Max Thieriot has had an exciting acting career boasting various roles and notable performances since childhood. The actor, born on October 14, 1988, in Los Altos Hills, California, had his cinematic debut in the 2004 adventure picture Catch That Kid. Before that, he modeled for Gap and performed in two short films. Soon after, he starred as one of the family members protected by a Navy SEAL in the action comedy film The Pacifier. For his performance, he was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor.
Since then, Thieriot’s career as an actor has matured, and he’s begun to focus on television more. In 2013, he became a regular cast member on Bates Motel as Dylan Massett, Norman Bates’s half-brother. The series was a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1960 picture, Psycho, and Thieriot’s acting in the series was widely praised. He also co-created and appears in the CBS show Fire Country. So, in honor of Max Thieriot’s nearly two-decade-long career, here is a list of his top film and TV appearances.
Nancy Drew (2007)
The movie Nancy Drew is a mystery comedy based on the novels of the same name by Carolyn Keene. Emma Roberts plays the lead role of the teenage detective, while Max Thieriot plays her boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, in the film adaptation.
A significant figure in the film, Ned Nickerson, is presented as a loyal and helpful buddy to Nancy throughout the series. We get the impression that Ned is a chill guy who enjoys listening to music in his spare time. Max Thieriot’s portrayal of Ned Nickerson offers the character warmth and charm as he becomes involved in Nancy’s research and aids her in unraveling the story’s central mystery.
The Pacifier (2005)
The Navy SEAL in Adam Shankman’s action comedy The Pacifier faces off against the challenges of babysitting. Vin Diesel’s character, Shane Wolfe, suffers a mission failure when he is supposed to save a government contractor working on a top-secret project from a group of rebels. Wolfe gets assigned to accompany the man’s widow after his death and after recovering from his wounds.
When the nanny suddenly leaves, Wolfe is left caring for the five kids alone, despite having never had any of his own. He initially finds it difficult but eventually grows close to and develops an understanding of the children. Seth, played by Thieriot, is one of the Plummer kids. He is the eldest son, and is known to be defiant and naughty. Seth and his siblings put Shane Wolfe to the test as he strives to be a good caretaker and keep them safe throughout the film. As Seth adjusts to the new family dynamic and learns to cooperate with Shane, he brings humor and obstacles to the film.
House at the End of the Street (2012)
Max Thieriot plays Ryan Jacobson, a young man who falls in love with Jennifer Lawrence’s Elissa in the 2021 psychological thriller House at the End of the Street. Ryan lives alone in a house where a horrific crime occurred many years ago. Elisa and her mom, played by Elisabeth Shue, move in next door, and Elissa quickly becomes friends with Ryan. As the story progresses, Elissa learns more about the murder and becomes suspicious of Ryan’s involvement.
House at the End of the Street delves into themes of suspense, mystery, and psychological strain as Elissa uncovers more information about the murder and the truth about her relationship with Ryan. Even though Mark Tonderai’s film received mixed reviews, the performance of actor Max Thieriot’s performance added depth and mystery to the plot. Ryan is an enigmatic figure troubled by his past, and Max Thieriot’s portrayal of him is an excellent example of his acting versatility.
Jumper (2008)
Young David Rice, played by Max Thieriot, is a teenager who finds out he has the astonishing ability to teleport in this science fiction adventure directed by Doug Liman. The high schooler utilizes his newfound powers to flee his abusive father and relocate to New York, where he commits bank robberies by teleporting into the buildings’ safes at night. After eight years, older David (played by Hayden Christensen) has settled into a comfortable penthouse.
He spends his time jet-setting to far-flung locations, such as Tahiti for some surf, the Sphinx’s head for lunch, and a London watering hole to pick up women. One day, Roland (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the Paladins, who kill Jumpers since they are deemed abominations due to their abilities, confronts him. On its first weekend, Jumper topped the box office in 11 of the 30 markets it was made available in, including breaking the record for the biggest February release ever in Korea.
SEAL Team (2017)
The series SEAL Team chronicles the exploits of the elite Navy SEAL Team Six as they conduct dangerous missions all around the world. Max Thieriot portrays Clay Spenser, who joins the leading group of SEALs, the Bravo Team. After losing a teammate, he joins the squad and must quickly prove himself to the grizzled veterans. While Clay proves to be a dedicated and competent operator, he faces personal challenges as he faces the dangers of the special operations field.
