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Haley Joel Osment
Haley Joel Osment TIFF 2014.jpg
Osment in 2014
Born (1988-04-10) April 10, 1988 (age 36)
Alma mater Tisch School of the Arts
Occupation Actor
Years active 1992–present
Relatives Emily Osment (sister)

Haley Joel Osment (born April 10, 1988) is an American actor. Beginning his career as a child actor, Osment's role in the comedy-drama film Forrest Gump (1994) won him a Young Artist Award. His breakthrough came with the psychological thriller film The Sixth Sense (1999), which won him a Saturn Award and earned him nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He achieved further success with the drama film Pay It Forward (2000), the science fiction film A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) which won him a second Saturn Award, and the comedy film Secondhand Lions (2003), which won him a Critics Choice Award.

Osment has had a long-running role in the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise, voicing the series' protagonist Sora (2002–present) and one of its villains Vanitas (2010–2020) in the English versions of the games. He has sporadically appeared on-screen since his Secondhand Lions role, recognizably appearing in Sex Ed (2014) and The Spoils of Babylon (2014). He made his Broadway debut in 2008 in a short-lived revival of David Mamet's play American Buffalo, starring John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer.

Early life

Osment was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Theresa (née Seifert), a teacher, and Michael Eugene Osment, a theater and film actor, both natives of Birmingham, Alabama. Osment was raised Roman Catholic. He has one sibling, actress Emily Osment, who is four years younger. Osment's parents have described his childhood as a "good old-fashioned Southern upbringing". His father said that when Osment was learning to speak, he deliberately avoided using baby talk when communicating with his son.

Osment was a student at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada Flintridge, California. As a child, he wrestled and played basketball, football, and golf.

He graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 2011.

Career

Visiting a store at age four, Osment signed up with a talent scout. Called back for an audition, he was asked to describe the biggest thing he had ever seen; his description of an IMAX theater screen helped win him a part in a Pizza Hut TV commercial. The commercial launched his career, and later that year he starred in the ABC TV sitcom Thunder Alley, his first role in series television. His first feature film role was as Forrest Gump's son in the 1994 film Forrest Gump. He also had a small part in another 1994 film, Mixed Nuts. Throughout the rest of the 1990s, Osment played regular or recurring roles in various TV series; including The Jeff Foxworthy Show and the final season of Murphy Brown, where he replaced Dyllan Christopher as Murphy's son, Avery.

Haley Joel Osment in 2001
Osment in 2001

In addition, he made numerous guest appearances on shows, including The Larry Sanders Show, Walker, Texas Ranger, Touched by an Angel, Chicago Hope, The Pretender, and Ally McBeal. He appeared in the 1996 film Bogus, alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Gérard Depardieu and the 1998 television film The Lake, as well as I'll Remember April (1999), with future The Sixth Sense co-star Trevor Morgan.

Osment first achieved stardom in 1999, when he appeared in The Sixth Sense, co-starring Bruce Willis. For his portrayal of Cole Sear, a psychic child, Osment won the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor. He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, becoming the second-youngest performer ever to receive an academy nomination for a supporting role, but lost the final Oscar vote to Michael Caine (with whom he would later work, appearing together in Secondhand Lions). One of Osment's lines in The Sixth Sense, "I see dead people," became a popular catchphrase and is often repeated or parodied on television programs and in other media. The phrase is #44 on the American Film Institute's list of 100 Movie Quotes. He made three minor appearances on the animated TV series Family Guy in 2000 and 2001.

In 2000 Osment had a leading role in Pay It Forward, which received mixed reviews. The following year, he appeared in Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence, cementing his stature as one of the leading young actors in Hollywood. This role earned him his second Saturn Award for Best Younger Actor, and further critical acclaim. In reviewing the film, critic Roger Ebert claimed that: "Osment, who is onscreen in almost every scene, is one of the best actors now working". In 2001, Osment starred in the Polish film, Edges of the Lord, as Romek. The film was never released theatrically in the United States. Between 2002 and 2003, Osment lent his voice to films such as The Country Bears, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II and The Jungle Book 2, all from Walt Disney Pictures. He returned to live action with the 2003 film, Secondhand Lions.

Osment lent his voice to the video game series Kingdom Hearts, providing the voice of Sora, the series' main character, and also Vanitas, a villain from the same series. Osment also voiced the character of Takeshi Jin in the English version of the Immortal Grand Prix anime television series.

