Jake T. Austin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jake T. Austin
Austin in 2018
Born	Jake Toranzo Austin Szymanski (1994-12-03) December 3, 1994 (age 30) New York City, U.S.
Other names	Jake Austin
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2002–present

Jake Toranzo Austin Szymanski (born December 3, 1994), known as Jake T. Austin, is an American actor. He started acting when he was seven years old. Jake is famous for playing Max Russo in the Disney Channel show Wizards of Waverly Place. He was also the first voice of Diego in the Nickelodeon cartoon Go, Diego, Go!. Jake also played Jesus Foster in the family drama The Fosters on ABC Family. You might have seen him in movies like Hotel for Dogs, New Year's Eve, Rio, and The Emoji Movie.

Early Life and Background

Jake Austin was born in New York City. His mother is Giny Rodriquez Toranzo, and his father is Joe Szymanski. The "T" in his name comes from his mother's maiden name. His mother has roots from Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Spain. His father's family comes from Poland, Ireland, and England. Jake is proud of his Puerto Rican background, even though he has said he doesn't speak Spanish very well. He has one younger sister named Ava.

Jake's Acting Journey

Starting Out (2002–2006)

Austin in 2008

Jake Austin's acting career began in 2002 when he appeared in TV commercials. A year later, he had his first small acting part in a comedy sketch on Late Show with David Letterman. In 2005, he got his first big role. He became the voice of Diego, Dora's cousin, in the popular Nickelodeon cartoon Dora the Explorer. He continued to voice Diego in the spin-off show, Go, Diego, Go!, for three seasons.

Besides voicing Diego, Jake also lent his voice to characters in the movies The Ant Bully and Everyone's Hero. In 2006, Jake got the main role of Angel Macias in his first live-action movie, The Perfect Game. This film was based on a true story about a team from outside the U.S. that won the 1957 Little League World Series. The movie was released in the United States a few years later.

Becoming a Wizard (2007–2011)

Austin at the premiere of The Perfect Game in 2010

In 2007, Jake Austin appeared in his first Walt Disney Company project. He played Chris in the Disney Channel movie Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board. Later that year, he was cast as Max Russo in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place. He played the youngest child in a family of wizards, starring alongside Selena Gomez and David Henrie.

While on Wizards of Waverly Place, Jake appeared in other Disney shows. In 2009, he played Max Russo in a special crossover episode called Wizards on Deck. This episode brought together characters from Wizards of Waverly Place, The Suite Life on Deck, and Hannah Montana.

That same summer, he starred in the TV movie Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie. The movie was very popular. It became one of the most-watched Disney Channel movies at that time. Jake also made his first live-action movie appearance in 2009. He played Bruce, an orphan who hides many dogs in an old hotel, in the DreamWorks film Hotel for Dogs. In 2010, Latina magazine named Jake one of the "25 Brightest Latino Stars Under 25." He also wrote his first movie script, called Kings of Suburbia.

Moving to The Fosters (2011–2015)

Austin in September 2011

In 2011, Jake Austin voiced Fernando, a young Brazilian boy, in the animated movie Rio. He voiced the character again in the sequel, Rio 2. He also appeared in the romantic comedy movie New Year's Eve, which came out in December 2011. The next year, he had guest roles in the TV shows Drop Dead Diva and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Jake got his next big role in 2013. He was cast as Jesus Foster in The Fosters on ABC Family. The show is about two moms raising both their biological and foster children in San Diego, California. He played Jesus for two seasons. He left the show in 2015. After leaving, Jake said he was "honored to have been a part of such a groundbreaking series." Another actor, Noah Centineo, took over the role of Jesus.

Recent Work (2016–Present)

In 2016, Jake voiced Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle in the animated movie Justice League vs. Teen Titans. On August 30, 2016, it was announced that Jake would be a contestant on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars. He danced with professional dancer Jenna Johnson. They were the first couple to be eliminated from the competition on September 20, 2016. In October 2018, Jake joined the cast of Adverse, a thriller movie starring Mickey Rourke. Adverse was shown for the first time at the Fantasporto Festival in Portugal on February 28, 2020.

Personal Life

Jake Austin spends his time living in both Los Angeles and New York. He has two dogs named Bogey and Beju. His family owns a restaurant called The Clarksville Inn in West Nyack, New York. This building was originally a hotel built in 1840.

Jake also helps many charities. He supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which helps children with serious medical conditions. He also works with the Starlight Children's Foundation, which aims to make life better for children with long-term illnesses. He has also supported the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He believes it's important for young people to have a supportive place and feel good about themselves.

In October 2020, Jake talked about his mixed family background. He also spoke about how important it was to vote in the election. He said that being active in the voting process is very important, whether it's for local, state, or national leaders.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video game

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jake T. Austin para niños