Shawn Ashmore

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Shawn Robert Ashmore (born October 7, 1979)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is a Canadian actor. He is the identical twin brother of actor Aaron Ashmore.

He gained international recognition as Bobby Drake / Iceman in the X-Men film series (2000–2014), a role that earned him the 2003 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Male Performance. Ashmore's screen career also includes leading parts in the television series Animorphs (1998–1999), Cadet Kelly (2002), the Gemini-nominated telefilm Terry (2005), the film The Ruins (2008), and the superhero television series The Boys (2020), in which he played the pyrokinetic anti-hero Lamplighter.

On television, he has also portrayed Agent Mike Weston in the series The Following (2013–2015) and, since 2018, has starred as attorney Wesley Evers on The Rookie. His interactive media work includes headlining roles in the video games Quantum Break (2016), The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (2019), and Alan Wake II (2023). Ashmore won a 2004 Leo Award for Legend of Earthsea and has received additional Gemini and Saturn Award nominations.

Early life and education

Shawn Robert Ashmore was born in Richmond, British Columbia,<ref name="TVGuideBio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> to Linda (née Davis), a homemaker, and Rick Ashmore,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a manufacturing engineer. Shortly after his birth, the family lived in St. Albert, Alberta, before settling in Brampton, Ontario, where he attended Earnscliffe Senior Public School and Turner Fenton Secondary School.<ref name="TVGuideBio" />

Shawn and his identical twin brother, Aaron Ashmore, began appearing in television commercials while still in elementary school.<ref name="TributeBio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At age nine, Shawn made his screen debut on the CTV series Katts and Dog (1990); the following year both brothers had small roles in the feature film Married to It (1991).<ref name="TributeBio" /> His first starring vehicle was the family telefilm Guitarman (1994), which earned him a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance in a Children's/Youth Program.<ref name="Gemini1995">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career

File:Shawn Ashmore Out on the Town as Photographed by Jason Michael.jpg

Ashmore in January 2010

Early work and breakthrough (1990s–2004)

Ashmore's first sustained television role was Jake Berenson in the Nickelodeon series Animorphs (1998–1999), followed by lead billing as EMT cadet Tyler Connell in Disney Channel's In a Heartbeat (2000–2001).<ref name="TVGuideBio" />

His breakthrough came when director Bryan Singer cast him as Bobby Drake / Iceman in X-Men. Although his part was filmed in only three weeks,<ref name="TributeBio" /> the franchise gave Ashmore global recognition, and he reprised the role with an expanded arc in X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand. For X2 he received the MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Male Performance in 2004.<ref name="MTV2004">Template:Cite press release</ref> Ashmore also reprised his role as Iceman in the animated series The Super Hero Squad Show, as well as voicing the role for X-Men: The Official Game.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In between X‑Men films he diversified with Disney Channel's Cadet Kelly (2002),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a Disney Channel original film which aired in 2002. He also guest-starred as Eric Summers in two episodes of Smallville, a series on which his brother was later cast in the role of Jimmy Olsen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In December 2004, Ashmore was cast in the lead role in the SciFi Channel mini series Legend of Earthsea, based on the novels by Ursula K. Le Guin.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He played the role of Ged, a young wizard-in-training.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</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)

In 2005, he portrayed Canadian icon Terry Fox in the CTV biographical film Terry (2005), dramatizing the Marathon of Hope; his performance earned him a Gemini Award nomination for Best Actor.<ref name="Gemini2006">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The same year, he appeared in the action‑comedy Underclassman,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the HIV/AIDS anthology drama 3 Needles,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the psychological thriller The Quiet.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2008, he starred as one of the leads in the 2008 horror film The Ruins.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following year, he starred in the CTV telefilm Diverted (2009), playing an air‑traffic manager coping with flights grounded in Newfoundland during the September 11 attacks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Ashmore was cast in Adam Green's 2010 dramatic thriller Frozen as Joe Lynch.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also co‑starred in the ensemble horror remake Mother's Day (2010) as eldest brother George Barnum.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ashmore starred in the apocalyptic siege warfare film The Day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> From 2013 to 2015, Ashmore starred as FBI agent Mike Weston in Fox's crime‑thriller series The Following.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He reprised his role as Iceman in the 2014 film X-Men: Days of Future Past.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Video games and recent roles (2016–present)

