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 at age seven. Jake is famous for playing Max Russo on the Disney Channel show Wizards of Waverly Place. He was also the first voice of Diego on the Nickelodeon cartoon Go, Diego, Go!.

Jake T. Austin also played Jesus Foster on the ABC Family drama The Fosters. You might have seen him in movies like Hotel for Dogs, New Year's Eve, Rio, and The Emoji Movie.

Early Life and Family

Jake Austin was born in New York City. His mom is Giny Rodriquez Toranzo, and his dad is Joe Szymanski. The "T" in his name comes from his mother's maiden name.

His family has roots from different places. His mom's family is from Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Spain. His dad's family is from Poland, Ireland, and England. Jake is proud of his Puerto Rican background, even though he doesn't speak Spanish fluently. He has a 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 commercials. A year later, he had a small role 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, on the popular Nickelodeon show Dora the Explorer. He continued to voice Diego on the spin-off series, Go, Diego, Go!, for three seasons.

Besides voicing Diego, Jake also lent his voice to movies like The Ant Bully and Everyone's Hero. In 2006, he played 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 baseball team from Mexico that won the 1957 Little League World Series.

Becoming a Wizard (2007–2011)

Austin at the premiere of The Perfect Game in 2010

In 2007, Jake Austin joined the Walt Disney Company. 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 wizard sibling, alongside Selena Gomez and David Henrie.

While on Wizards of Waverly Place, Jake appeared in other Disney projects. In 2009, he was part of the Wizards on Deck special. This episode brought together characters from Wizards of Waverly Place, The Suite Life on Deck, and Hannah Montana.

That same summer, he starred in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie. The movie was very popular, becoming one of the most-watched Disney Channel films at the time. In 2009, Jake also made his first live-action movie appearance in Hotel for Dogs. He played Bruce, an orphan who helps hide many dogs in an old hotel.

New Roles and Voice Acting (2011–2015)

Austin in September 2011

In 2011, Jake Austin voiced Fernando in the animated musical film Rio. Fernando was an orphaned Brazilian boy who helped capture exotic birds. Jake voiced Fernando again in the sequel, Rio 2. He also appeared in the romantic-comedy movie New Year's Eve in December 2011.

The next year, he had guest roles on TV shows. He played Samuel Forman, a young millionaire, on Drop Dead Diva. He also played Rob Fisher on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2013, Jake got another big role as Jesus Foster in The Fosters. This show was about two moms raising both biological and foster children. Jake played Jesus for two seasons. He left the show in 2015, and another actor took over his role.

Recent Work (2016–Present)

In 2016, Jake Austin voiced Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle in the animated movie Justice League vs. Teen Titans. On August 30, 2016, he joined Dancing with the Stars as a contestant. He danced with professional dancer Jenna Johnson. They were the first couple to be eliminated from the competition.

In October 2018, it was announced that Jake joined the cast of Adverse. This movie is a thriller that premiered in February 2020.

Personal Life and Charity Work

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 spends time helping different charities. He supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with serious medical conditions. He also works with the Starlight Children's Foundation, which helps improve life 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 environment and feel good about themselves.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video game

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jake T. Austin para niños