| Intro | American actor |
| Is |
Actor Television actor Film actor |
| From | United States of America |
| Type | Film, TV, Stage & Radio |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 7 October 1982, Paradise, Mono County, California, USA |
| Age: | 37 years |
| Star sign | Libra |
Jacob Adam McLaughlin (born October 7, 1982) is an American soldier and actor. He is most famous for playing Gordon Bonner in Paul Haggis’s In the Valley of Elah. McLaughlin starred as Tate in the short lived spring 2014 NBC series Believe. He also co-starred as Ryan Booth in the ABC thriller series Quantico.
Early life
McLaughlin is the son of John P. McLaughlin, of Irish descent, and wife Rebecca Kay De Victoria, of Cheyenne and Irish descent.
He attended Notre Dame Catholic School and Chico High School in Chico, Butte County, California. He moved to Southern California and obtained a GED from North Hollywood High, North Hollywood, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.
McLaughlin joined the United States Army as a Dismount Infantry Squad Automatic Weapon Gunner in 2002. He was part of the 3rd Infantry Division. His unit was one of the first to enter Baghdad. NBC reporter David Bloom died while embedded with McLaughlin’s unit. He served in Iraq and was critically injured. For his efforts, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and the Army Achievement Medal four times for his service during Operation Iraqi Freedom, but, despite having been critically wounded, he was so far never awarded the Purple Heart. He was featured in Soldier of Fortune magazine. He is mentioned in David Zucchino’s 2004 book Thunder Rün.
Acting career
After leaving the military, McLaughlin worked on a crab boat in Oregon and as a security guard at Universal Studios. He was living in Chico, Butte County, California, doing concrete work and had only $200 in his checking account when he heard about the casting session for Paul Haggis’s In the Valley of Elah. Being a former Dismount Infantry S.A.W. Gunner in Iraq in real life, he thought he would read for the role after hearing that Haggis was auditioning actual vets for several parts.
After the success of his first movie, McLaughlin made cameo appearances in movies such as The Day the Earth Stood Still and Cloverfield. He appeared in episodes of The Unit and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He got his first major role on TV in 2009, when he was cast in the television remake of the Oscar-winning film, Crash. In the following years he made many appearances on television. In 2011, he was cast in Warrior which was followed by a supporting role in Safe House.
In February 2013, McLaughlin was cast as the male lead in Believe, a television pilot by Alfonso Cuarón which was picked to series in May 2013. The show premiered on NBC in March, 2014.
In March 2015, McLaughlin was cast in the role of Ryan Booth on the television pilot, Quantico, which was picked to series in May. The show premiered on the ABC network in September 2015.
Personal life
In 2004, McLaughlin married Stephanie […]. They have four children, three girls, Rowan, Reagan, and Freya, and one son, Logan.