Background:

Aaron Himelstein is an American actor and filmmaker. He is probably best recognized for playing a younger version of Austin Powers in the popular film “Goldmember and Friedman” (2002) and Friedman, the best friend of Luke Girardi, in the television series “Joan of Arcadia” (2003-2005).  He received a Drama Desk nomination for his starring role in the play “The Dead Eye Boy” (2001). Himelstein won an Indianapolis International Film Festival Award and a Method Fest Award for the short film “Sugar Mountain” (2005), which he directed, wrote and edited. He also directed and wrote the 2011 short “The Napkin” and has produced several shorts since 2002. Himelstein has been hailed by critics as “young genius, exploring the theatre and film world at a maturity level way beyond his years.”      

Himelstein is a very close friends with “Joan of Arcadia” stars  Michael Welch and Chris Marquette. Though he had known Welch since 1997, they did not develop a good friendship until the show began in 2003.


NYU Alum

Childhood and Family:

In Buffalo Grove, Illinois, Aaron Himelstein was born on October 10, 1985. He is an only child of Susan (Maloney) and Robert 'Bob' Himelstein. He started acting at the age of eleven. Aaron was home schooled. He studied acting at the Piven Theater Workshop in Evanston, Illinois. He also attended Harand Camp (Theatre and Sports Camp) in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. He spent a summer studying filmmaking at New York University (NYU).


Sugar Mountain

Career:

Aaron Himelstein made his professional acting debut in 1999 as Andy Tucker in an episode of  the television series “Cupid” called “The Children's Hour.” In the following year, he broke into the wide screen with a small part as boy in park in Stephen Frears's comedy/drama “High Fidelity,” starring Dennis Quaid.

After attending New York University, Himelstein landed the leading role of Soren in Angus MacLachlan's off-Broadway play “The Dead Eye Boy” (2001), opposite Lili Taylor. Delivering a bright performance, the actor was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in the category of Outstanding Featured Actor. Himelstein also had a main role in “Morning Star” for the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, and has appeared in a number of local Chicago productions.    

Back to the small screen, Himelstein played Doug in two episodes of the ABC sitcom “What About Joan” (2001), starring Joan Cusack. He went on to appear in episodes of “Do Over” (2002, as Andrew Wages), “Boston Public” (2003, as William Guilbert), “North Shore” (2004, as Charlie), “Significant Others” (2004, as Justin), “ House M.D.” (2004, as Luke Palmeiro) as well as shoot a pilot called “Titletown” (2003). Himelstein played the recurring role of Friedman, Luke's best friend in the CBS fantasy/family drama series “Joan of Arcadia,” which ran for two seasons from September 2003 to April 2005.  

Meanwhile, filmgoers began to recognize the Buffalo Grove, Illinois native actor after he played young Austin Powers (from 1958) in “Austin Powers in Goldmember” (2002), the third and final installment of the “Austin Powers” trilogy starring Mike Myers in the title role. Directed by Jay Roach, the spy comedy film grossed a total of $296,655,431 worldwide against a budget of $63 million. The same year, Himelstein made his producing debut with “Incest,” a short directed and written by Luke Eberl. He starred as Artie Feldman in a six minute length comedy film, “Young Artie Feldman” (2004), by Erik Moe.

In 2005, Himelstein directed, wrote and edited the short drama “Sugar Mountain,” starring Luke Eberl, Chris Marquette and Anish Jethmalani. Premiered at the 2005 Method Fest Independent Film Festival on April 3, the film won Best Actor for Short Film (Luke Eberl) and Best Short Film. The film also won Audience Award at the 2005 Indianapolis International Film Festival. The same year, he also produced the short “ Fellowship.”

Himelstein played the supporting role of Eli in the direct to video “Bachelor Party Vegas” (2006), opposite Kal Penn, Jonathan Bennett and Donald Faison, had a featured role in the Richard Linklater comedy film “Fast Food Nation” (2006), starring Greg Kinnear, Bruce Willis and Catalina Sandino Moreno, “Down the P.C.H.” (2006), co-starred with Vincent Grashaw, Zack Bennett and Guillermo Díaz in “Down the P.C.H.” (2006), a drama film written and directed by Sean Michael Beyer,  and portrayed Red in the horror/thriller film “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane” (2006), which was directed by Jonathan Levine and starred Amber Heard, Michael Welch,  Whitney Able and Anson Mount. He appeared with Katrina Begin, Melonie Diaz, Leighton Meester, Alexa Vega and Marnette Patterson in the drama film “Remember the Daze,” which premiered at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival and was released in theaters in April 2008. He also appeared in other films like “Assassination of a High School President” (2008, starred Reece Thompson, Mischa Barton and Bruce Willis), Gregor Jordan's “The Informers” (2008, starred Billy Bob Thornton, Winona Ryder, Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Brad Renfro and Amber Heard), “The Assistants” (2009, starred Chris Conner, Michael Grant Terry and Kathleen Early) and “Fault Line” (2009). He maintained his presence on television by making guest appearances in television shows such as “Las Vegas” (2006), “Journeyman” (2007) and “Community” (2009).  

In 2011, Himelstein directed and wrote the short film “The Napkin,” starring Scoot McNairy, John Robinson and Chris Marquette. Besides, he had roles in two shorts: “Literally, Right Before Aaron” and “ Dig” (both 2011), as well as teamed up with Tania Raymonde, Allison Scagliotti and Kyle Gallner for the comedy film “Losers Take All” (also 2011).          


Awards:

Method Fest: Best Short Film, Short, “Sugar Mountain,” 2005
Indianapolis International Film Festival: Audience Award, “Sugar Mountain,” 2005 Show Less