Biography of Ryan Merriman

Ryan Merriman started acting at the tender age of 10, after he took drama lessons and did a few commercials in his home state of Oklahoma, USA. He has always been kind and generous to his fans, taking part in live chats on Internet from about 1998 to 2000, and always giving autographed pictures to those who ask for them. He also attended several charity events, and is a generous donator to several organizations.

Born in april 1983, he grew up surrounded by his parents and his elder sister, Monica. At 10, he got the part of Blake Kellogg in the tv series "The Mommies", co-starring Justin Berfield who was still a kid (Reese in "Malcolm in the middle") and Ashley Peldon, who he met again on the set of "The Pretender".

In 1995, Ryan acted in an episode of the tv series "The Client", and then got the part of young Jarod in the hit tv series "The Pretender" in 1996. This part earned him three nominations for the Young Artists Awards (1997, 1998, 1999) for which he won twice (1998 et 1999). The part of young Jarod also earned him a first worldwide recognition. Ryan played in each 4 seasons of the tv series, until 2000.

His reccuring role in "The Pretender" didn't keep him from acting in several tv movies, like Disney Channel's "Smart House" in 1999, and "Everything That Rises", never aired in France, that earned him a Young Artist Award in 1999. Ryan was 15 then.

On the set of "Everything That Rises", Ryan discovered some organizations that helped disabled kids through the love for animals and especially horses. He was touched by their work and decided to help them by giving them money.

Ryan also acted in "The Deep End of the Ocean" co-starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Treat Williams ("Everwood") and Whoopi Goldberg for his first big-feature movie in 1999. He won a Young Artist Award of Hollywood in 2000 for his part of the lost-and-then-found son in this movie.

The same year, Ryan acted in the independant movie "Cherry Pink", later re-titled as "Just Looking", an hilarious comedy about teenagers and sex. The movie was released on DVD in the USA and Canada, and rated R (restricted) for sexual content and language. It seems to be Ryan's most hilarious performance so far. He was actually nominated for a Young Artist Awards of Hollywood in 2001 for this film.

Photo courtesy from Ryan Merriman official website

Ryan Merriman has been having a flair for comedy from an early age.

Photo courtesy from Ryan Merriman official website

Ryan Merriman started at 10 in the tv series "The Mommies".

Screencap by Staroasis, a former multi-actors website closed in 2002.

Ryan Merriman, 15, in the comedy "Just Looking".

Screencap found on several fansites on Ryan Merriman

Ryan in "Dangerous Child", one of his darkest roles

In 2000, Ryan acted in "Rocket's Red Glare", and in Disney Channel's "The Luck of the Irish" in 2001. He won many new teen fans thanks to this tv-movie.

Most of all, Ryan landed with "Dangerous Child" his first "bad boy" role, for which he won another Young Artist Award in 2002, as well as numerous fans' esteem. He starred in it as a troubled teenager who is violent towards his mom, played by Delta Burke.

Ryan's newsletter was then put on-line, on his official website, with much more pictures and news than when it was mailed by USPS. Ryan also talked about his meetings with a few lucky fans, and shared personal pictures and info with his fans.

That's how he shared with his fans his high school graduation and other events. Ryan then tried undergraduate web-based studies on eathquakes and volcanoes but had to stop due to his busy schedule..

In Senior High, he had studied Internet, its applications, and also contruction. Ryan always stayed in the top third at school.

In 2002, he acted in the horror blockbuster "Halloween : Resurrection", his 3rd big feature film (along with "Deep End of the Ocean" and "Just Looking") but his first horror blockbuster. He also shot Disney Channel's "A Ring of Endless Light", his 3rd and last Disney original movie. It was based on the novel by Madeleine L'Engle.

Ryan then got a part in the 4th episode of Spielberg's mini-series "Taken", in which he is great. He actually earned another Young Artist Award of Hollywood in 2003 for it. It was also the 1st time Ryan played a character that died in the movie.

Thanks to "Taken", Ryan was asked to act lead in a new ABC tv series, "Veritas : the Quest", in 2003. He dropped other offers from the WB and NBC in order to act in "Veritas". Unfortunately, the series was cancelled, with 13 episodes shot, and after only 3 episodes being shown in the USA. ABC obviously thought that the war in Irak and Michael Jackson's lawsuit would make more money than "Veritas".

Too bad, as Ryan had found here an interesting role that highlighted his comic and sport skills.

Ryan launched his "Rock Steady" T-shirt line in order to raise funds to produce a movie project ("Beyond the Gates of Splendor") as well as to help a charity organization he had already helped for years. He also promoted volunteer work, like reading to children.

Ryan also lauched 4 eBay auctions to raise money for charity organizations. He sold personal items from his different movies to the best bidders.

At the end of the year 2003, he offered to call 12 of his fans among those who bought his T-shirts. Each month of 2004, Ryan called one of the lucky winners. He had already called a few special fans that had moved him before.

In 2004, Ryan acted in two feature films for the big screen : the indie "Spin", and the blockbuster "The Ring 2". "Spin" has been acclaimed in several film festivals and has been released in the USA in the fall of 2004.

Ryan then starred in the tv movie "The Colt", which will air on UK's Hallmark Channel in February 2005. He played a young soldier during the Civil War.

Once he had finished these projects, Ryan got married with Micol, his fiancé, in his home state, Oklahoma. Several of their fans sent them a scrapbook for this special event.

Picture from a magazine (Seventeen, january 2003), scanned by Ryan Merriman Forever

Ryan Merriman has grown up since his starts and enters now in his adult acting career and gets started as a husband.

Screencap from "Rings" by Ryan Merriman Forever

Ryan in "Rings", a part that opened new doors for him.

source : MTV.com

Ryan on the set of "Final Destination 3".

In early january 2005, Ryan was contacted by "The Ring 2" crew, as they wanted to make a short-movie about Ryan's character. Ryan agreed and shot "Rings", which was then added in the bonus of the new collector DVD set of "The Ring" and then on the DVD of "The Ring 2". This short-movie has been a real hit, very well received by critics, and allowed Ryan to get more recognition in the business.

That's partly thanks to that that he got his next parts in 2005.

Ryan set up a new contest for his fans in january-february 2005 : they could make paypal donations for his sister's master project about dolphins. If they did so, they were entered in the contest that allowed 13 lucky winners to get a personal phone call from Ryan himself and autographed pictures. I'm happy to say that I was the 1st winner, and that Ryan was really nice on the phone. He called me not long before heading to Vancouver, on the set of "Final Destination 3".

In march 2005, Ryan got the lead part in the 3rd "Final Destination" movie. The shooting started in march-april in Vancouver, and lasted until june 2005

During the shooting, a sad event happened : Ryan's grand-mother passed away on may 7th, 2005. But Ryan believe that she is in heaven and hope that she is happy there.

Ryan is still living happy times with his wife, the lovely Micol, with whom he celebrated their first anniversary in june 2005.

As soon as he wrapped up the "Final Destination 3" shooting, Ryan got a new lead part in a feature film : Home of the Giants, in which he co-starred with Haley Joel Osment, who came back to movies after a small break.

Ryan kept taking part in charity events in 2005 and he set up several other contests in order to offer autographed DVDs and posters to his fans.