James Lafferty

During the period of 2001-2002, James Lafferty -- then a complete unknown to American audiences -- struck gold by essaying a pair of roles widely seen in the U.S. Born July 25th, 1985, Lafferty first played Emeril Lagasse's teenage son, James, on the celebrity chef's eponymous sitcom, then portrayed Indiana basketball hero Steve Alford, the prize player of controversial coach Bobby Knight for several seasons, in the profane but honest made-for-cable docudrama A Season on the Brink -- a role Lafferty held opposite the magnificent Brian Dennehy. These assignments brought the young actor much-deserved recognition, though his most prominent work still lay ahead: his portrayal of Nathan Scott, the lead character on the blockbuster prime-time series soaper One Tree Hill (2003). Lafferty continued to star in One Tree Hill until 2008, and took on a leading role in the Donnie Darko sequel S. Darko in 2009.