Shawn Ashmore

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use Canadian English Template:Infobox person Shawn Robert Ashmore (born October 7, 1979) is a Canadian actor who is known for roles in film, television, and interactive media. He is the identical twin brother of actor Aaron Ashmore. He began acting in his youth, notably portraying Jake Berenson in Nickelodeon's television series Animorphs (1998–1999), Tyler Connell in Disney Channel's television series In a Heartbeat (2000–2001), and Brad Rigby in the Disney Channel Original Movie Cadet Kelly (2002). At age 14, Ashmore received a Gemini nomination for Best Performance in a Children's/Youth Program for his starring role in the television film Guitarman (1994).

Ashmore gained international recognition for his role as Bobby Drake / Iceman in the 20th Century Fox's X-Men films (2000–2014), winning the 2004 MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Male Performance for X2. His later film roles include Canadian hero Terry Fox in Terry (2005), and lead roles in the horror films The Ruins (2008) and Frozen (2010).

On television, Ashmore portrayed FBI agent Mike Weston in The Following (2013–2015), and since 2018, he has starred as attorney Wesley Evers in the police procedural drama The Rookie. He has also headlined several video games, providing voice and performance capture for Quantum Break (2016), The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (2019), Alan Wake II (2023), and others. Ashmore received a Leo Award for Legend of Earthsea (2004) and has earned multiple Gemini and Saturn Award nominations.

Early life and education

Shawn Robert Ashmore was born on October 7, 1979, in Richmond, British Columbia, to Linda Davis, a homemaker, and Rick Ashmore, a senior manager in the floor-covering industry.<ref name="MeetAnimorphs">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> When he was a few weeks old, his family moved to St. Albert, Alberta, where he spent much of his early childhood. Around age ten, Ashmore relocated with his family to Brampton, Ontario, where he later attended Turner Fenton Secondary School.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ashmore and his identical twin brother, Aaron, began appearing in television commercials while still in elementary school. According to Shawn, the brothers began acting after a talent agent approached their mother and invited the twins to audition for a commercial. Aaron was initially cast but when he fell ill on the day of filming, Shawn replaced him, landing his first acting role.<ref name="Backstage2019">Template:Cite web</ref> Early in their careers, casting directors sometimes chose between the identical twins by flipping a coin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Early work and breakthrough (1990s–2004)

At age nine, Ashmore made his screen debut on the CTV series Katts and Dog (1990).<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> The following year, he and his brother appeared in minor roles in the feature film Married to It (1991).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ashmore's first starring role was in the family television film Guitarman (1994), which, at age 14, earned him a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance in a Children's/Youth Program.<ref name="Gemini1995">Template:Cite web</ref> In his late teens, Ashmore chose to pursue acting full-time after realizing he was happiest while working on set.<ref name="Backstage2019" />

Ashmore's first regular television role was Jake Berenson in Animorphs (1998–1999), a Nickelodeon adaptation of K. A. Applegate's popular children's science fiction books. Reflecting on the series in 2022, Ashmore said the show's enduring popularity "is so crazy to me", adding he is "always amazed" when fans still recognize him from the show.<ref name="ScreenRant2022">Template:Cite web</ref> He then starred as EMT cadet Tyler Connell in the Disney Channel series In a Heartbeat (2000–2001) and portrayed cadet major Brad Rigby in the Disney Channel Original Movie Cadet Kelly (2002).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He later described this phase of his career during his late teens and early twenties as "a real Nickelodeon/Disney moment".<ref name="ScreenRant2022" />

Ashmore debuted as Bobby Drake / Iceman in X-Men (2000). The film was a commercial success, grossing US$296.3 million worldwide<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and launching a franchise in which Ashmore reprised his role in sequels. He guest-starred as Eric Summers in two episodes of Smallville (2002, 2004), a series in which his brother later portrayed Jimmy Olsen.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Ashmore returned as Iceman in an expanded role in X2 (2003), receiving the MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Male Performance in 2004.<ref name="Guardian2004">Template:Cite news</ref> During the lead-up to the film's release, Ashmore reflected on the growing public attention, saying his family "were a little freaked out when they started realizing that my face was going to be on buses and at movie theatres".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In December 2004, Ashmore starred as the young wizard Ged in the Syfy miniseries Legend of Earthsea an adaption of Ursula K. Le Guin's novels.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The production received mixed reviews; Tom Shales of The Washington Post wrote: "Ashmore makes a likable and modest hero".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His performance earned him the 2005 Leo Award for Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama.<ref name="Leo2005" />

Film and television (2005–2015)

