Tyler Hoechlin was an unknown 13-year-old actor from Corona, California when he was chosen from among more than 2,000 young actors across the country for the coveted role of Tom Hanks' son in Road to Perdition.

Hoechlin began studying acting in early 1997 at the age of nine. He trained at the Young Actors Space, The Krys Kyer Workshop, the Beverly Hills Acting Studio and with Warner Loughlin. He landed his first film role in Family Tree, which was screened at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. In 2001, he starred in the independent film Train Quest, which was shot in Romania.

In addition to his acting, Hoechlin is a stand-out baseball talent. He began playing at the age of seven and represented his country as a member of the U.S. team in the Pan American games when he was only nine. He currently plays shortstop for the Corona Wolverines. He and his younger brother, Tanner, are home schooled by their mother, a former accountant, and their father, an E.R. doctor.

Credit: filmbug.com