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Spencer Breslin
Born (1992-05-18) May 18, 1992 (age 33)
New York City, New York, United States
Occupation Actor
Years active 1997–present
Spouse(s)
Grace Tame
(m. 2017; div. 2021)
Relatives Abigail Breslin (sister)

Spencer Breslin (born May 18, 1992) is an American actor and songwriter. He has appeared in feature films, including Disney's The Kid, The Santa Clause 2, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, The Cat in the Hat, Raising Helen, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, The Shaggy Dog, and Harold. His television credits include Teamo Supremo, Stephen King's Storm of the Century, and Law & Order.

As of 2016, Breslin has been writing songs for and playing in his band, Broken Machine, and co-hosting the Spencer & Lara's Vomitorium podcast.

Early life

Breslin was born in New York City, New York, to Michael Breslin, a telecommunications consultant of Irish and Austrian-Jewish heritage, and Kim Breslin (née Walsh), a talent manager of predominantly Irish and English heritage. He has two siblings: older brother Ryan (b. 1985) and younger sister Abigail (b. 1996), who are both actors. They were raised in the Lower East Side, where they were homeschooled by their mother.

Personal Life

Breslin married Australian activist Grace Tame in 2017; they divorced in 2021 after 4 years of marriage.

Acting career

Early Career (1997–2004)

Breslin was discovered by a talent scout at a New York City playground at the age of 3 and went on to star in more than 50 commercials for McDonald's, Life cereal, Pampers, and other products. He made his TV debut at age 4 and was a series regular in the first season of ABC's 1997 sitcom Soul Man, in which he played the youngest child of Dan Aykroyd's character. He later guest-starred in several shows, including Law & Order, before appearing in Stephen King's Storm of the Century in 1999.

At 8 years old, Breslin starred in the 2000 fantasy comedy-drama film Disney's The Kid as Rusty alongside Bruce Willis, who played the adult version of the same character, Russ.

For that role, Breslin won the 2000 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Young Actor Age Ten or Under at the 22nd Young Artist Awards presented by the Young Artist Association. He was also nominated for the 2001 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor, awarded by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, and the 2000 Young Star Award for Best Young Actor in a Comedy Film, presented by The Hollywood Reporter.

He played a little boy in the 2000 comedy film Meet the Parents. Later that year, he played Joey in the Disney Channel Original Movie The Ultimate Christmas Present, and was nominated for the 2000 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy or Drama) Young Actor Age 10 or Under.

A young Breslin played Curtis the Elf in the 2002 Christmas comedy-fantasy film The Santa Clause 2, the first of four films in which he co-starred alongside Tim Allen. He also appeared in the 2002 TV movie Mom's on Strike; and as a pesky younger brother in the 2003 film You Wish!.

Breslin was nominated for a 2003 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role at the 24th Young Artist Awards for his work in 2002's Return to Neverland voicing the role of Cubby the lost boy. That same year, he also played the voice of Captain Crandall/Cap in the Disney animated television series Teamo Supremo.

In 2003, Breslin starred alongside Dakota Fanning and Mike Myers in the 2003 fantasy comedy film The Cat in the Hat as Conrad, the older brother of Fanning's character. The film was critically panned and grossed $134 million worldwide.

Breslin played on-screen siblings with his real-life younger sister Abigail Breslin in the 2004 comedy drama Raising Helen, starring Kate Hudson as their aunt and guardian. The two siblings worked together again in the 2004 romantic comedy The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, in which Breslin at the age of 12 played a prince and Abigail made a cameo as a girl at an orphanage. The film made $134.8 million at the worldwide box office. In 2004, Breslin was a regular on the short-lived CBS sitcom Center of the Universe starring John Goodman. He appeared in the Wonderfalls episode

Also in 2004, Breslin was asked to read alongside Alyson Stoner, Dylan and Cole Sprouse, and Hailey Anne Nelson when Dr. Seuss won his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mid-Career (2005–2009)

In 2006, Breslin reprised his role as Curtis the Elf in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. He also appeared in the superhero action-adventure comedy Zoom and the comedy The Shaggy Dog that same year.

Breslin went on to star as the titular character in the 2007 comedy Harold, about a teen who starts prematurely balding at an early age. He also appeared as Josh in M. Night Shyamalan's doomsday thriller The Happening.

Later Career (2010–present)

Breslin lent his voice as Anthony to the 2010 animated 3-D educational sci-fi adventure film Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey. In 2010, MTV listed Breslin as one of "The 17 Coolest 17 Year-Olds from Around the World".

Breslin appeared as Max in the 2011 film Born to Race. He then played Jason in the 2012 romantic comedy drama Stuck in Love. Breslin appeared alongside Abigail as Cousin Derek in the 2012 crime drama Perfect Sisters. Breslin also began to work in other aspects of film making, serving as an executive producer on the animated Really Bad Movie! in 2013, as well as writing and directing his own short films.

Breslin starred as Isaac in the 2016 horror film Some Kind of Hate, which starred Grace Phipps and Sierra McCormick and played at the Stanley Film Festival, the Fantasia International Film Festival, and Fright Fest.

As of July 2016, Breslin was co-hosting the Spencer & Lara's Vomitorium weekly podcast, dedicated to "complaining about the unbearable, insufferable, and aggravating."