Shawn Ashmore photographed candidly at night in 2010

Ashmore in January 2010

In 2005, Ashmore portrayed Canadian athlete Terry Fox in the CTV biographical film Terry (2005), dramatizing Fox's long-distance run Marathon of Hope. Reflecting on the role, Ashmore noted: "the roughest part is the physicality, learning the skip-hop to make it real, and remembering and knowing the movement".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His performance earned him a Gemini Award nomination for Best Actor.<ref name="CBCGemini">Template:Cite web</ref> Also in 2005, he played Rob Donovan, a prep school student who is coerced into a stolen-car ring, in the action-comedy Underclassman.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also headlined one of three intersecting stories in the HIV/AIDs drama 3 Needles, anchoring the Canadian segment, which depicts the ripple effects of a hidden HIV diagnosis.<ref name="Backstage2019" /> He closed the year with the psychological thriller The Quiet, portraying basketball player Connor Kennedy, who befriends a social outcast named Dot.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In May 2006, Ashmore reprised his role as Iceman in X-Men: The Last Stand, the third installment of 20th Century Fox's X-Men film series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also voiced the character in the tie-in video game X-Men: The Official Game, bridging the events between X2 and The Last Stand.<ref name="GameSpot2006">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008, he starred as Eric in the horror film The Ruins,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> portraying an American tourist in Mexico who is enticed to visit a remote Mayan ruin in the jungle. The following year, Ashmore starred in the CTV telefilm Diverted (2009), playing an air‑traffic manager dealing with flights grounded in Newfoundland during the 2001 September 11 attacks in the United States.<ref name="TVGuideDiverted">Template:Cite web</ref> He also voiced Iceman again in several episodes of the animated series The Super Hero Squad Show.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2010, Ashmore portrayed Joe Lynch in Adam Green's dramatic thriller Frozen<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and co‑starred as George Barnum in the ensemble horror remake Mother's Day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Subsequently, he starred as Fitz, a hard-living air-ambulance doctor in the eight-part miniseries Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures, which was adapted from Vincent Lam's Giller Prize–winning stories. Ashmore also served as an executive producer on the series, which received nine Gemini nominations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That November, Ashmore and his brother Aaron guest-starred in the Fringe episode "Amber 31422"; Den of Geek praised their performances, describing both actors as "rather good".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The episode marked the first project on which the brothers had collaborated in fifteen years. Discussing their decision to work together, Ashmore said: "It's usually because the stuff that came along is kind of hokey, but I think the quality of Fringe is really high and the episode is done well and our characters are intelligent. We're going to have some fun."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2011, Ashmore played Adam, one of five survivors who are besieged by cannibals, in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Day. The film premiered in the Midnight Madness programme at Toronto International Film Festival and was later acquired for U.S. distribution by WWE Studios.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> He next starred in the bilingual road-movie romance Mariachi Gringo (2012), portraying Edward, an aimless Kansan man who relocates to Guadalajara to become a mariachi singer. The film premiered as the opening-night gala of the 29th Miami International Film Festival.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From 2013 to 2015, Ashmore starred as FBI special agent Mike Weston on Fox's crime thriller series The Following. Weston remained a central character throughout the show's three-season run.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2014, Ashmore reprised his role as Iceman in X-Men: Days of Future Past, appearing alongside both returning cast members from the first three films and the cast of the prequel film X-Men: First Class. He praised the decision to unite the original and prequel casts into one film, calling it "a very interesting and smart way to continue telling this story".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Continued screen work and video game debut (2016–2020)

In 2016, Ashmore moved into interactive media, starring in Microsoft's and Remedy Entertainment's action-adventure game Quantum Break. Using full-body performance capture and voice acting, he portrayed the time-manipulating protagonist Jack Joyce in both gameplay sequences and the game's live-action companion episodes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref> Upon its release, Quantum Break became Microsoft Studios' best-selling new Xbox One intellectual property and the platform's most-played new title in its launch week.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Game Informer praised Ashmore for giving Jack Joyce "the scope and complexity to be interesting for such long periods of time", highlighting his natural banter and effective escalation of tension during action sequences.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, Ashmore returned to network television as Assistant District Attorney Sam Spencer in the American legal drama Conviction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ashmore subsequently appeared in several genre films. He starred as Deputy Conrad "Colt" Salter in the science-fiction horror film Devil's Gate, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and portrayed troubled brother Officer Darryl Tarasoff in the Canadian mystery Hollow in the Land (2017).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, he appeared in the action thriller Acts of Violence as a Cleveland police officer who is pursuing a human‑trafficking ring.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That same year, Ashmore began a recurring role as defense attorney Wesley Evers on the police-procedural television series The Rookie.<ref name="PeopleRookie">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2019, he appeared in Hulu's anthology series Into the Dark, playing migrant‑rights activist Thomas in the Independence Day–themed episode "Culture Shock".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also continued his interactive media work by providing voice, likeness, and motion capture for the playable character Conrad in the horror game The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (2019).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2020, Ashmore had a recurring role as Lamplighter, a former member of the superhero group the Seven, in the second season of the Amazon Prime Video superhero series The Boys.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Reflecting on the role, Ashmore noted the contrast with his earlier portrayal of Bobby Drake / Iceman, whom he described as "the quintessential good guy", saying his casting as Lamplighter "wasn't a coincidence". He said: "One of the things I liked about The Boys is that they subvert the genre, and I really got to lean into that".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Series creator Eric Kripke said Ashmore initially auditioned for another part, but Kirpke "really wanted to get him into the show" and considered him "perfect" for Lamplighter due to Ashmore's "X-Men pedigree" and strong acting. Ashmore enjoyed the irony, stating it was fun to play "both sides of a superhero".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Television main cast and expanded game work (2021–present)

