Jake Abel

Actor Jake Abel blossomed quickly into a popular lead and supporting player, as well as a believable heel, on the strength of such teen-friendly genre films as "Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief" (2010) and "The Host" (2013). Like many young talent, he made his debut in a Disney Channel feature, "Go Figure" (2005), but quickly graduated to more mature fare with supporting roles in "Flash of Genius" (2008) and "The Lovely Bones" (2009). A turn as a violent criminal in the web series "Angel of Death" (Crackle, 2009) presaged his most widely seen turn as a vengeful demigod in "Lightning Thief," which secured his status as a bona fide teen heartthrob.

Abel was soon a go-to young star for genre efforts like "I Am Number Four" (2011) and "The Host," director Andrew Niccol's adaptation of the science fiction novel by Twilight author Stephenie Meyer. Though neither were major hits, Abel's ascent continued unabated with "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" (2013). Abel's knack for landing roles in major young audience features underscored his place on the fast track to movie stardom.

Born Jacob Allen Abel on November 18, 1987 in Canton, Ohio, he began his screen-acting career at the age of 18 in the Disney Channel original movie "Go Figure," which was soon followed by his first feature film appearance in the comedy "Strange Wilderness" (2008). Abel soon graduated to substantive supporting roles like the romantic interest in the independent drama "Tru Loved" (2008) and as Greg Kinnear's son in "Flash of Genius," which earned him a Rising Star award from the Hamptons International Film Festival, as well as a minor role in Peter Jackson's "The Lovely Bones." He also appeared as the half-brother of the monster-hunting siblings on "Supernatural" (The CW, 2005- ) while also playing the malevolent scion of a crime family in the web series "Angel of Death."

During this period, he also auditioned for the role of Edward Cullen in Catherine Hardwicke's feature version of "Twilight" (2008). The following year, Abel co-starred in "Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief," director Chris Columbus's adaptation of the first entry in author Rick Riordan's popular series of fantasy novels. Abel played the son of the Greek god Hermes, who sought to destroy Mount Olympus in order to become the rightful ruler of the universe. His climactic fight with Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) earned MTV Movie Award and Teen Choice Award nominations in 2010, but more significantly, earned him a devoted fan base among young, mostly female moviegoers. He was soon featured in movie projects targeting that group, including "I Am Number Four," as a school bully targeting alien-in-teen guise Alex Pettyfer, and as the romantic interest for Saoirse Ronan in "The Host" (2013).

That same year, he reprised his role in the "Percy Jackson" series for the "Lightning Thief" sequel, "Sea of Monsters," while also releasing a five-song EP by his band, the Mumblers, which featured his fiancée, fashion blogger Allie Wood.