Thomas McDonell Biography

Fast Facts

• Trained as an artist at New York University before getting into acting
• Born to Joan, a novelist and writer, and Terry, editor of "Sports Illustrated․"
• Got his first role in "The Forbidden Kingdom" when he went to an open casting call in Shanghai, China, where he was studying art
• Quote: "I didn't study acting in the way that many actors I admire did․ I have observed classes and met with coaches - but the thing that I find most useful is to be around other actors - good ones - and to try to pay close attention to the way they work․"
• Quote: "(On being an artist, actor, and musician): "A good trick is to try and think about a way to use material from one for the other․․․using what is around, transforming that to create meaning and make art․ Trying to take nothing and make․․․something․""
• Best known for his role as Jesse Richter in "Prom" and as Aaron Riley in "Fun Size․"
• Is a member of the rock band Moon, which contributed the song "Time Stand" to his film "Prom․"
• Appeared in the music video "This Kiss" by Carly Rae Jepsen
• Had a part in the 2010 film "Twelve," which was based on a novel by his brother, Nick McDonell
• Curated artist Borna Sammak's exhibition at a Best Buy store on Broadway in New York
• He is a visual artist whose work has been exhibited in New York, Ghana, and Shanghai