Logan Lerman

Logan Lerman never shied away from tackling emotionally draining roles throughout his acting career. His work as an impoverished and insightful farm boy in the family drama "A Painted House" (CBS, 2003), a child abuse victim in the thriller "The Butterfly Effect" (2004), and a reckless cowboy in "3:10 to Yuma" (2007) earned Lerman rave critical reviews, but by design or happenstance, he managed to fly under the radar, basking in the shadows of his more famous co-stars such as Jim Carrey, Russell Crowe, and Renée Zellweger. It was not until his turn as an unlikely mythical hero in the fantasy flick "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" (2010) that Lerman transformed into a real-life international superstar. While he had to possess the powers of a mythical hero onscreen to finally earn his shot at fame, it was still raw talent and endless drive that made Lerman one of the most successful and recognized actors of his generation.

Logan Wade Lerman was born on Jan. 19, 1992, in Beverly Hills, CA. The acting bug bit Lerman early; at age two and a half, he informed his mother that he wanted to pursue an acting career. At four years old, Lerman secured an agent and began booking television commercials and by 2000, he had made his acting debut in the epic war drama "The Patriot," opposite Mel Gibson and then newcomer Heath Ledger. He played Gibson's youngest son, William, who often appeared being taken care of by the clan's older sister (Mika Boorem).

That same year, Lerman landed a featured role in the comedy "What Women Want" as the younger version of Mel Gibson, who starred as a chauvinistic ad executive who has the ability to hear women's thoughts. As Lerman gained more visibility in Hollywood, he also began getting better roles that showcased his emerging talent. He had a leading role in the made-for-TV drama, "A Painted House," based on a John Grisham novel. Set in 1952, it told the story of a family of cotton farmers struggling to harvest their crops and pay off their debts, as seen through the eyes of its youngest member, Luke Chandler (Lerman). His moving performance in "A Painted House" earned Lerman a Young Artist Award in 2004.

Lerman ventured into the suspense thriller arena by playing the younger version of Ashton Kutcher's character in the sci-fi flick, "The Butterfly Effect." The role was one of Lerman's most controversial, as his character found himself beaten, sexually abused, and a victim of a host of other atrocities. He then landed the co-title role in the short-lived drama series, "Jack & Bobby" (The WB, 2004-05), playing the teenaged Robert "Bobby" McCallister, future President of the United States. Despite fine critical reviews, the series failed to catch on. Lerman continued making headway in movies by nabbing a lead role in the comedy "Hoot" (2006), about a group of children who tried to save a burrowing owl habitat from being destroyed in order to build a pancake house.

The following year, Lerman starred in the thriller "The Number 23" as the son of a seemingly normal man (Jim Carrey) who is obsessed with a murder mystery novel and convinced that it is about his own life. The versatile actor followed that up with a critically acclaimed performance as Christian Bale's gun-slinging, impetuous son in the Western drama, "3:10 to Yuma" (2007) that also starred Russell Crowe. In 2009, Lerman turned in another impressive performance in the quirky comedy "My One and Only" starring Renée Zellweger, in which he portrayed one of her sons who drives cross-country with her in her quest to find a new husband.

Lerman scored his biggest break in 2010 with a title role in the fantasy-action extravaganza "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," appearing alongside an ensemble cast that included Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Kevin McKidd and Catherine Keener. Based on the first novel in the best-selling series by Rick Riordan, the film was directed by Chris Columbus, who had previously helmed the international blockbusters "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001) and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002). The film followed Percy Jackson, a 21st-century teenager who, after discovering that he is the demigod son of the Greek god Poseidon, embarks on an amazing journey to save his mother, retrieve Zeus' stolen lightning bolt, and unravel a powerful mystery that has baffled the gods for ages.

Lerman's portrayal of an unlikely hero in the adventure-filled saga elicited comparisons to another child star-turned-teen idol - Daniel Radcliffe as the bespectacled young wizard in the "Harry Potter" film franchise - and elevated Lerman's status from a secondary player to a full-fledged movie star.

Quickly following up on his newfound success, Lerman joined the cast of the 2011 literary adaptation "The Three Musketeers," playing the aspiring swashbuckler d'Artagnan, who becomes the ally of the heroic title trio. While Lerman's big-budget endeavors proved to be light on acclaim, he returned to critical favor with his central role in Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012), based on the director/screenwriter's own novel. Working closely with co-stars Emily Watson and Ezra Miller, Lerman helped to create a stirring depiction of restless and introspective youth, winning plenty of accolades for his charming efforts.

After a part in the largely overlooked romantic dramedy "Stuck in Love" (2012), Lerman revisited the mythic realm with "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" (2013), albeit with a muted audience response.