Eric Christian Olsen
Encyclopedia
Eric Christian Olsen is an American
actor
. He currently portrays Detective Marty Deeks on the CBS
television series NCIS: Los Angeles.
, Oregon
, the son of Jeanne, a non-denominational
chaplain
, and Paul V. Olsen, a professor of English and head track and cross country coach of Augustana College
in Rock Island, Illinois
. He spent most of his childhood in Bettendorf, Iowa
and attended Bettendorf Middle and High School, where he pursued such interests as sports and Japanese
. In addition to many local theatre performances, Olsen trained in improv with ComedySportz
Quad Cities and later joined the cast.
, produced by Steven Spielberg
. He found early critical acclaim with an Emmy submitted portrayal of a dying burn victim on NBC's ER
. His next role was a small one in HBO's Black Cat Run. The casting agent on ER called the producers of a new show and Eric soon landed a starring role in the Fox TV series Get Real
, playing Cameron Green. The series lasted for a year before Eric made his transition onto the big screen when he played Ben Affleck's gunner in Pearl Harbor
, that was quickly followed by a leading role as Austin "The Cocky Blond Guy" in the teen send up feature film Not Another Teen Movie
.
One day, after a bad audition, Olsen bought a surfboard and taught himself to surf and soon fell in love with the sport. In Local Boys
, he got the chance to show off the surfing skills. Olsen next played Jake in the teen comedy The Hot Chick
. He then got surprisingly rave reviews in a largely panned movie by playing Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, the prequel to the hit movie Dumb and Dumber. Olsen followed that up by playing opposite Chris Evans
for a second time in Cellular
. He starred in the yet to be released Mojave and then joined the final season of Fox's Tru Calling
. He claimed three highly contrasting roles in 2006 and 2007 with the release of Beerfest
, License to Wed
and another praised performance in Zach Braff's The Last Kiss
.
Olsen co-starred as Sully in the Fox
sitcom The Loop
. He recently graduated from Pepperdine University
with a degree in Child Psychology under Liberal Arts. Olsen had four other projects in 2008 and continues to reside in Malibu, CA.
Olsen appeared on Will Ferrell
and Adam McKay
's streaming video website Funny or Die
, with a small series of segments featuring a character called Perry Hilton, an obvious parody of Paris Hilton
. He starred in the 2011 science-fiction horror film The Thing
.
Olsen portrays Detective Marty Deeks on the CBS
show NCIS: Los Angeles. His character appeared in two episodes of season one before joining the cast as a series regular in the second season.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He currently portrays Detective Marty Deeks on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television series NCIS: Los Angeles.
Early life
Olsen was born in EugeneEugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, the son of Jeanne, a non-denominational
Non-denominational Christianity
In Christianity, nondenominational institutions or churches are those not formally aligned with an established denomination, or that remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations...
chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, and Paul V. Olsen, a professor of English and head track and cross country coach of Augustana College
Augustana College (Illinois)
Augustana College is a private liberal arts college located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students. Covering of hilly, wooded land, Augustana is adjacent to the Mississippi River...
in Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
. He spent most of his childhood in Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with...
and attended Bettendorf Middle and High School, where he pursued such interests as sports and Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
. In addition to many local theatre performances, Olsen trained in improv with ComedySportz
ComedySportz
ComedySportz is an improvisational comedy organization started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by a group of local comedians including Dick Chudnow, Bob Orvis, Brian Green and many others.-Format:...
Quad Cities and later joined the cast.
Career
In 1999, Olsen went to California with $500 in his pocket. In his first week he scored a guest role on the ABC-TV series High IncidentHigh Incident
High Incident is a police drama series produced by DreamWorks Television for the ABC network. The show was created by Steven Spielberg, Michael Pavone, Eric Bogosian and Dave Alan Johnson...
, produced by Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
. He found early critical acclaim with an Emmy submitted portrayal of a dying burn victim on NBC's ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
. His next role was a small one in HBO's Black Cat Run. The casting agent on ER called the producers of a new show and Eric soon landed a starring role in the Fox TV series Get Real
Get Real (TV series)
Get Real is a short-lived comedy-drama on the FOX Network centering on the fictional Green family of San Francisco. It ran from September 1999 to April 2000...