In 2021, Ashmore appeared in two thriller features. He portrayed Kevin Dadich in the Netflix release Aftermath<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and starred as Nick Miller, an increasingly controlling husband, in the psychological‑horror film The Free Fall, which premiered on October 7 at Grimmfest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, his recurring role as defence attorney Wesley Evers on ABC's show The Rookie was upgraded to a main-cast position at the start of the third season.<ref name="PeopleRookie" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He reprised the Evers role in "Standoff", a 2022 episode of the spin‑off show The Rookie: Feds.<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref>

In 2023, Ashmore provided voice acting and motion capture for Sheriff Tim Breaker in Remedy Entertainment's survival-horror game Alan Wake II.<ref name="GI_AW2">Template:Cite magazine</ref> In the game's downloadable content, Ashmore portrayed an alternate-reality version of himself filming a time-travel game scene, a sequence one reviewer described as "a real fourth wall break" that is filled with references and in-jokes about Ashmore's earlier role in Quantum Break.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Remedy's Sam Lake noted this character was written specifically for Ashmore as a nod to his earlier collaboration.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ashmore continued working in interactive media by voicing Timmy LeBlanc in Sons of the Forest (2023). GamesRadar+ reported Ashmore joined the cast as side character Timmy LeBlanc, noting the game's February 2024 update would expand his character's role in the story.<ref name="GamesRadar_SOTF">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2025, Ashmore starred as Randall Harris in the supernatural-horror film It Feeds, which was directed by Chad Archibald.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ashmore co-starred in Just Breathe, a crime thriller marking director Paul Pompa III's feature debut. The film was in post-production in late 2024,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in June 2025, Shout! Studios acquired its North American distribution rights.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It had a digital release that September.<ref name="Shout-JustBreathe-Release">Template:Cite web</ref> Ashmore is also set to star in the psychological thriller The Huntsman, which will be directed by Kyle Kauwika Harris. The film, which is based on Judith Sanders's novel, features Ashmore as a repressed ICU nurse who volunteers to read to a comatose patient who is suspected of serial murders.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Clear

