Taylor Kitsch

Taylor Kitsch was born on 8 April 1981 in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. He is a well-known Canadian actor, famous for his role as Tim Riggins in the NBC television series Friday Night Lights, which aired from 2006 to 2011. Kitsch has also appeared in several notable films, including X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Battleship (2012), John Carter (2012), Savages (2012), Lone Survivor (2013), The Grand Seduction (2014), American Assassin (2017), Only The Brave (2017), and 21 Bridges (2019).

After his breakout role in Friday Night Lights, Kitsch starred in the second season of the HBO series True Detective (2015). He also appeared in the television film The Normal Heart (2014) and portrayed David Koresh in the Paramount Network miniseries Waco (2018). More recently, he played a CIA operative in the Amazon Prime Video series The Terminal List (2022).

Kitsch's early life was shaped by his family background. He grew up with his two older brothers, Brody and Daman, after his parents separated when he was just one year old. Raised by their mother in a mobile home park, Kitsch also has two younger half-sisters. He attended Gleneagle Secondary School and began playing ice hockey at the age of three. Kitsch played junior ice hockey for the Langley Hornets in the British Columbia Hockey League until a knee injury sidelined him in 2002.

Following his injury, Kitsch pursued nutrition and economics courses at the University of Lethbridge for a year. In 2002, he moved to New York City to model with IMG and studied acting. His time in New York was challenging; at one point, he found himself homeless and sleeping on subway trains. In 2004, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he modeled for brands like Diesel and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Kitsch's rise to fame began in 2006 when he was cast in Friday Night Lights. The show received critical acclaim, and Kitsch's performance as Tim Riggins was particularly praised. Over five seasons, he became a fan favorite. Although there have been discussions about a potential film sequel, Kitsch has ruled out returning to the role.

In addition to his role in Friday Night Lights, Kitsch starred in The Covenant (2006) and later signed on to play Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. He expressed excitement about portraying the character, noting his love for Gambit and the creative freedom he experienced while developing the role.

Kitsch's career continued to flourish with significant roles in various films, including The Bang Bang Club (2010), where he portrayed photojournalist Kevin Carter, and John Carter (2012), where he played the title character. While the latter film did not perform well at the box office, Kitsch remained proud of the project.

In 2012, he starred in Battleship, reuniting with director Peter Berg. The film was based on the popular Hasbro game and featured action-packed sequences. Following this, he took on roles in Savages (2012), The Grand Seduction (2013), and Lone Survivor (2013), the latter of which was based on the true story of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell.

Kitsch continued to work in television and film, including American Assassin (2017) and Only the Brave (2017). In 2018, he portrayed David Koresh in the miniseries Waco, further showcasing his range as an actor. In 2019, he appeared in 21 Bridges alongside Chadwick Boseman.

As of 2020, Kitsch starred in the German series The Defeated and was involved in upcoming projects like Savage Salvation. He also took on a leading role in The Terminal List (2022), starring opposite Chris Pratt.

Outside of acting, Kitsch has invested in real estate, purchasing land on Lake Austin, Texas, in 2012, and beginning construction on a house in 2015. He currently resides in Bozeman, Montana, and is known for his commitment to supporting veterans' issues, having developed a close relationship with Marcus Luttrell during the making of Lone Survivor.