Israel Broussard

From a shy teen home-schooled by his mother to a lead actor in Sofia Coppola's 2013 outing "The Bling Ring," the story of Israel Broussard and his unlikely but successful acting career could headline a movie of its own. A small role in a local Biloxi, Mississippi production of "The Miracle Worker" in 2006 left Broussard with a case of the acting bug, and a year later his mother moved Israel and two of his siblings out to Los Angeles. A minor role in the Alyssa Milano sitcom "Romantically Challenged" (ABC, 2010) followed, while a family friend helped him land the role of a big-mouthed best friend in "Flipped" (2010). After a supporting part in family-friendly fare like "The Chaperone" (2011), Broussard entered the big leagues with a major role in the based-on-a-true-story film "The Bling Ring" as Marc, the doubting heart of a group of fame-obsessed, criminally-minded teens. A thoughtful performer with an eye for what makes people tick, Broussard was on the cusp of something big.

Broussard grew up in a small town outside Gulfport, MS, as the quiet sibling who never seemed to fit in with his surroundings. His mother put him in home-school after Hurricane Katrina roared through, and he fell into acting when an older sister expressed interest. After appearing in a local production of "The Miracle Worker," the introverted teen and his sister attended a scouting event in L.A., which resulted in some serious sibling rivalry when Israel was singled out for his perceptive talent. He made his TV debut in 2010 with a background role on the short-lived ABC sitcom "Romantically Challenged," and landed a supporting role as a childhood best friend in "Flipped," based on the book by the young adult author, Wendelin Van Draanen. Next up was "The Chaperone," where he portrayed a student on a school outing that becomes the target of their chaperone's bank-robbing buddies. In 2013 Coppola, impressed by Broussard's naturalistic talent, cast him in 'The Bling Ring" as Marc, an L.A. transplant who becomes increasingly uncomfortable with his newfound friends' habit of breaking into celebrity homes.