Grayson Russell
Born (1998-05-01) May 1, 1998[1]
Clanton, Alabama, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active2005–present

Grayson Russell (born May 1, 1998) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series.[2][3][4]

Life and career

Russell was born in Clanton, Alabama, the son of Crystal and Jerry Russell, who have a Christian music ministry.[2] He attended public high school in Clanton at Chilton County High School, home of the Tigers, and graduated from there in 2016.[5] Russell later attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, for a brief time.

Russell's acting career began at the age of six, when he appeared as Cowboy Grayson, in a series of television commercials for a local car dealership.[2] Other commercials include appearances in a regional McDonald’s spot, and a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee commercial.[6] Russell’s film career began with an open casting call for a role in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

Russell's mother, Crystal Russell, has stated that Grayson auditioned to gain some experience with the process, and the family was surprised to learn that he would be playing Texas Ranger Bobby, the son of racecar driver Ricky Bobby (played by Will Ferrell).[7]

The Rainbow Tribe, Russell’s second movie was based on a true story, and was filmed in California in 2007. The independent film won Best Picture at the 2008 The Feel Good Film Festival[8] founded by Kristen Ridgway Flores in Los Angeles, but was released direct-to-video in 2011.[9]

In 2009, Russell appeared in a single episode of Disney's sitcom I’m in the Band.[7] In 2010, Russell appeared in the film adaptation of author Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Russell played Fregley, an awkward and unpopular classmate of Greg Heffley.[5] He reprised the role in the sequels, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011)[6] and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012).

In 2011, Russell also appeared in the Alien Candy episode of R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour. Russell plays an autistic baseball savant named Rafer, in the 2013 feature film Season of Miracles, a role for which fans and critics have acknowledged his broader acting range.[10]

In 2020, Grayson played a signalman in the Apple TV+ movie Greyhound starring Tom Hanks.[11]

Filmography

Film appearances

Year Film Role
2006 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby Texas Ranger Bobby
2010 The Rainbow Tribe Calvin
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Fregley
2011 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
2012 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
2013 Space Warriors Russell 'Rusty' Riggs
Season of Miracles Rafer
2016 Mother's Day Tommy
2020 Greyhound Signalman #1

Film voice

Year Film Role
2011 Marley & Me: The Puppy Years[12] Marley's voice

Television appearances

Year Show Role Notes
2009 I'm in the Band Martin 1 episode
2011 R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour Walt 1 episode
2020 Tell Me a Story Allen 1 episode

References

  1. ↑ "Happy 25th Birthday to Grayson Russell! The actor who played Texas Ranger Bobby in Talladega Nights, Fregley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies (2010-2012), Tommy in Mother's Day (2016), one of the Signalmen in Greyhound, and voiced Marley in Marley & Me: The Puppy Years". twitter.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Carlton, Bob (2010-03-21). "Clanton's Grayson Russell fits in feature films amid regular kid activities". The Birmingham News. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  3. ↑ Asilo, Rito (2011-04-29). "Growing Pains". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2011-05-02. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  4. ↑ "Actors to greet fans". The Columbus Dispatch. 2011-04-16. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  5. 1 2 Mims, Scott (2011-03-28). "'Wimpy Kid' movie No. 1 at box office". The Clanton Advertiser. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  6. 1 2 Wagner, Neal (2011-03-25). "Movie star celebrates premiere in Alabaster". The Shelby County Reporter. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  7. 1 2 "Film starring local opens Friday". The Clanton Advertiser. 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  8. ↑ "Feel Good Film Festival 2008". 2008. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  9. ↑ Morris, Theadoris (2011-02-09). "New film starring Grayson Russell out on DVD". The Clanton Advertiser. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  10. ↑ "Russell to star in 'A Season of Miracles'". www.clantonadvertiser.com.
  11. ↑ "Grayson Russell on 'Greyhound,' 'Talladega Nights,' and Working with Tom Hanks". www.patheos.com.
  12. ↑ Marley & Me: The Puppy Years
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