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Ryan Merriman

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Ryan Merriman
Merriman in the 2012 film Cheesecake Casserole
Born
Ryan Earl Merriman

(1983-04-10) April 10, 1983 (age 41)
OccupationActor
Years active1993–present
Spouses
  • Micol Duncan
    (m. 2004; div. 2011)
  • Kristen McMullen
    (m. 2014)
Children1

Ryan Earl Merriman (born April 10, 1983)[1] is an American actor. He began his career at the age of ten and has appeared in several feature films and television shows. He is best known for a handful of Disney Channel original movies and for portraying Jake Pierce in The Ring Two, Kevin Fischer in Final Destination 3, and Ian Thomas in Pretty Little Liars.

Early life

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Merriman was born in Choctaw, Oklahoma, the son of Earl and Nonalyn Merriman.[2] He has a sister named Monica. At a young age, he began acting in commercials, print work, vocal performances, and local theater (Stage Struck Studios) in Oklahoma.

Career

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Merriman's first major role was on the television series The Mommies, which ran from 1993 to 1995. During the 1990s, he appeared in most episodes of The Pretender as a younger version of Jarod, the series' main character. He has starred in several television films, including Smart House, The Luck of the Irish, and as a young Meyer Lansky in Lansky. He appeared in the 1999 feature film The Deep End of the Ocean, playing the lost son of Michelle Pfeiffer's character, and subsequently starred as the main character, a Jewish boy from the Bronx, in the 2000 film Just Looking. In 2002, he played Adam Eddington in another Disney Channel original movie, A Ring of Endless Light. He then returned to television roles, appearing in Dangerous Child, Taken, and Smallville.

Merriman's other roles include the horror films Halloween: Resurrection (2002), The Ring Two (2005), and Final Destination 3 (2006). He starred in Home of the Giants, a high school drama. He appeared in the CBS miniseries Comanche Moon in January 2008. He played Henry Dunn in the original pilot presentation for Harper's Island, but was replaced by Christopher Gorham when the series was picked up by CBS. From 2010 to 2014, Merriman portrayed Ian Thomas on ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars. In 2012, he starred as Dennis Mack in the 16th episode of Season 2 in Hawaii Five-0.

Dwight Little wanted Merriman to play Jin Kazama in his film Tekken, but Merriman turned it down. He starred in the Hallmark Channel original movie Elevator Girl as Jonathan, a successful young lawyer who finds himself falling for a free-spirited young woman who is way below his pay grade. In 2011, he appeared as linebacker Jon Abbate in The 5th Quarter, a film about the 2006 football season of Wake Forest University.

Personal life

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Merriman was married to Micol Duncan from 2004 to 2011. On January 1, 2012, he became engaged to Kristen McMullen.[3] They were married in September 2014.[4] Their daughter was born in July 2018.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 The Deep End of the Ocean Benjamin "Ben" Cappadora / Sam Karras - Age 12 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor
1999 Just Looking Lenny Levine Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor
2002 Halloween: Resurrection Myles "Deckard" Barton
2003 Spin Eddie Haley
2005 Rings Jake Pierce Short film
2005 The Ring Two
2006 Final Destination 3 Kevin Fischer
2007 Home of the Giants Matt Morrison
2009 Wild Cherry Stanford
2011 The 5th Quarter Jon Abbate
2012 Cheesecake Casserole Andy
2012 Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader Kyle
2012 My Hometown Rick Dickson
2013 Dose of Reality Matt
2013 42 Dixie Walker
2015 The Last Rescue Paratrooper Griggs
2016 The Congressman Jared Barnes
2016 A Sunday Horse Jonathan Collier
2016 Domain Denver
2018 The Jurassic Games The Host
2019 Portal Steven
2020 Robot Riot Main Role Amazon Prime
2024 Model House The Neighbor

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1993–1995 The Mommies Blake Kellogg Main role, 30 episodes
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series
1995 The Client Jeff Dietrich Episode: "The Way Things Were"
1996–2000 The Pretender Young Jarod / Gemini Main role, 50 episodes
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Supporting Young Actor (1997)
Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Supporting Young Actor (1998, 1999)
1997 What's Right With America Todd Gordon Television film
1998 Everything That Rises Nathan Clay Television film
Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie/Pilot/Mini-Series or Series – Leading Young Actor
1999 Night Ride Home Justin Television film
1999 Smart House Ben Cooper Disney Channel Original Movie
1999 Lansky Meyer Lansky Television film
2000 Rocket's Red Glare Todd Baker Television film
2001 The Luck of the Irish Kyle Johnson Disney Channel Original Movie
2001 Touched by an Angel Jason Harris Episode: "Visions of thy Father"
2001 Dangerous Child Jack Cambridge Television film
Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie or Special – Leading Young Actor
2002 Taken Sam Crawford Episode: "Acid Tests"
Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Special – Supporting Young Actor
2002 A Ring of Endless Light Adam Eddington Disney Channel Original Movie
2003–2004 Veritas: The Quest Nikko Zond Main role, 13 episodes
2004 Smallville Jason Dante Episode: "Velocity"
2005 The Colt Jim Rabb Television film (Hallmark)
2008 Comanche Moon Jake Spoon 3 episodes
2008 Backwoods Adam Television film
2010 Elevator Girl Johnathan Television film
2010–2014 Pretty Little Liars Ian Thomas Recurring role, 16 episodes
2012 Hawaii Five-0 Dennis Mack Episode: "I Helu Pu"
2013 Independence Daysaster Pete Garsette Television film
2015 Ballers Frat Boy Episode: Pilot
2015 How Not to Propose Travis Television film
2019 A Christmas Movie Christmas Dustin Television film

References

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  1. ^ "Which Oklahoma celebrity shares your birthday?". Tulsa World. August 5, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "'Elevator Girl' lifts Oklahoma actor's career- LexisNexis-Professional Journal archives from AllBusiness.com".
  3. ^ "Ryan Merriman of Pretty Little Liars Is Engaged to Kristen McMullen! - Us Weekly". April 10, 2013.
  4. ^ "Ryan Merriman formally announces engagement, plans September 2014 wedding | News OK". Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
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