| Freddie Prinze, Jr. |
| The sensitively handsome Freddie Prinze, Jr. is not one of the fastest rising names of his generation just because of his famous namesake. The only son of the late legendary comedian, Prinze has already amassed several impressive films to his credit that highlight his vulnerable charm, feline sensuality, and promising acting ability. Often playing characters who never seem to quite fit in to the circle in which they find themselves, Prinze seems ready to find the right role that will maximize his undeniable screen presence. A former amateur boxer, he began his career in television before landing a small part as Claire Danes' multi-pierced suitor in To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday. His part in that film led to a more significant part in the art house favorite, The House of Yes. Prinze played Anthony, the younger brother of incestuous twin siblings Parker Posey and Josh Hamilton who beds his brother's fianc�e, played by Tori Spelling. He gave an affecting performance as a young man lost in an overwhelmingly dysfunctional family. From there, Prinze joined the up and coming cast of Kevin Williamson's I Know What You Did Last Summer as Ray Bronson, the lower-class boyfriend of Jennifer Love Hewitt. The film went on to become an unexpected hit that pushed its leads into the upper stratosphere of Young Hollywood. And having been a lucky survivor of the first film, Prinze also signed on to do the sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, again with Jennifer Love Hewitt. In addition, Prinze starred in a few smaller films that allowed him to expand his range. Sparkler casts Prinze as one of three young men on their way to Las Vegas hoping to win money for their rent. Along the way, they pick up a quirky hitchhiker who makes the trip a little more interesting. Another one of these films, Vig, starred Prinze as a coke-snorting thug sent out by the mob to take over for Peter Falk in the bookie business. In 1999, Prinze managed to score at the box office with Miramax's surprise hit, the teen comedy She's All That. In this high school re-telling of Pygmalion, Prinze starred as Zack Siler, the recently dumped most popular guy in school who makes a bet with his buds that he can turn any girl in school into the prom queen. The film eventually made a healthy profit and finally began to establish Prinze as a formidable star with strong money-making potential. Thanks to She's All That, producers and audiences alike finally began to take notice of Prinze. Unfortunately, Prinze followed up She's All That with a pair of box office duds that tried to capitalize on his teen heartthrob status. Both films, Down to You and Boys and Girls, faithfully followed the She's All That formula, but received mostly pans from critics and generated little interest from audiences, who by 2000 had begun to grow weary of the teen genre altogether. Still, Prinze remained a beloved star among his fans, and even many critics who despite his recent downturns at the multiplex, believe career has great potential to be one of the foremost romantic-comedy leads of his generation. One of the more talented actors making his way up through the ranks, Prinze has done well by balancing his resume between smaller, independent films that showcase his acting ability with more standard Hollywood films that also illuminate his endless screen charisma. With a natural knack for acting in his blood, Freddie Prinze, Jr. has a bright future at the top shining ahead of him. Next up for Freddie Prinze, Jr. -- Prinze stars with Monica Potter in Head Over Heels, a new film from director Mark Waters (The House of Yes). The film is about a woman (Potter) who falls in love with a man (Prinze) she sees across the way from her apartment who may or may not be a lady-killer -- literally. Prinze then stars in Summer Catch, a romance about a girl (Jessica Biel) who falls for a working class boy (Prinze) in Cape Cod who dreams of playing big league baseball. Due out early next year, Summer Catch co-stars Brittany Murphy, Marc Blucas, Matthew Lillard, Brian Dennehy, Jason Gedrick, Wilmer Valderrama, Gabriel Mann, and Fred Ward. Born: March 8, 1976 |
 |
 |
 |