Throughout the show, Clay develops and changes considerably. He forms strong connections with fellow team members, and is soon an essential asset. Max Thieriot’s portrayal of Clay Spenser earned high marks for realistically capturing the emotional and mental tolls that military service takes on service members’ minds and bodies. Thanks to his maturation as a character and Thieriot’s nuanced performance, the show’s depiction of Navy SEAL life is rich and believable.
The Astronaut Farmer (2006)
This touching movie, by the Polish brothers, follows a former NASA astronaut who longs to fulfill his childhood ambition of creating his own rocket and blasting off into space. Charles Farmer, played by Billy Bob Thornton, was discharged from the military and forced to resign from the space program before realizing his dream of becoming an integral part of NASA. He did this to prevent the foreclosure of the family ranch in Texas after his financially stressed father committed suicide.
Farmer, realizing that the chance to go to space might never come, spends all his money and time building a duplicate of the Mercury-Atlas rocket and spaceship in the barn of his remote ranch outside the made-up town of Story, Texas. However, he can accomplish this with the help of his family, specifically his wife Audrey, son Shepard, played by Thieriot, and daughters Stanley and Sunshine.
Foreverland (2011)
Foreverland is an emotional drama directed by Max McGuire. Thieriot plays Will Rankin, a young man with cystic fibrosis who has accepted his fate until he has a vision of a childhood friend who died of the same ailment requesting him to transport his ashes to a healing sanctuary in Mexico. Soon after, Will and his friend’s sister embark on a road trip to help Will rediscover who he is.
Thieriot, alongside Laurence Leboeuf and Demian Bichir, gives a moving performance that delves into questions of life, death, and the pursuit of meaning in the face of hardship. Max Thieriot’s portrayal of Will Rankin depicts the strength, vulnerability, and resolve of a young man battling a terminal illness. Thieriot’s execution illuminates his character’s fight against a lifelong disease and his will to recover.
Bates Motel (2013-2017)
The fascinating plot and excellent acting in Bates Motel made the TV series a smashing success. In the series, Max Thieriot portrayed Dylan Massett, Norman Bates’s half-brother and Norma Bates’s son. In the pilot, we meet him when he is a troubled adolescent who has spent years away from home. Dylan goes through changes and emerges as a more significant character throughout the series.
In addition to his connection with Norman, he develops a complicated relationship with his mother, Norma. Dylan is torn between his allegiance to his family and his pursuit of his goals and dreams as he navigates the complex dynamics of the Bates household. The portrayal of Dylan’s character emphasizes his compassion, protectiveness, and internal turmoil. He becomes entangled in multiple plotlines that delve into the psychological complexity and dark secrets of the Bates family and White Pine Bay.
Disconnect (2012)
Filmmaker Andrew Stern and screenwriter Henry Alex Rubin team up for this American psychological drama starring Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Paula Patton, Alexander Skarsgard, and Max Thieriot. Max Thieriot plays Kyle, a troubled youngster involved in sketchy internet behavior that could lead to severe consequences in this drama. He is an expert hacker who targets people who are careless online.
The choices Kyle makes have unintended repercussions for him and those around him. As the movie progresses, Kyle’s plot crosses paths with those of other individuals, highlighting the interconnectivity of modern life. Max Thieriot’s portrayal of Kyle brilliantly captures the character’s conflicted emotions as he weighs the moral implications of his actions. The dangers of social media and internet addiction are just a few topics Disconnect addresses.
Fire Country (2022)
Developed by Max Thieriot, Tony Phelan, and Joan Rater, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for CBS, Fire Country is an American action drama that debuted on October 7, 2022, and got picked up for a second season on January 6, 2023. The protagonist, Bode Donovan, is a young inmate with a tumultuous history.
Donovan wants to make amends and reduce the length of his sentence, so he signs up for the California Conservation Camp Program, in which inmates help the Cal Fire (the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection). He is sent back to Northern California, near his old stomping grounds, where he must fight massive blazes alongside old pals, fellow inmates, and top-tier firefighters. Thieriot shines in the lead role as Bode Donovan, who is trying to make up for his mistakes by helping the firefighters while also paying attention to the advice he’s receiving.