In April 2016, Ashmore starred in the Microsoft/Remedy video game Quantum Break, providing both performance capture and live‑action cut‑scenes as protagonist Jack Joyce. The title blends third‑person shooter gameplay with TV‑style episodes featuring the same cast.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also did the motion capture and voice acting for the character.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

From October 2016 to January 2017, he played the role of Sam Spencer on the American legal drama Conviction.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The series was filmed in Toronto.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Following Conviction, Ashmore returned to feature films with a run of genre projects. He headlined the science‑fiction horror thriller Devil's Gate, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, and played a troubled brother in the Canadian mystery Hollow in the Land (2017).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He next starred in the action thriller Acts of Violence (2018), portraying a police officer pursuing a human‑trafficking ring.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In interactive media, Ashmore provided voice, likeness, and motion capture for the playable character Conrad in the horror game The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (2019).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> That same year he appeared in Hulu's anthology series Into the Dark, playing migrant‑rights activist Thomas in the Independence Day episode "Culture Shock".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2020, Ashmore recurred in the second season of the Amazon Prime Video superhero series The Boys as Lamplighter, a former member of the superhero group the Seven.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2021 Ashmore appeared in two thriller features. He played Kevin Dadich in the Netflix release Aftermath.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also starred as the manipulative husband Nick Miller in the psychological‑horror film The Free Fall, which premiered at Grimmfest on October 7, 2021.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

That same year, Ashmore's recurring part Wesley Evers, a defence attorney turned ADA, on ABC's The Rookie was upgraded to the main cast at the start of its third season; he has remained a series regular through the seventh season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ashmore later reprised the role in the spin‑off The Rookie: Feds episode "Standoff" (2022).<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref>

In 2023, Ashmore voiced and performed motion capture for Sheriff Tim Breaker in Remedy Entertainment's survival-horror video game Alan Wake II.<ref name="GI_AW2">Template:Cite news</ref>

Ashmore continued his game work by voicing Timmy LeBlanc in Sons of the Forest. Ahead of the game's full 1.0 launch on February 22, 2024, GamesRadar+ reported that "X-Men, The Boys, and Alan Wake 2 actor Shawn Ashmore has joined the cast, voicing side character Timmy LeBlanc", and that the update would "expand Timmy's role" in the narrative.<ref name="GamesRadar_SOTF">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2025, Ashmore starred as Randall Harris in the supernatural-horror film It Feeds, directed by Chad Archibald.<ref name="DC_ItFeeds">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Shawn and his twin brother Aaron have the letters "GMA" tattooed on their wrists. According to Aaron, the initials stand for "Good Man Ashmore," in tribute to their step-grandfather, Gangu Jagtiani, who married their grandmother before the twins were born and was considered their grandfather.<ref name="SoapCentral">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On July 27, 2012, Ashmore married film executive Dana Renee Wasdin, whom he met while filming Frozen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The couple has one son, Oliver, born in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="PeopleLoves2025">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ashmore has also supported breast‑cancer causes. In October 2021, he joined a virtual meet‑and‑greet auction run by the nonprofit A Cause for Entertainment, with proceeds funding research and patient support.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=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	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	The Barrens	Dale	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Breaking the Girls	Eric
2014	X-Men: Days of Future Past	Bobby Drake / Iceman
	Happy Halloween (short)	David	citation	CitationClass=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	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	data-sort-value="Huntsman, The" Template:Pending film	ICU nurse (lead)	Post-production<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Template:TableTBA	Template:Pending film	Chester	citation	CitationClass=web }}</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"
	Mr. Dressup	Shawn	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1993	Gross Misconduct: The Life of Brian Spencer	Young Brian Spencer	TV film
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"
	Wolf Girl	Beau	TV film
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	MTV Movie & TV Awards	Best Breakthrough Male Performance	X2	Template:Won	<ref name="MTV2004" />
2004	Leo Awards	Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama	Legend of Earthsea	Template:Won	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Saturn Awards	Cinescape Genre Face of the Future (Male)	X2	Template:Nominated	<ref name="MTV2004" />
	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie – Chemistry (with Anna Paquin)	X2	Template:Nominated	<ref name="MTV2004" />
2005	Gemini Awards	Best Actor in a Dramatic Program or Mini‑Series	Terry	Template:Nominated	<ref name="Gemini2006" />

External links

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