Sam Huntington

With an impressive volume of work already behind him by his early twenties, actor Sam Huntington was catapulted to celebrity status when he won the role of Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen in Bryan Singer's blockbuster reboot "Superman Returns" (2006). Cast alongside virtual unknown Brandon Routh, who played the Man of Steel, Huntington went from indie performer to a known commodity across the globe practically overnight.

Prior to "Superman Returns," he made his film debut in "Jungle 2 Jungle" (1997) and was one of four teenagers trekking across country to see their favorite band in the cult hit "Detroit Rock City" (1999). After appearances in a string of little-seen independents like "Freshman Orientation" (2004) and "River's End" (2005), Huntington finally achieved stardom with "Superman," only to stumble with a regular role on "Cavemen" (ABC, 2007), derided by critics as one of the worst sitcoms ever made. Following a turn in another teen road movie "Fanboys" (2009), he starred with Routh in the flop horror comedy "Dylan Dog: Dead of Night" (2011). But as he returned to television as a socially awkward werewolf in "Being Human" (Syfy, 2011- ), Huntington remained poised for another blockbuster breakout.

Born on April 10, 1982 in Peterborough, NH, Huntington was raised in a show business home, thanks to his mother, Christine Stabile, a former actress who owned and operated the Black Box Theatre from 1988-1995, and later managed her son's career. His father, on the other hand, was a cabinet maker who owned his own business.

Huntington starting performing at a young age and made his debut at nine years old in a play directed by his mom. He acted in several youth productions, including "To Kill a Mockingbird," and starred "The Nerd" (1991) with the Peterborough Players, while also performing in productions at Andy's Summer Playhouse. Upon moving to New York City with his mother at age 13, Huntington landed an agent and soon appeared in several television commercials. In no time, he had a voice role "The Magic School Bus" (PBS, 1995) and appeared in his first TV movie, "Harvest of Fire," (CBS, 1996). Shortly after, he won a role in "Jungle 2 Jungle" (1997) opposite Tim Allen and had a guest spot on "Law & Order" (NBC, 1990-2010).

From there, Huntington moved on to teen roles, sharing the screen with Edward Furlong in "Detroit Rock City" (1999), a coming-of-age tale set in 1978 about a group of four teenagers who embark on a wild road trip to Detroit in order to see their favorite band, KISS. He next appeared as sensitive guy Ox in the comedy spoof "Not Another Teen Movie" (2001), which he followed with a small part in the indie comedy "Rolling Kansas" (2003), directed by Thomas Hayden Church.

Huntington went on to play the lead in "Freshman Orientation" (2004), where he played a hopeless college freshman who pretends to be gay in order to get close to a sorority girl (Kaitlin Doubleday). That same year, Huntington was an object of affection in "Sleepover," starring Alexa Vega of "Spy Kids" fame, and had small roles in two little-seen films, "Raising Genius" (2004) and "In Enemy Hands" (2004). Following a major role in the independently made Western-drama, "River's End" (2005), he went back to television with a string of guest appearances on "CSI: NY" (CBS, 2004- ), "CSI: Miami" (CBS, 2002-12), and "Veronica Mars" (UPN/The CW, 2004-07).

Huntington was catapulted to fame when he landed a major role in Bryan Singer's long-awaited Man of Steel reboot, "Superman Returns" (2006), in which he played the eager-to-please and happily naïve Daily Planet photographer, Jimmy Olson, who also happens to be the best friend of Clark Kent (Brandon Routh). Despite some critical misgivings, "Superman Returns" was a box office hit and propelled Huntington to new heights. But instead of capitalizing with another blockbuster movie, the actor chose instead to star on the dreadful sitcom, "Cavemen" (ABC, 2007), a spin-off of the popular Geico commercials featuring intelligent Cro-Magnons. The series was hammered by critics and lasted a scant seven episodes before getting pulled from the airwaves. Back in features, he starred in another road trip comedy, "Fanboys" (2009), this one being about four "Star Wars" geeks who drive across country to Skywalker Ranch in order to sneak a peak at George Lucas' then-unreleased "Episode I" as a last hoorah for their dying friend. After reuniting with Routh for the critically savaged horror comedy "Dylan Dog: Dead of Night" (2011), Huntington played a socially awkward hospital orderly who transforms into a werewolf on the supernatural series "Being Human" (Syfy, 2011- ).

By Shawn Dwyer