Jeremy London
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
One of the most talented actors to emerge out from the 1990s post-grunge era, Jeremy London made his mark in Hollywood with featured roles on feel-good family dramas including "I'll Fly Away" (NBC, 1991-93) and "7th Heaven" (The WB, 1996-2006; The CW, 2006-07), as well as edgier indie film projects. His clean-cut image and wholesome appeal - traits he shared with identical twin brother and fellow actor Jason London - captivated audiences of all ages, most notably due to his multilayered role on the hit television series "Party of Five" (FOX, 1994-2000) as the husband of Neve Campbell's character. ondon's career-defining role as the doe-eyed romantic lead in Kevin Smith's slacker comedy classic "Mallrats" (1995) set him up for a promising career onscreen.
Jeremy Michael London was born on Nov. 7, 1972 in San Diego, CA, along with his identical twin brother, Jason, to Debbie Nielsen, a waitress, and Frank London, who worked in construction. The future star was raised in Oklahoma and Texas, where his love for performing flourished. Though both he and his brother pursued acting careers at the same time, it was Jason who first booked a feature film role in the romantic drama, "The Man in the Moon" (1991) and a part in the Emmy Award-winning drama "I'll Fly Away." Due to a scheduling conflict, Jason turned down the part in "I'll Fly Away," opening the door wide open for his brother to audition. London was cast as Nathaniel "Nathan" Bedford, the son of a Southern district attorney (Sam Waterston) involved with the Civil Rights Movement. The critically acclaimed show only lasted two seasons due to low ratings, but ended with a made-for-TV film titled "I'll Fly Away: Then and Now" that aired on PBS in 1993. Ironically, London was unable to appear in the series finale, so his brother (originally cast as Nathan Bedford) played the part. Hollywood instantly took notice of the twins for their onscreen charm and All-American good looks, which made People magazine's "Most Beautiful" issue in 1996.
The London family was rocked by tragedy in 1992 after their younger sister, Dedra, died from a car accident at just 16 years old. Shortly after that, the twin brothers moved to Los Angeles. London made his leading role debut in 1995 with two very diverse features: "The Babysitter," a dramatic thriller in which he played a young man obsessed with a teen babysitter (Alicia Silverstone), and "Mallrats," a comedy written and directed by Kevin Smith. The latter focused on a group of young suburbanites who spend most of their day inside a New Jersey shopping center. The film turned its relatively unknown cast - aside from "Beverly Hills 90210" (Fox, 1990-2000) star Shannen Doherty - into Hollywood "It" actors, including Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, and London. That same year, the actor landed a recurring role on "Party of Five," a series that focused on a family of siblings orphaned after their parents were killed by a drunk driver. The ensemble cast included Matthew Fox, Campbell, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. London became a regular cast member in 1997 as Campbell's character Julia Salinger's scheming husband, Griffin. Like other similar youthful ensemble shows that had come before, "Party of Five" became a launching pad for its young cast to further their Tinseltown careers after the series wrapped in 2000.
While Fox, Campbell, and Love Hewitt went on to star in some of the most successful film and television franchises, London's career stalled for most of the early 2000s. After a handful of supporting roles in independent films, London joined the cast of another TV family drama, the long-running "7th Heaven." For two seasons, London played a young minister whose father had lung cancer. He married actress Melissa Cunningham in September 2006, and had a son, Lyrik London, in March 2007. London's personal life, much like his acting career, stayed relatively low profile for a few years until he opened up in April 2010 about his ongoing battle with drugs. The actor - who went to rehab in September 2009 - revealed to People magazine that his addiction to prescription pills had led to a failed marriage with Cunningham, and ruined his relationship with his son.
Just when it seemed the actor was putting his life back on track - with starring roles in several independent film projects such as the thriller "House Under Siege" and the Iraq war drama "The Divided" - a bizarre and terrifying chapter in London's life unfolded. On June 10, 2010, armed men allegedly abducted and robbed London outside a hotel in Palm Springs, CA. According to the police report, two men stopped to help the actor change a flat tire before pulling a handgun, kidnapping him, forcing him to take drugs, and making him purchase alcohol to hand out in a gang-riddled area of the city. London managed to escape and contact authorities after being held captive for over 12 hours. One of the men, 26-year-old Brandon Adams, was arrested and charged with multiple counts, including kidnapping and robbery. The news brought to light London's own legal and personal troubles. He had been driving on a suspended license and was recovering from drug addiction at the time of his abduction. Following the incident, London's mother and brother spoke out of concern and asked him to get the help he desperately needed. London reportedly sent a message to a friend on a popular networking site where he claimed the alleged kidnappers threatened to go after his son if he pressed charges. Meanwhile, tabloid sites such as Radaronline reported a different turn of events that raised suspicions the kidnapping was fake, including a claim that London's estranged wife Cunningham was in the car at the time of the abduction, and that his alleged abductor even gave her a ride back home. Not long after the story broke, London and Cunningham curiously joined the cast of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab."
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1991
Cast as Nathanial Bedford on the critically acclaimed series "I'll Fly Away" (NBC)
1991
First audition was for a part in "The Man in the Moon" that went to his brother Jason; cast as his brother's stunt double
1991
Acting debut in TV movie "In Broad Daylight"
1995
Feature debut in the straight-to-video "The Babysitter"
1995
Starred in his first theatrically released film, Kevin Smith's "Mallrats"
1995
Cast as Griffin on the hit Fox series "Party Of Five"
1999
Cast in the USA Network miniseries "Journey to the Center of the Earth"
2001
Made directorial debut with the documentary "Secrets Through the Smoke"
2002
Played a young minister named Chandler Hampton on The WB series "7th Heaven"
2003
Featured in "Gods and Generals" with Jeff Daniels and Robert Duvall
2007
Appeared as Nate on four episodes of HBO's "Tell Me You Love Me"
Family
Companions
