Like fellow Iowa native Ashton Kutcher — who was an acquaintance back in their mutual hometown of Cedar-Rapids — this all-American hunk entered showbiz after a talent scout spotted Smith at a mall and encouraged him to attend the International Modeling and Talent Association Convention. In high school, Smith was an avid horseback rider and basketball player, but he turned down an athletic scholarship to college to model, appearing in campaigns for brands like Tommy Hilfiger. He used the money he earned to pay for acting classes and soon began landing TV gigs, including recurring roles on
Freaks and Geeks,
Joan of Arcadia and
24. Comfortable both with comic (
Raising Dad,
Eight Legged Freaks) and dramatic fare, he built up an impressive résumé and proved he was more than just eye candy. In 2007, he signed on to the small-screen actioner
Drive as an Iraq War vet competing in a mysterious cross-country race, but the show ran out of gas after a handful of episodes.
Riley Smith Fast Facts:
- Ashton Kutcher was his roommate at the modeling convention that launched their careers.
- After spotting him in an ad, an agent flew him out to L.A. audition for the WB pilot Minor Threat.
- Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen handpicked him to play a love interest in their 2004 feature film New York Minute.
- Riley Smith Relationships:
- Danneel Harris - Ex-significant Other
- Roxanne Smith - Mother
- Russ Smith - Father
