Anson Mount
About
Biography
Biography
An intense actor, Anson Mount had several credits under his belt when he earned teen fame as Britney Spears' love interest in the coming-of-age dramedy "Crossroads" (2002). Doing his best to avoid being typecast as a lightweight hunk, Mount landed fulltime gigs on "Line of Fire" (ABC, 2003-04), "The Mountain" (The WB, 2004-05) and "Conviction" (NBC, 2006), as well as booking supporting roles in "In Her Shoes" (2005) and "Straw Dogs" (2011). He came into his own as an adult actor when he impressed critics and fans alike in the demanding dramatic lead role of vengeance-seeking Civil War veteran Cullen Bohannon in the railroad-themed Western "Hell on Wheels" (AMC, 2011-16). Unlike many of his contemporaries who found early success in teen projects, Anson Mount actively focused on building a career rooted in heavier roles and more challenging subject matter.
Born Feb. 25, 1973 in White Bluff, TN, Anson Adams Mount IV graduated from Columbia University with an MFA in theater in 1998 and made his screen debut the following year with guest spots on "Ally McBeal" (Fox, 1997-2002) and "Sex and the City" (HBO, 1998-2004). After roles in "Boiler Room" (2000) and "Urban Legends: Final Cut" (2000), he recurred on "Third Watch" (NBC, 1999-2005) and landed his breakthrough role as the mysterious, sexy Ben who romances a road-tripping Britney Spears in her film debut "Crossroads" (2002). Although Mount had reservations about taking the role, it put him on the radar of a certain generation and earned him a Teen Choice Award nomination.
Mount worked hard, however, to distance himself from a teen heartthrob reputation by appearing in the "Project Greenlight" (HBO, 2001-04; Bravo, 2005)-winning film "The Battle of Shake Heights" (2003) before landing series regular roles on the crime drama "Line of Fire" (ABC, 2003-04) and the skiing resort family saga "The Mountain" (The WB, 2004-05). He played a sexual conquest of Cameron Diaz's flighty Maggie in "In Her Shoes" (2005), guested on "Lost" (ABC, 2004-2010), and starred as a hard-edged attorney on Dick Wolf's "Conviction" (NBC, 2006). When that show ended, he joined John Stamos to play a pair of brothers whose ruthless competitive natures destroy themselves and everyone else in "The Two Mr. Kissels" (Lifetime, 2008).
Mount lensed supporting roles in the road trip drama "Hick" (2011), the thriller remake "Straw Dogs" (2011) and as one of "Seal Team 6: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden " (National Geographic Channel, 2012), but finally achieved his adult breakthrough role on the hit Western series "Hell on Wheels" (AMC, 2011-16). On the gritty drama, Mount played Cullen Bohannon, a former Confederate soldier holding down the day job of helping to build the Pacific Railroad while seeking revenge on the northerners who murdered his family.
By Jonathan Riggs
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Life Events
1999
Made primetime debut on episode of Fox's "Ally McBeal"
1999
Played Joshua in Terrence McNally's controversial play "Corpus Christi"
2000
Acted in featured role in "Urban Legends: The Final Cut"
2000
Made directorial debut with short film "Nose"
2000
Starred in the well-received independent drama "Tully"
2000
Made feature film debut in "Boiler Room"
2000
Played recurring part of a doctor on the NBC series "Third Watch"
2002
Co-starred with Britney Spears in "Crossroads"
2002
Appeared alongside Robert De Niro in "City by the Sea"
2003
Cast on the ABC drama "Line of Fire," created by Rod Lurie
2005
Appeared in Curtis Hanson's "In Her Shoes," adapted from the novel by Jennifer Weiner
2008
Co-starred in the Lifetime movie "The Two Mr. Kissels" alongside John Stamos and Robin Tunney
2011
Cast in Rod Lurie's feature remake of "Straw Dogs"
2011
Starred on AMC Western drama "Hell on Wheels"
2012
Cast in action thriller "Safe" with Jason Statham
2014
Appeared in race drama "Supremacy"
2017
Played Black Bolt on "Marvel's Inhumans"
Family
