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FROM GOOD BOY TO WONDER MAN

Jacob Tremblay shines bright in Hollywood

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Story by Lesley Diana

Jacob Tremblay was the darling of the 2016 awards season for his break-out, starring role in the feature fi lm “Room.” The fi lm garnered a total of 107 awards, including an Oscar win for Brie Larson for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.Jacob delighted talk show hosts across the globe, including Jimmy Kimmel, with the excitement of the accolades being earned by the fi lm. Every talk show wanted him and they were not disappointed with his charisma and charm.

Being only eight at the time, Jacob was uninhibited, free, and excited with the whirlwind adventures the fi lm was creating for him. And, after sharing such emotional roles on screen, Brie and Jacob are still friends and will remain so for a lifetime.Jacob is the recipient of 23 awards, including a Canadian Screen Award, and Critics’ Choice Movie Award for his work in the fi lm “Room.” One of Jacob’s most challenging roles, the feature fi lm opens a window into a world of darkness a harrowing nightmare for a mother and son held captive in unimaginable circumstances.

Jacob’s equally powerful and emotional role is in Lionsgate’s fi lm “Wonder,” based on the New York Times bestseller, which tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial diff erences who attends a mainstream elementary school for the fi rst time. Filmed in Vancouver, Jacob spent hours a day in make-up to create the face of a young boy living with Treacher’s Collins Syndrome. With Julia Roberts playing

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“ Jacob is the recipient of 23 awards, including a Canadian Screen Award,and Critics’ Choice Movie Award for his work in the film ‘Room.’ ”

his mother and Owen Wilson, his father, the movie has a gentle message about the power of kindness and the consequences of bullying.Jacob graduated from high school at the start of this year and to celebrate he bought his fi rst car, a BMW. Completing high school will now allow Jacob to focus solely on the fi lm industry, instead of having to split his time between acting and

his education, as he has for the last thirteen years. Recently, while promoting his lead role in the delightful animated Netfl ix feature fi lm “Orion and the Dark,” Jacob was surprised with a graduation cap and gown by Today Show hosts and thanks to a small amount of time off from acting he was able to attend his graduation ceremony and celebrate with his friends and family this past June.

Below: Jacob with Oscar winner Brie Larson in the feature fi lm “Room.” Photo credit: Element Pictures.

Sam in the independent fi lm “Queen of Bones” photo credit: Queen of Bones Film Inc.

Jacob voices the character Orion in “Orion and the Dark,” photo credit – Dreamworks Animation – Netfl ix.

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His list of credits is the envy of any veteran actor twice his age…

In the fi lm, Jacob voices the character Orion, a boy with an active imagination who faces his fears on an unforgettable journey through the night with his new friend, a giant, smiling creature named “Dark” played by Paul Walter Hauser. His other roles in animation include Luca, in “My Father’s Dragon,” and the voice of Flounder in “The Little Mermaid.”

It was when Jacob tagged along with his sister for an audition as a young boy, that he was also asked to audition. The audition quickly led to him booking several commercials. Following those, Jacob had a few guest roles on a TV series, and a TV movie,

“My Mother’s Future Husband,” starring Lea Thompson (“Back to the Future”), which is when, as the Unit Publicist of the fi lm, I first got to meet Jacob. So, to sit down and interview him 10 years later and see how grounded and invested he is in the fi lm industry is encouraging.

Jacob’s fi rst theatrical debut was as ‘Blue’ in the live-action fi lm, “The Smurfs 2,” which thrilled him because he was such a big fan of “Smurfs” at the time. Jacob had a starring role in “Good Boys,” produced by Seth Rogen. A funny story Jacob likes to tell describes the day he went with his friends to see the fi lm, but wasn’t allowed in the

theatre because he was underage. Jacob even pointed out the poster to the attendant to prove he was in the movie, but it didn’t matter. He did finally manage to get in when a friend over 18 joined them. This past December Jacob attended the 2023 Whistler Film Festival to promote his leading role in his first-period piece, as ‘Sam’ in the independent film “Queen of Bones,” now screening on the festival circuit. This year Jacob is also taking on his first role in a true life story, filming “Sovereign” with seasoned performers Nick Offer man and Dennis Quaid.

His list of credits is the envy of any veteran actor twice his age and, while working alongside many A-list actors, Jacob has received guidance to help him navigate his fast-paced career. Historically, many child actors have trouble transitioning to teen actors, but with the help of his parents and team, Jacob has managed to stay grounded.

His father, a police officer with the Vancouver Police Department, also dabbles in acting on the side, while his two sisters are also known for their acting resumes. When he isn’t on set or promoting his movies worldwide, Jacob has a great group of friends with whom he enjoys spending time. With that strong support from his co-stars, team, friends, and family, we’re confi dent we’ll be watching Jacob on screen for years to come.

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