Dylan O'Brien | |
|---|---|
.jpg) O'Brien in 2025 | |
| Born | Dylan Rhodes O'Brien[1] (1991-08-26)August 26, 1991 (age 34) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2011–present |
Dylan Rhodes O'Brien (born August 26, 1991)[2] is an American actor. His first major role was asStiles Stilinski in theMTV supernatural seriesTeen Wolf (2011–2017). He achieved further prominence for his lead role in the science fictionMaze Runner trilogy (2014–2018), which led to more film appearances.
O'Brien playedDeepwater Horizon explosion survivor Caleb Holloway in the disaster filmDeepwater Horizon (2016), fictional counterterroristMitch Rapp in the action thrillerAmerican Assassin (2017), and voiced thetitle character in theTransformers installmentBumblebee (2018). He also played the lead role in the adventure filmLove and Monsters (2020) and the horror filmCaddo Lake (2024). He received critical acclaim for his lead role in theindependent filmTwinless (2025).
O'Brien was born inNew York City, the son of Lisa (née Rhodes), a former actress who ran an acting school, and Patrick O'Brien, a camera operator.[3][4] He grew up inSpringfield Township, New Jersey, until the age of twelve, when he and his family moved toHermosa Beach, California.[5][6][7] He is of Irish, Italian, English, and Spanish descent.[8] After graduating fromMira Costa High School in 2009, he considered pursuingsports broadcasting and possibly working for theNew York Mets.[9]
At 14, O'Brien began posting original videos onto his YouTube channel. In his senior high school year, a local producer and director approached him about working for a web series.[4] While working on the series, O'Brien met an actor who connected him with a manager. O'Brien subsequently changed his plans to attendSyracuse University[10] as a sports broadcasting major to pursue acting.[11]
Before beginning his acting career, O'Brien produced, directed and starred in a number of short comedy films which he released through his personal YouTube channel, "moviekidd826".[12] He was also the drummer for the independent rock band Slow Kids at Play.[13]
O'Brien's acting break came when he landed one of the main roles in MTV'sTeen Wolf, a series loosely based onthe 1985 film. He was intended to play Scott, but after reading the script, he wanted to audition for the part of Stiles instead.[14] After four auditions, he was cast,[4] and started playing the role in 2010.[15] He received severalTeen Choice Awards and aYoung Hollywood Award for his work on the series.
In 2011, O'Brien was introduced to audiences in the entirely improvised independent comedy filmHigh Road. The next year, he starred in the romantic comedyThe First Time.
In 2013, while on hiatus fromTeen Wolf, he co-starred in the comedy filmThe Internship; and that summer, filmedThe Maze Runner (2014),[16] playing the lead role of Thomas.Yahoo! Movies named him as one of the 15 Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2014.[17] He reprised the role of Thomas inMaze Runner: The Scorch Trials, released on September 18, 2015.[18]
In March 2016, O'Brien was seriously injured on set while filming a stunt forMaze Runner: The Death Cure. He was in a harness on top of a moving vehicle when he was unexpectedly pulled off the vehicle and hit by another vehicle. His injuries included facial fractures, a concussion, and brain trauma.[19][20] He later said that the accident "'broke most of the right side'" of his face; he underwent reconstructive facial surgery.[21] After months of recovery, he eventually began filming other projects, and his March 2017 return toThe Death Cure set marked his complete return to health.[22] The film premiered January 26, 2018.[22][23][24]
In 2016, he appeared in the disaster thriller-dramaDeepwater Horizon, based on the 2010Deepwater Horizon explosion. He starred in 2017'sAmerican Assassin, an action-thriller where he played titular characterMitch Rapp;[25][26] and voiced theCGI title character in theTransformers spin-off filmBumblebee in 2018.[27]
In 2019, he guest-starred in the comedy sci-fi anthology seriesWeird City.[28] In 2020, he starred in the mystery thrillerFlashback (filmed in 2018),[29] and the post-apocalyptic road trip filmLove and Monsters.[30]
