The Door in the Floor

Background:

An American actor who got his first taste of performing in local Iowa theater before heading to Hollywood to work in television and feature films, Jon Foster became famous after playing Michael Skakel on the made-for-TV film ““Murder in Greenwich” (2002), from which he took home a Young Artist nomination. He continued to gain success on the big screen, thanks to his hot scene opposite Kim Basinger on Tod Williams' “The Door in the Floor” (2004). He also starred in the horror film “Stay Alive” (2006), and will soon play a role in “Tenderness” (2007). Moviegoers should not miss his impressive performance in the future movies “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh” (2007) and “The Informers” (2008).

In show biz since 1999, Foster also has starred the TV series as “Life As We Know It” (ABC, 2004-2005) and “Windfall” (NBC, 2006). He had appeared as a guest star in TV series like “Judging Amy” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

Outside the spotlight, Foster is known as the younger brother of actor, Ben Foster. He has mentions his brother as “(He's) definitely my best friend and my mentor. A lot of time my dad was traveling so Ben really raised me.” He added, “He gives me tons of advice. He's the most supportive person that I could have, it's really incredible to have him to be able to help me through all that.”

As for his love life, the younger Foster is now dating actress Sophia Bush, his costar in “Stay Alive.”

Jewish Descent

Childhood and Family:

Jon Foster was born on August 3, 1984, in Fairfield, Iowa, to a Jewish family. Aside from acting, Jon has found interests in playing drums, as well as lead and bass guitar, and fixing up classic muscle cars. He also enjoys boxing, rollerblading and snow boarding.

Currently, Jon shares an apartment in Los Angeles with his celebrity brother, Ben Foster.

“Well we moved a lot. I didn't just grow up in Iowa. I grew up in a lot of different places. We were all born in Boston, my brother and my dad, and I were all born in Boston, and then eventually we moved to Iowa. My dad and my mom create high-class nightclubs, bowling alleys, and billiard halls, places where women feel safe. And they''e all over the country, so they travel back and forth to make sure they're all going smoothly.” Jon Foster

Murder in Greenwich

Career:

Jon Foster began acting in a local theater in Iowa at the age of eight, and later moved to Los Angeles to further pursue his career. In 1999, he took his first crack at the small screen, appearing in the pilot of Fox's short-term sitcom “Get Real,” starring Kyle Gibson and Taryn Manning. A guest spot in “Judging Amy” followed in 2000, before the young actor landed his first feature role as the young incarnation of Kevin Costner on Roger Donaldson's “Thirteen Days” (2000), which set during the two-week Cuban missile crisis in October of 1962. His next movie role arrived when he was tapped to play Corey, a small part in the Irwin Winkler-helmed drama/comedy “Life as a House (2001). The film stars Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, Hayden Christensen, Jena Malone and Mary Steenburgen and many others.

Still in 2001, Foster revisited TV when he got his first regular work at the CBS sitcom “Danny,” starring Daniel Stern as a single father of two teen brats. However, it was his performance in his TV film debut, “Murder in Greenwich” (2002), that garnered Foster real notice. As Michael Skakel, he was nominated for a Young Artist in the category of Best Performance in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Special - Leading Young Actor. Directed by Tom McLoughlin, the mystery/thriller also starred Christopher Meloni, Robert Forster, Maggie Grace and Toby Moore.

Foster resumed his movie career in 2003 when he was cast in the featured role of gas station cashier in the installment “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” the vehicle of Arnold Schwarzenegger. His rising career was well-confirmed in the following year when he was cast in the starring role of Eddie O'Hare on Tod Williams' “The Door in the Floor,” opposite Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger. The drama was adapted from the novel by John Irving. Discussing about the movie, he said, “It's a very emotional movie, a whole range of emotions. It's sad, it's lonesome, it's very funny at the same time, almost slapstick near the end. In terms of my career, I was very, very lucky to have my first job this one, because it's hard to be typecast in this kind of a movie. After something like this, you don't really get chosen to do something like this again.”

Later that same year, Foster starred as Ben Connor, opposite Sean Faris as Dino Whitman and Chris Lowell as Jonathan Fields, in the ABC drama series “Life As We Know It,” about three hormone-charged teenage boys. Premiered on October 7, 2004, the show was canceled in January 2005, after after 13 episodes aired. In March 2005, he made a guest appearance in an episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” as Justin Sharp. Foster's film career received another boost when in 2006, he landed the starring role of Hutch in the horror film “Stay Alive,” directed by William Brent Bell and co-written by Bell and Matthew Peterman. Actors Adam Goldberg and Frankie Muniz as well as actress-girlfriend Sophia Bush also acted in the movie. When asked what make him attracted to the movie, he answered, “Originally the producers from 'Life As We Know It' got in contact with McG and told them that they should keep an eye out for me. They brought me this project and when I met 9co-writer/director) Brett Bell and (co-writer) Matt Peterman they explained how they wanted to make this film a real character piece. They didn't want a typical teen slasher film. I was immediately sold because it sounded like a piece of art with horror attached to it. Which, you know, nothing sounds much better.”

Later, from June to August 2006, Foster found himself starring as Damien Cutler on the NBC short-lived series “Windfall,” opposite D.J. Cotrona, Luke Perry, Emma Prescott and Jason Gedrick. His new film, “Tenderness,” based on a novel by Robert Cormier, is scheduled to be released on November 30, 2007. He also has roles in the upcoming films “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh” (2007), starring as Art Bechstein, a fresh graduate who falls into a romance with a married couple, and Gregor Jordan's “The Informers” (2008), along side Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke, Brandon Routh, Ashley Olsen, Billy Bob Thornton and (again) Kim Basinger.

Awards:
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