He appeared in Home of the Giants, playing a high school journalist opposite Ryan Merriman and Danielle Panabaker. He subsequently worked on Montana Amazon as both an actor and executive producer. The film starred Olympia Dukakis and debuted at the Orlando and Big Apple Film Festivals in November 2010, winning Best Feature Film at the latter.

Osment made his Broadway debut at the Belasco Theatre in November 2008 playing the role of Bobby in a revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo; co-starring with John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer. The show opened to mixed reviews, and a provisional statement was made on November 20, 2008, that it would close after the first week.

In 2010, Osment signed for a leading role in the comedy film Sex Ed from MPCA, to play a college graduate who wants to teach geometry, but ends up as a sex education teacher while inexperienced himself. In January 2011, Entertainment Weekly reported that Osment had joined the cast of Sassy Pants, a comedy about a homeschooler with an overbearing mother.

Variety reported on June 27, 2011, that Osment would star in Wake the Dead, a modern-day retelling of the Frankenstein story, with production to begin the last quarter of 2011. As of mid-2014, no published status was available.

In 2013, he appeared in a series of episodes of Amazon's Alpha House. He also co-starred in the Will Ferrell and Adam McKay-produced comedy melodrama miniseries The Spoils of Babylon and The Spoils Before Dying for IFC. Kevin Smith has further added to Osment's career resurgence with roles in the first two films of his True North Trilogy, first as Teddy Craft in Tusk and next as a fictionalized version of Canadian journalist Adrien Arcand in Yoga Hosers.

In 2017, Osment held a recurring role in season 4 of HBO's Silicon Valley as VR expert and tech financier Keenan Feldspar. Also in 2017, Osment made an appearance on BBC America's Top Gear America as one of the guests in the fourth episode of season 1.

In 2019, Osment had a supporting role in the Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, starring alongside Lily Collins whose character Liz follows the prosecution of Ted Bundy, played by Zac Efron. Osment performs in two series that have Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg as executive producers: Osment plays Mesmer in the Amazon series The Boys and Dr. Stu Camillo in the Hulu series Future Man.

Personal life

Osment plays the guitar and piano.

He is an avid golfer who began playing at the age of seven. He played for the U.S. team in the All-Star Cup 2005, under team leader Mark O'Meara, and has participated in the annual Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament.

As of 2007, he was living in New York City.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Forrest Gump Forrest Gump, Jr. Young Artist Award for Best Performance by an Actor Under Ten in a Motion Picture
Mixed Nuts Little Boy
1995 For Better or Worse Danny
1996 Bogus Albert Franklin Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Actor Age Ten or Under
1997 Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas Chip Voice, direct-to-video
1999 The Sixth Sense Cole Sear Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor – Newcomer (Internet Only)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Performer
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Youth in Film
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Most Promising Actor
MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Satellite Award for Outstanding New Talent
Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Teen Choice Award for Film – Choice Breakout Performance
Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor
YoungStar Award for Best Young Actor/Performance in a Motion Picture Drama
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo (Shared with Bruce Willis)
Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Debut
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
I'll Remember April Peewee Clayton
2000 Pay It Forward Trevor McKinney Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor – Drama/Romance
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor
Spot the Dog Spot the Dog Voice, direct-to-video
2001 A.I. Artificial Intelligence David Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Performer
Nominated – Empire Award for Best Actor
Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Youth Performance
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor
Edges of the Lord Romek
2002 The Hunchback of Notre Dame II Zephyr Voice, direct-to-video
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role
The Country Bears Beary Barrington Voice
2003 Secondhand Lions Walter Caldwell Critics Choice Award – Best Young Actor in Drama
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor
Nominated – Tony Award – Best Rising Star
The Jungle Book 2 Mowgli Voice

Nominated – World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written for a Film (Shared with Paul Grabowsky, Lorraine Feather, Mae Whitman, and Connor Funk)
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role – Young Actor