In February 2021, he was cast inThe Outfit,[31] for which filming finished in April 2021.[32] In August 2021, he was cast inNot Okay,[33] for which filming finished in September 2021. Also in August, he was cast inCaddo Lake, originally reported by Discussing Film[34] and later confirmed byDeadline Hollywood in October 2021.[35] In October 2021, it was announced he would guest star in season 11 ofCurb Your Enthusiasm.[36] On November 12, 2021, O'Brien starred oppositeSadie Sink inTaylor Swift's short filmAll Too Well.[37] He was credited as a drummer on the track "Snow on the Beach" from Swift's tenth studio album,Midnights (2022).[38] He then appeared asDan Aykroyd inSaturday Night and in the psychologicalblack comedyTwinless directed byJames Sweeney.Twinless was screened at the2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won theAudience Award – U.S. Dramatic.[citation needed]
In 2026, he starred inSam Raimi's survival horror filmSend Help, released in January.[39] Also in 2026, he was scheduled to star inSian Heder's biographical dramaBeing Heumann.[40]
.jpg)
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Charlie Brown: Blockhead's Revenge | Charlie Brown | Short film | [41] |
| High Road | Jimmy | |||
| 2012 | The First Time | Dave Hodgman | ||
| 2013 | The Internship | Stuart Twombly | ||
| 2014 | The Maze Runner | Thomas | ||
| 2015 | Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials | Thomas | ||
| 2016 | Deepwater Horizon | Caleb Holloway | ||
| 2017 | American Assassin | Mitch Rapp | ||
| 2018 | Bumblebee | Bumblebee (voice) | ||
| Maze Runner: The Death Cure | Thomas | |||
| 2020 | Flashback | Fredrick Fitzell | ||
| Love and Monsters | Joel Dawson | |||
| 2021 | Infinite | Heinrich Treadway | ||
| All Too Well: The Short Film | Him | Short film | ||
| 2022 | The Outfit | Richie Boyle | ||
| Not Okay | Colin | |||
| 2023 | Maximum Truth | Simon | [42] | |
| 2024 | Ponyboi | Vinnie | [43] | |
| Saturday Night | Dan Aykroyd | [44] | ||
| Caddo Lake | Paris Lang | [45][46] | ||
| 2025 | Twinless | Roman / Rocky | Also executive producer | [47] |
| Anniversary | Josh Taylor | |||
| 2026 | Send Help | Bradley Preston | ||
| TBA | Being Heumann† | Evan White | Filming | [48] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2017 | Teen Wolf | Stiles Stilinski | Main role | |
| 2013 | First Dates with Toby Harris | Peter | Web series short; episode: "Roommates" | [49] |
| New Girl | The Guy | Episode: "Virgins" | ||
| 2019 | Weird City | Stu Maxsome | Episode: "The One" | [28] |
| 2020 | Amazing Stories | Sam Taylor | Episode: "The Cellar" | [50] |
| 2021 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Himself | Episode: "Angel Muffin" | [36] |
| 2023 | The Other Two | Himself | Episode: "Cary Becomes Somewhat of a Name" | [51] |
| 2024 | Fantasmas | Dustin | Episode: "The Little Ones" | [52] |
| Award | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giffoni Film Festival | 2014 | Experience Award | – | Honored | [53] |
| Gotham TV Awards | 2025 | Outstanding Performance in an Original Film | Caddo Lake | Nominated | [54] |
| Melty Future Awards | 2015 | Prix International Masculin | — | Won | [55] |
| MTV Movie Awards | 2015 | Best Hero | The Maze Runner | Won | [56] |
| Best Fight(shared withWill Poulter) | The Maze Runner | Won | |||
| Best Scared-As-S**t Performance | The Maze Runner | Nominated | |||
| Breakthrough Performance | The Maze Runner | Won | |||
| NewNowNext Awards | 2014 | Best New Film Actor | The Maze Runner | Nominated | [57] |
| Sundance Film Festival | 2025 | U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting | Twinless | Won | [58] |
| Teen Choice Awards | 2014 | Choice TV Villain | Teen Wolf | Won | [59] |
| 2015 | Choice Movie Actor: Action/Adventure | The Maze Runner | Nominated | [60] | |
| Choice Movie Chemistry(shared withThomas Brodie-Sangster) | The Maze Runner | Nominated | [61] | ||
| Choice TV: Scene Stealer | Teen Wolf | Won | |||
| 2016 | Choice AnTEENcipated Movie Actor | Deepwater Horizon | Won | [62] | |
| Choice Movie Actor: Action/Adventure | Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials | Won | [63] | ||
| Choice Movie Chemistry(shared withThomas Brodie-Sangster) | Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials | Won | [64] | ||
| Choice Summer TV Actor | Teen Wolf | Won | |||
| 2017 | Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor | Teen Wolf | Won | [65] | |
| Choice TV Ship(shared withHolland Roden) | Teen Wolf | Nominated | |||
| 2018 | Choice Action Movie Actor | Maze Runner: The Death Cure | Nominated | [66] | |
| Choice Movie Ship(shared withKaya Scodelario) | Maze Runner: The Death Cure | Nominated | |||
| Variety &Golden Globe's Breakthrough Artist Awards | 2024 | Breakthrough Award | Ponyboi | Honored | [67] |
| Young Hollywood Awards | 2013 | Best Ensemble(shared withTyler Posey,Crystal Reed,Holland Roden andTyler Hoechlin) | Teen Wolf | Won | [68] |
| 2014 | Breakthrough Actor | — | Won | [69] |