Personal life

On July 27, 2012, Shawn Ashmore married Dana Renee Wasdin in Los Angeles; the couple met on the set of the thriller Frozen, where Wasdin served as an assistant director.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They have one son, who was born in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ashmore and his twin brother Aaron have matching "GMA" tattoos on their wrists. According to Aaron, the initials stand for "Good Man Ashmore", honouring their step-grandfather Gangu Jagtiani, who married their grandmother before the twins were born and was regarded as their grandfather.<ref name="SoapCentral">Template:Cite web</ref> Ashmore has supported breast cancer awareness causes. In October 2021, he participated in a virtual meet‑and‑greet auction run by the non-profit A Cause for Entertainment, proceeds from which went to breast-cancer research and patient support.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1991	Married to It	Student in pageant
1998	All I Wanna Do	Photographer	Originally titled The Hairy Bird
2000	X-Men	Bobby Drake / Iceman
2001	Wolf Girl	Beau
2002	Cadet Kelly	Brad Rigby
2003	X2	Bobby Drake / Iceman	MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (with Anna Paquin) Nominated—Saturn Award for Cinescape Genre Face of the Future (Male) Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Chemistry (with Anna Paquin)
2005	Underclassman	Rob Donovan
	3 Needles	Denys, the porn actor
	The Quiet	Connor
2006	X-Men: The Last Stand	Bobby Drake / Iceman
2008	Solstice	Christian
	The Ruins	Eric
2010	Frozen	Joe Lynch
	Mother's Day	George Barnum
	Hatchet II	Fisherman #1
2011	The Day	Adam
2012	Mariachi Gringo	Edward
	Already Gone (short)	Jude Mulvey	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
	The Barrens	Dale
	Breaking the Girls	Eric
2014	X-Men: Days of Future Past	Bobby Drake / Iceman
	Happy Halloween (short)	David	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016	Home Invasion	Template:TableTBA	Executive producer
2017	Devil's Gate	Conrad "Colt" Salter
	Hollow in the Land	Darryl
2018	Acts of Violence	Brandon
2020	Darkness Falls	Jeff Anderson
2021	Aftermath	Kevin Dadich
	The Free Fall	Nick Miller
2025	It Feeds	Randall Harris
	Just Breathe	Chester
	data-sort-value="Huntsman, The" Template:Pending film	ICU nurse (lead)	Post-production<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1989	Katts and Dog		Episode: "Mistaken Identity"
1992	The Ray Bradbury Theater	Charlie	Episode: "Colonel Stonesteel and the Desperate Empties"
1992–1993	Mr. Dressup	Shawn	4 episodes<ref name="CBCDressup">Template:Cite web</ref>
1993	Gross Misconduct: The Life of Brian Spencer	Young Brian Spencer	TV film
1994	Guitarman	Waylon Tibbins	TV film Nominated—Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Children's/Youth Program
1996	Any Mother's Son	Billy	TV film
1997	Flash Forward	Gord	Episode: "Mudpack"
	Promise the Moon	Leviatus Bennett	TV film
	Melanie Darrow	David Abbott	TV film
	Fast Track	Young Chandler	Episode: "Combustions"
1998–1999	Animorphs	Jake	Main role
1999	The City	Tyler	Episode: "Departures"
	Real Kids, Real Adventures	Aaron Hall	Episode: "Mountain Lion"
	At the Mercy of a Stranger	Danny	TV film
2000	Earth: Final Conflict	Max	Episode: "Sanctuary"
	The Famous Jett Jackson	Chet	Episode: "What You Wish For"
2000–2001	In a Heartbeat	Tyler Connell	Main role
2001	The Big House	Trevor Brewster	TV film
	Blackout	First Son	TV film
	The Outer Limits	Morris Shottwell	Episode: "Lion's Den"
2002	Aces		TV film
2002–2004	Smallville	Eric Summers	Episodes: "Leech", "Asylum"
2004	Earthsea	Ged	Miniseries Leo Award for Best Lead Performance By a Male in a Feature Length Drama
2005	Terry	Terry Fox	TV film Nominated—Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series
2009	Diverted	Mike Stiven	TV film
2009–2010	The Super Hero Squad Show	Bobby Drake / Iceman (voice)	Episodes: "Mysterious Mayhem at Mutant High!", "The Ice Melt Cometh!"
2010	Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures	Fitz	Miniseries
	Fringe	Joshua Rose	Episode: "Amber 31422"
2013–2015	The Following	Mike Weston	Main role
2016	Relationship Status	Ben	3 episodes
2016–2017	Conviction	Sam Spencer	Main role
2018	S.W.A.T.	William Tanner	1 episode
2018–present	The Rookie	Wesley Evers	Recurring role (seasons 1–2); main role (season 3–present)
2019	Into the Dark	Thomas	Episode: "Culture Shock"
2020	The Boys	Lamplighter	3 episodes
2022	The Rookie: Feds	Wesley Evers	Episode: "Standoff"

Video games

Year	Title	Voice role	Notes
2006	X-Men: The Official Game	Bobby Drake / Iceman
2016	Quantum Break	Jack Joyce	Also likeness and motion capture
2019	The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan	Conrad	Also likeness and motion capture
2023	Alan Wake II	Tim Breaker / the actor	Also likeness and motion capture
2024	Sons of the Forest	Timmy

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result	Template:Abbr
1995	Gemini Awards	Best Performance in a Children's/Youth Program	Guitarman	Template:Nominated	<ref name="Gemini1995" />
2003	Saturn Awards	Cinescape Genre Face of the Future (Male)	X2	Template:Nominated	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie – Chemistry (with Anna Paquin)	X2	Template:Nominated	.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2004	MTV Movie & TV Awards	Best Breakthrough Male Performance	X2	Template:Won	<ref name="MTV2004">Template:Cite press release</ref>
		Best Kiss (with Anna Paquin)	X2	Template:Nominated	<ref>Template:Cite web Note: Click on the 'Winners' tab.</ref>
2005	Leo Awards	Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama	Legend of Earthsea	Template:Won	<ref name="Leo2005">Template:Cite web</ref>
2006	Gemini Awards	Best Actor in a Dramatic Program or Mini‑Series	Terry	Template:Nominated	<ref name="CBCGemini" />
2016	Golden Joystick Awards	Performance of the Year	Quantum Break	Template:Nominated	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2017	NAVGTR Awards	Performance in a Drama, Lead	Quantum Break	Template:Nominated	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

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