Music

Breslin finished recording his folk-indie debut album Labor Day in October 2009; the album was released in August 2012. It was recorded by Ladybug Transistor's Gary Olson and produced by James William Hindle.

Breslin has founded his own record label, Acadian Recording Company.

As of July 2016, he was playing in his rock 'n roll, indie folk band; Broken Machine. Breslin writes all of his own music.

Discography

Labor Day

Labor Day
Studio album by
Spencer Breslin
Released August 14, 2012
Recorded October 2008 – October 2009, Marlborough Farms, Brooklyn
Genre Folk rock
Length 35:40
Language English
Label Acadian Recording Co.
Producer James William Hindle

Labor Day is Breslin's debut album, released under his own label, Acadian Recording Co., on August 14, 2012.

Written and composed by 16-year-old Breslin, Labor Day was recorded by Gary Olson — known for his engineering work for acts such as Cold Cave, Jens Lekman, and The Essex Green — over three, week-long sessions in Brooklyn from 2008 to 2009. The album was produced by James William Hindle, whose own music has been featured in The O.C., One Tree Hill, and other shows. Musicians featured include, among others, Kevin Barker (Joanna Newsom, Vetiver, and Antony and the Johnsons), Isobel Knowles (Architecture in Helsinki), Kyle Forester (Crystal Stilts), and Eric Farber (Ladybug Transistor). The record also features a spoken word cameo by actor Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, The Squid and the Whale).

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Spencer Breslin, except where noted.. 

No. Title Length
1. "Winter Coat"   3:36
2. "Bobby of Saratoga"   1:50
3. "A German in New York" (Breslin, James William Hindle) 4:10
4. "The Rapture"   2:41
5. "Rejection Speaks"   4:27
6. "Opal"   0:55
7. "The Hammer"   2:40
8. "Linen Shirt"   2:25
9. "The Patient" (featuring Jesse Eisenberg) 1:08
10. "Labor Day"   8:15
11. "Midwest"   3:22

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1997 Soul Man Fred Weber 3 episodes
1998 Law & Order Nicholas Waring TV show
Episode: "Cherished"
1999 Trinity Little Kid TV show
Episode: "Patron Saint of Impossible Causes"
Stephen King: Storm of the Century Donny "The Little Boy" Beals
2000 Meet the Parents Little Boy
Disney's The Kid Rusty Duritz
Kenny the Shark Matt TV special (live action)
The Ultimate Christmas Present Joey Thompson Television film
2001 Robertson's Greatest Hits Spencer Robertson Television film
Kate Brasher Simon Traylor TV series
Episode: "Simon"
2002 Teamo Supremo Crandall Voice
Return to Neverland Cubby Voice
Mom's on Strike Sam Harris Television film
The Santa Clause 2 Curtis the Elf
2002–05 Express Yourself Himself Interstitial series
2003 You Wish! Stevie Lansing / Terrence Russell McCormack Television film
The Cat in the Hat Conrad Walden
2004 Raising Helen Henry Davis
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Prince Jacques
Center of the Universe Miles Barnett TV series
Wonderfalls Peter Johnson 1 episode
2006 Ozzie Justin Morton Filmed in 2004, released in 2006
The Shaggy Dog Josh Douglas
Zoom Tucker Williams / Mega-Boy
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause Curtis the Elf
2008 The Happening Josh
Harold Harold Clemens
2009 Bless this Mess Doug Television film
Bones Clinton Gilmore Episode: "The Salt in the Wounds"
2010 Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey Anthony Voice
2011 Born to Race Max
2012 Stuck in Love Jason
2013 Really Bad Movie! Executive Producer
2014 Perfect Sisters Cousin Derek
2015 Some Kind of Hate Isaac
Sunshine Becomes You Alex's Driver
2016 F**kin' Actors Spencer Episode: "The Rush Call"
2018 External Forces Spencer Short film
2019 Wickenberg Joe Davidson Realtor Short film
2022 Murder, Anyone? Blain
2024 Darkness of Man Chris
Don't Say It Mikey

Awards and nominations

Breslin won the 2000 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Young Actor Age Ten or Under. He was also nominated for the 2000 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actor Age 10 or Under, the 2000 YoungStar Award for Best Young Actor in a Comedy Film, the 2001 Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor, the 2003 Young Artist Award as Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role, and the 2007 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Young Ensemble Cast.

List of awards

Award Year Category Result Role
Young Artist Awards 2000 Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy or Drama); Young Actor Age 10 or Under Nominated Joey in The Ultimate Christmas Present
The Saturn Awards 2001 Best Performance by a Younger Actor Nominated Rusty Duritz in Disney's The Kid
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actor Age Ten or Under Won
Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actor Age Ten or Under Nominated Joey Thompson in The Ultimate Christmas Present
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards 2003 The Spencer Breslin Award (for Worst Performance by a Child in a Feature Role) Won Conrad Walden in The Cat in the Hat
Young Artist Awards 2003 2003 Young Artist Award as Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role Nominated Cubby in Return to Neverland
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards 2006 The Spencer Breslin Award (for Worst Performance by a Child in a Feature Role) Won Curtis the Elf in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, Josh in The Shaggy Dog, and Tucker Williams/Mega Boy in Zoom
Young Artist Awards 2007 Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film Nominated Curtis the Elf in Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Spencer Breslin para niños

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