Gregory Smith

A gifted actor, Canadian-born Gregory Smith grew up in front of the camera, with starring roles in kid-powered projects such as "Harriet the Spy" (1996), "Small Soldiers" (1998) and "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" (Disney Channel, 1999). He played one of Richard Dreyfuss' sons in "Krippendorf's Tribe" (1998) and one of Mel Gibson's brood in "The Patriot" (2000), but achieved full-fledged stardom as the angsty, angry Ephram Brown whose father (Treat Williams) moves the whole family from Manhattan to small-town Colorado on the acclaimed drama "Everwood" (The WB, 2002-06). Smith's charismatic performance as Ephram proved iconic to a certain generation of viewers, and the actor won a Young Artist Award as well as five Teen Choice Award nominations. After the series ended, Smith appeared in such eclectic films as "Hobo with a Shotgun" (2011) and the Daniel Craig mystery "Dream House" (2011), but scored another long-running TV gig as Dov Epstein, a sensitive, ambitious police academy grad on the Canadian cop drama "Rookie Blue" (Global, 2010-15). After an impressive run as a heavily in demand child star, Gregory Smith impressed fans and critics alike with how gracefully he grew into a gifted adult actor.

Born July 6, 1983 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Gregory Smith enjoyed dual Canadian and American citizenship and began his onscreen career as an infant in a Tide laundry detergent commercial. Continuing to work steadily in print and television ads, Smith ascended to full-fledged acting roles with a guest spot on the Michael Chiklis series "The Commish" (ABC, 1991-96) and garnered further experience on such series as "Street Justice" (syndicated, 1991-93) and "Highlander: The Series" (syndicated, 1992-98). His film debut came in the Tina Majorino-starring seal comedy "Andre" (1994) and he earned additional roles in such kid-friendly fare as "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" (Nickelodeon, 1991-2000), "Leapin' Leprechauns!" (1995) and "Big Bully" (1996). After essaying the best friend of the titular espionage agent (Michelle Trachtenberg) in the film adaptation of the classic children's novel "Harriet the Spy" (1996), he won a Young Artist Award for his role in the creepy comedy "Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework" (1997) and reprised his "Leapin' Leprechauns" role in the sequel "Spellbreaker: Secret of the Leprechauns" (1996).He next landed a supporting role in the Richard Dreyfuss comedy "Krippendorf's Tribe" (1998), but continued his ascent in the eyes of younger viewers with starring roles in the action comedy "Small Soldiers" (1998) and the made-for-TV comedy "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" (Disney Channel, 1999). Smith was next seen on the big screen as one of Mel Gibson's brood in the Revolutionary War drama "The Patriot" (2000) and then as the youngest member of the James-Younger gang in "American Outlaws" (2001). In between, Smith made his primetime series debut as a regular playing Mary Stuart Masterson's teenage son on the short-lived series "Kate Brasher" (CBS, 2001). He appeared in the made-for-TV adaptation of the Madeleine L'Engle fantasy "A Wrinkle in Time" (ABC, 2004) and in the long-delayed Nicole Richie dramedy "Kids in America" (2005), but broke through as Ephram, the brooding teenage son of a widowed doctor (Treat Williams) who relocates his family to a picturesque Colorado town on the gentle drama "Everwood" (The WB, 2002-06).

As the angry, emotionally complex Ephram, Smith more than held his own opposite his adult co-stars, and won another Young Artist Award, five Teen Choice Award nominations, and a place in the hearts of countless fans who found the dreamy, deep character and the actor who masterfully played him irresistible. After "Everwood" ended, Smith went on to appear in the fantasy "The Seeker: The Dark is Rising" (2007), multiple TV shows like "Eli Stone" (ABC, 2008-09) and the tribute-to-exploitation-flicks "Hobo with a Shotgun" (2011). Although he landed a supporting role opposite Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts in the mystery "Dream House" (2011), Smith found more success on television with a juicy role on the Canadian cop series "Rookie Blue" (Global, 2010-15). Playing Dov Epstein, an overeager young cop with a complicated past, Smith continued his successful transition from child star into full-fledged grown-up actor, and even directed an episode of the police drama.

By Jonathan Riggs