Ryan Merriman

Ryan Earl Merriman (born April 10, 1983) is an American actor. He began his career at the age of ten and has appeared in several feature films and television shows. He is best known for a handful of Disney Channel original movies and for portraying Jake Pierce in The Ring Two, Kevin Fischer in Final Destination 3, and Ian Thomas in Pretty Little Liars.

Early life Merriman was born in Choctaw, Oklahoma, the son of Earl and Nonalyn Merriman. He has a sister named Monica. At a young age, he began acting in commercials, print work, vocal performances, and local theater (Stage Struck Studios) in Oklahoma.

Career Merriman's first major role was on the television series The Mommies, which ran from 1993 to 1995. He stated in a 1999 interview alongside Bobbie Wygant that he auditioned for the lead role in North (1994) before Elijah Wood was cast in 1993. During the 1990s, he appeared in most episodes of The Pretender as a younger version of Jarod, the series' main character. He has starred in several television films, including Smart House, The Luck of the Irish, and as a young Meyer Lansky in Lansky. He appeared in the 1999 feature film The Deep End of the Ocean, playing the lost son of Michelle Pfeiffer's character, and subsequently starred as the main character, a Jewish boy from the Bronx, in the 2000 film Just Looking. In 2002, he played Adam Eddington in another Disney Channel original movie, A Ring of Endless Light. He then returned to television roles, appearing in Dangerous Child, Taken, and Smallville.

Merriman's other roles include the horror films Halloween: Resurrection (2002), The Ring Two (2005), and Final Destination 3 (2006). He starred in Home of the Giants, a high school drama. He appeared in the CBS miniseries Comanche Moon in January 2008. He played Henry Dunn in the original pilot presentation for Harper's Island, but was replaced by Christopher Gorham when the series was picked up by CBS. From 2010 to 2014, Merriman portrayed Ian Thomas on ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars. In 2012, he starred as Dennis Mack in the 16th episode of Season 2 in Hawaii Five-0.

Dwight Little wanted Merriman to play Jin Kazama in his film Tekken, but Merriman turned it down. He starred in the Hallmark Channel original movie Elevator Girl as Jonathan, a successful young lawyer who finds himself falling for a free-spirited young woman who is way below his pay grade. In 2011, he appeared as linebacker Jon Abbate in The 5th Quarter, a film about the 2006 football season of Wake Forest University.

Since 2018, though he still occasionally appears in movies and TV shows, he works in Oklahoma as an entreprise account and sales manager in the dental healthcare sector.

Personal life Merriman was married to Micol Duncan from 2004 to 2011. On January 1, 2012, he became engaged to Kristen McMullen. They were married in September 2014. Their daughter Chloe was born in July 2018 and their son Jack was born in 2023.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1999 The Deep End of the Ocean Benjamin "Ben" Cappadora / Sam Karras - Age 12 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor Just Looking Lenny Levine Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor 2002 Halloween: Resurrection Myles "Deckard" Barton 2003 Spin Eddie Haley 2005 Rings Jake Pierce Short film The Ring Two 2006 Final Destination 3 Kevin Fischer 2007 Home of the Giants Matt Morrison 2009 Wild Cherry Stanford 2011 The 5th Quarter Jon Abbate 2012 Cheesecake Casserole Andy Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader Kyle My Hometown Rick Dickson 2013 Dose of Reality Matt 42 Dixie Walker 2015 The Last Rescue Paratrooper Griggs 2016 The Congressman Jared Barnes A Sunday Horse Jonathan Collier Domain Denver Fortune Cookie Bryce 2018 The Jurassic Games The Host 2019 Portal Steven 2020 Robot Riot Main Role Amazon Prime 2024 Model House The Neighbor

Television Year Title Role Notes 1993–1995 The Mommies Blake Kellogg Main role, 30 episodesNominated — Young Artist Award for Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series 1995 The Client Jeff Dietrich Episode: "The Way Things Were" 1996–2000 The Pretender Young Jarod / Gemini Main role, 50 episodesNominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Supporting Young Actor (1997)Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Supporting Young Actor (1998, 1999) 1997 What's Right With America Todd Gordon Television film 1998 Everything That Rises Nathan Clay Television filmYoung Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie/Pilot/Mini-Series or Series – Leading Young Actor 1999 Night Ride Home Justin Television film Smart House Ben Cooper Disney Channel Original Movie Lansky Meyer Lansky Television film 2000 Rocket's Red Glare Todd Baker 2001 The Luck of the Irish Kyle Johnson Disney Channel Original Movie Touched by an Angel Jason Harris Episode: "Visions of thy Father" Dangerous Child Jack Cambridge Television filmYoung Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie or Special – Leading Young Actor 2002 Taken Sam Crawford Episode: "Acid Tests"Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Special – Supporting Young Actor A Ring of Endless Light Adam Eddington Disney Channel Original Movie 2003–2004 Veritas: The Quest Nikko Zond Main role, 13 episodes 2004 Smallville Jason Dante Episode: "Velocity" 2005 The Colt Jim Rabb Television film (Hallmark) 2008 Comanche Moon Jake Spoon 3 episodes Backwoods Adam Television film 2010 Elevator Girl Johnathan 2010–2014 Pretty Little Liars Ian Thomas Recurring role, 16 episodes 2012 Hawaii Five-0 Dennis Mack Episode: "I Helu Pu" 2013 Independence Daysaster Pete Garsette Television film 2015 Ballers Frat Boy Episode: Pilot How Not to Propose Travis Television film 2019 A Christmas Movie Christmas Dustin