Louis Tomlinson

A fun-loving prankster and talented singer, Louis Tomlinson auditioned for "The X Factor" (ITV, 2004- ) as a solo act but was instead grouped with fellow contestants Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Harry Styles to form the boy band, One Direction. After coming in third on the reality show, they hit No. 1 with their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful," scored the hit follow-up "Gotta Be You" and released their blockbuster debut album, 2011's Up All Night. Showered with European awards, fan adulation and commercial success, One Direction next conquered America with appearances on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), "iCarly" (Nickelodeon, 2007- ) and the chart-topping release of their album stateside. Representing a new era of boy bands that were less packaged and more approachable, One Direction, as well as Louis Tomlinson, seemed poised to enjoy considerable success on the global stage.

Born Dec. 24, 1991 in Doncaster, England, U.K., Louis William Tomlinson was the oldest of five and the only son in his family. His two youngest sisters, twins Daisy and Phoebe, had roles as babies on a TV show, where Tomlinson often worked as an extra before attending acting school. He earned small roles on "If I Had You" (ITV, 2006) and "Waterloo Road" (BBC One, 2006- ) and gained musical theater experience at school before auditioning as a solo act for "The X Factor" (ITV, 2004- ) in 2010, performing "Hey There Delilah." Sent for additional training at the show's musical boot camp by the judges, Tomlinson's rendition of "To Make You Feel My Love" was deemed not strong enough for him to make the cut as a solo singer.

Happily, this opened other professional doors for Tomlinson, who was teamed with fellow contestants Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson to form One Direction, whose name was coined by Styles himself. As a boy band, they placed third on "The X Factor" and ascended to international superstardom with the 2011 release of their debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful." Hitting No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart and breaking sales records, the song paved the way for a follow-up hit, "Gotta Be You," and their global smash debut album, Up All Night. Continuing their meteoric rise, the band notched a sold-out U.K. tour and won three 4Music Awards (Best Group, Best Breakthrough and Best Video), a Brit Award (Best British Single for "What Makes You Beautiful") and two U.K. Kids' Choice Awards (Favorite U.K. Newcomer and Favorite Band).

Decidedly on a roll, the boys' European success led to their American breakthrough, with their album hitting No. 1 and One Direction replicating their U.K. success in the U.S. with a flood of endorsements, publicity appearances and performances. They were featured as the musical guest - as well as appeared in a skit - on the Sofia Vergara-hosted episode of "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), booked a guest spot on "iCarly" (Nickelodeon, 2007- ), and announced plans for a 2012 world tour. Unlike the previous wave of boy bands of the late 1990s, One Direction eschewed matching clothing and tightly choreographed dancing, radiating instead a seemingly less manufactured, less polished image. Although much of their appeal came from their unified front of playful energy, each member stood out in his own way. Tomlinson's charm came from his humorous personality and sleek, tailored look. Especially close to bandmate and roommate Harry Styles, the twosome were jointly referred to affectionately as "Larry Stylinson" by fans.

By Jonathan Riggs