Boasting leading-man looks, Lucas first moved to Hollywood after high school and soon landed small-screen guest appearances. In the '90s he worked both on Australian TV and the New York stage before returning to the West Coast. His career finally took off in the '00s with a variety of supporting turns that showed his range — a sleazy yuppie in
American Psycho (2000), a mathematician in
A Beautiful Mind (2001) and a villain in
Hulk (2003). The 2002 romantic comedy
Sweet Home Alabama allowed Lucas to flex his sex appeal, and he went on to appear in a supporting role as a love interest opposite Jennifer Lopez in
An Unfinished Life (2005). Capitalizing on his undeniable appeal, he flexed his muscles for parts in action films including the less-than-stellar
Stealth (2005) and the doomed
Poseidon (2006). After taking on the real-life role of an inspirational basketball coach in
Glory Road (2006), he offered narration for the Ken Burns documentary
War and participated in a documentary project for the National Endowment of the Arts called
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience. Next, the hearthrob embraced darker characters in the thriller
Stolen (2009), the horror indie
Tell Tale (2009), and the indie drama
William Vincent (2010). Off-screen, he pursues numerous theater projects and supports causes such as the Creative Coalition and YouthAids.
Josh Lucas Fast Facts:
- Parents were peace/anti-nuclear activists who moved frequently while he was young. As a result, he lived in 30 different places before he turned 13.
- His family did not have a TV until 1984, when they purchased one to watch the Olympics.
- Realized he wanted to become an actor in 1987 when he was mesmerized by Michael Douglas's Oscar-winning portrayal of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street.
- Made film debut in 1993's Alive.
- As an up-and-coming actor, he appeared in a number of off-Broadway shows in New York, including Terrence McNally's controversial drama Corpus Christi in 1998.
- Made his Broadway debut in 2005 in a revival of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie.
- Put on 43lbs. for the part of Texas Western coach Don Haskins in Glory Road (2006).
- In 2008, he appeared in an off-Broadway production of Fault Lines, a play directed by David Schwimmer.
- Portrayed a crime boss opposite James Franco in the drama William Vincent, an independent feature that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2010.
- Josh Lucas Relationships:
- Michelle Maurer - Mother
- Don Maurer - Father
- Rachel McAdams - Ex-significant Other
- Salma Hayek - Ex-significant Other
- Jessica Ciencin Henriquez - Wife
- Noah Rev Maurer - Son
- Josh Lucas Awards:
- 2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - Nominee