2007 Home of the Giants Robert "Gar" Gartland
2010 Montana Amazon Womple Dunderhead Also executive producer
2012 Sassy Pants Chip Hardy
2013 I'll Follow You Down Erol Released as Continuum outside North America
2014 Tusk Teddy Craft
Sex Ed Ed Cole
2015 Wrestling Isn't Wrestling Theater Audience Member Short film
The World Made Straight Shank
Entourage Travis McCredle
Me Him Her Haley
2016 Yoga Hosers Adrien Arcand
Almost Friends Ben
2017 Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town Walt
Sleepwalker Warren
CarGo Danny Voice
2018 Clara's Ghost Joe
2019 Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile Jerry Thompson
The Devil Has a Name Alex Gardner
2020 Bad Therapy Reed
Death of a Telemarketer Jim/Dean
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in ... Gabe
2022 Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie Casey Jones Voice
2023 Somebody I Used to Know Jeremy
2023 Lego Marvel Avengers: Code Red Collector Voice, Disney+ special
TBA Blink Twice TBA Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1994 The Larry Sanders Show Little Boy Episode: "The Fourteenth Floor"
Lies of the Heart: The Story of Laurie Kellogg Kyle Television film
1994–1995 Thunder Alley Harry Turner Starring role
1995–1997 The Jeff Foxworthy Show Matt Foxworthy Starring role
1997 Walker, Texas Ranger Lucas Simms 2 episodes
Last Stand at Saber River Davis Cable Television film
1997–1998 Murphy Brown Avery Brown #2 6 episodes
1998 Chicago Hope Nathan Cacaci Episode: "Memento Mori"
Touched by an Angel John Henry Episode: "Flights of Angels"
The Pretender Davey Simpkins 2 episodes
The Lake Dylan Hydecker Television film
The Ransom of Red Chief Andy Dorset Television film
Cab to Canada Bobby Television film
1999 Ally McBeal Eric Stall Episode: "Angels and Blimps" S2.13
Hey Arnold! Curly Gammelthorpe Voice, episode: "Deconstructing Arnold"
2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Myka Voice, episode: "Lone Wolf"
2000–2022 Family Guy Various characters Voice, 4 episodes
2005–2006 Immortal Grand Prix Takeshi Jin Voice, English dub
2013–2014 Alpha House Shelby Mellman 12 episodes
2013, 2022 American Dad! Stan's Informant, Clubber Voice, 2 episodes
2014 The Spoils of Babylon Winston Morehouse 3 episodes
2015 The Spoils Before Dying Alistair St. Barnaby-Bixby-Jones 5 episodes
... History Kid Blink Episode: "Journalism"
2015–2016 Comedy Bang! Bang! Slow Joey 10 episodes
2016 The Eric Andre Show Guest Episode: "Dennis Rodman; Haley Joel Osment"
2017 Oasis Sy Amazon Video pilot episode
Silicon Valley Keenan Feldspar 3 episodes
Top Gear America Himself Episode: "Drive Your Life"
2017–2019 Teachers Damien 4 episodes
Future Man Dr. Stu Camillo 14 episodes
2018 Swedish Dicks Dave Episode: "Floyd Cal Who"
The X-Files Davey James / Young John James Episode: "Kitten"
Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy Gaston Lebone Episode: "R.I.G.G.L.E. Day"
2019 The Boys Mesmer 2 episodes
2019–2021 The Kominsky Method Robby 7 episodes
2020 What We Do In the Shadows Topher Delmonico Episode: "Resurrection"
Robot Chicken Kevin Jonas, Tim Murphy Voice, episode: "Petless M in: Cars Are Couches On The Road"
Star Trek: Lower Decks O'Connor Voice, episode: "Moist Vessel"
The George Lucas Talk Show Himself Episode: "Yoda Hosers"
2021 Goliath Dylan Zax Recurring role
Awkwafina is Nora from Queens Amos Episode: "Home"
2021–2022 Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous Kash D. Langford Voice, season 4
2021–present Dogs in Space Garbage Voice, main role
2022 DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms Buzzsaw Voice, season 2
We Baby Bears Teddi, Bear 3 Voice, episode: "Teddi Bear"
Dead End: Paranormal Park Danny Voice, episode: "Going Up"
The Mysterious Benedict Society One Two Episode: "A Two-Way Street"

Video games

Year Title Voice role Notes Source
2002 Kingdom Hearts Sora
2006 Kingdom Hearts II
2008 Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories
2009 Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
2010 Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Sora, Vanitas
2011 Kingdom Hearts Re:coded Sora
2012 Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance Sora, Vanitas
2013 Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix Sora Archive audio
2014 Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix Sora, Vanitas Archive audio for Vanitas
2017 Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
2018 NBA 2K19 Zack Coleman Also facial capture
2019 Kingdom Hearts III Sora, Vanitas Also voices Sora in the Re:Mind (2020) DLC
2020 Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory Sora Archive audio
2021 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate As part of DLC Fighter Pack #11
Archive audio

See also

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