Lucas Black

Actor

Birth Date: November 29, 1982

Age: 40 years old

Birth Place: Speake, Alabama

Awards

Soft-spoken and unassuming, actor Lucas Black's biggest asset was the sense of genuineness he brought to his performances. Having no previous acting training whatsoever, the 11-year-old Alabama native aced a casting call for a supporting role in the Kevin Costner drama "The War" (1994) then jumped straight into television as a cast member on the short-lived but well-regarded supernatural drama "American Gothic" (CBS, 1995-96). It was, however, Black's unaffected turn as a boy who befriends a local outcast in writer-director-star Billy Bob Thornton's acclaimed film "Sling Blade" (1996) that officially put Black on the map. School and the occasional modeling job for Calvin Klein occupied much of the budding thespian's time between film jobs. Black appeared in a small, but pivotal role in "The X-Files" (1998) feature film and starred opposite Melanie Griffith in the Antonio Banderas-directed "Crazy in Alabama" (1999) prior to his work with Matt Damon and director Thornton on the neo-Western "All the Pretty Horses" (2000). After reappearing alongside Thornton in the inspirational football drama "Friday Night Lights" (2004), Black scored a touchdown as the star of "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift," (2006), the second sequel in the hugely popular action franchise. More praise came for his typically understated performance opposite seasoned veterans Robert Duvall and Bill Murray in the drama "Get Low" (2010). Still early in his career, Black's instincts and natural ability were sure to serve him well in the years ahead.