actor Chad Lowe, to California. He also has two step-siblings. Because of a virus during infancy, he is deaf in his right ear. Lowe was baptized into the Episcopal church, though his maternal grandparents were Methodists. He was raised in a "traditional midwestern setting" in Dayton, Ohio; having attended Oakwood High School before moving to the Westside of Los Angeles. He attended Santa Monica High School, the same high school as fellow actors Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Sean Penn, Chris Penn and Robert Downey Jr.

One of Lowe's earliest roles came in the 1983 TV movie Thursday's Child, for which he received his first Golden Globe nomination for "Best Actor in a TV Movie/Miniseries". Lowe made his film debut in Schoolboy Father, followed by Class. His breakthrough came in 1983, when he and Estevez were cast in The Outsiders, which remains one of his most famous roles. Lowe and Estevez reunited in St. Elmo's Fire, making them the two more popular boys of the Brat Pack. He followed it up with About Last Night. He also received a second Golden Globe nomination for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role as the mentally disabled Rory in Square Dance (1987).