, playing Cameron Green. The series lasted for a year before Eric made his transition onto the big screen when he played Ben Affleck's gunner in Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, that was quickly followed by a leading role as Austin "The Cocky Blond Guy" in the teen send up feature film Not Another Teen Movie
Not Another Teen Movie
Not Another Teen Movie is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Joel Gallen, released on December 14, 2001 by Columbia Pictures. It is a parody of teen movies which have accumulated in Hollywood over the last few decades...
.
One day, after a bad audition, Olsen bought a surfboard and taught himself to surf and soon fell in love with the sport. In Local Boys
Local Boys
Local Boys is a 2002 American coming of age drama film. The film was directed by Ron Moler and written by Norman Douglas Bradley and Thomas Matthew Stewart...
, he got the chance to show off the surfing skills. Olsen next played Jake in the teen comedy The Hot Chick
The Hot Chick
The Hot Chick is a 2002 American comedy film about a teenage girl whose body is magically swapped with that of a 30-year-old criminal. It was directed by Tom Brady and produced by Guy Riedel for Happy Madison and Touchstone Pictures, from a screenplay by Tom Brady and Rob Schneider...
. He then got surprisingly rave reviews in a largely panned movie by playing Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, the prequel to the hit movie Dumb and Dumber. Olsen followed that up by playing opposite Chris Evans
Chris Evans (actor)
Christopher Robert "Chris" Evans is an American actor. He played Cary Baston on the television series Opposite Sex, and transitioned to a film career, starring in several hits, including Not Another Teen Movie , Fierce People , Fantastic Four, sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer , and...
for a second time in Cellular
Cellular (film)
Cellular is a 2004 thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham and William H. Macy. The screenplay was written by Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen and J...
. He starred in the yet to be released Mojave and then joined the final season of Fox's Tru Calling
Tru Calling
Tru Calling is an American television supernatural drama series that premiered on Fox Network on October 30, 2003. It ran for two seasons before being canceled....
. He claimed three highly contrasting roles in 2006 and 2007 with the release of Beerfest
Beerfest
Beerfest is a 2006 beer-themed comedy film by the comedy group Broken Lizard. Along with the regular members of Broken Lizard, other actors who appear in the movie include Will Forte, M. C. Gainey, Cloris Leachman, Kendra C...
, License to Wed
License to Wed
License to Wed is a 2007 romantic comedy film starring Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, and John Krasinski and directed by Ken Kwapis. The film was released in theaters on July 3, 2007.-Plot:...
and another praised performance in Zach Braff's The Last Kiss
The Last Kiss
The Last Kiss is a 2006 American romantic comedy-drama film which is based on the 2001 Italian film L'ultimo bacio, directed by Gabriele Muccino. The plot revolves around a young couple and their friends struggling with adulthood and issues of relationships and commitment.The film stars Zach Braff,...
.
Olsen co-starred as Sully in the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
sitcom The Loop
The Loop (TV series)
The Loop is an American sitcom that ran from March 15, 2006 to July 1, 2007 on Fox. The show starred Bret Harrison as Sam Sullivan, a young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways, a major U.S....
. He recently graduated from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
with a degree in Child Psychology under Liberal Arts. Olsen had four other projects in 2008 and continues to reside in Malibu, CA.
Olsen appeared on Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
and Adam McKay
Adam McKay
Adam McKay is an American screenwriter, director, comedian, and actor. He is most famous for his partnership with comedian Will Ferrell, with whom he co-wrote the films Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and The Other Guys....
's streaming video website Funny or Die
Funny or Die
Funny or Die is a comedy video website founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's production company, Gary Sanchez Productions with original and user-generated content. Funny or Die contains exclusive material from a number of famous contributors and also has its own Funny or Die Team, which creates...
, with a small series of segments featuring a character called Perry Hilton, an obvious parody of Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
. He starred in the 2011 science-fiction horror film The Thing
The Thing (2011 film)
The Thing is a 2011 science fiction horror film directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., and written by Eric Heisserer. It is a prequel to the 1982 film of the same name by John Carpenter, the plot taking place immediately prior to the events of that film...
.
Olsen portrays Detective Marty Deeks on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
show NCIS: Los Angeles. His character appeared in two episodes of season one before joining the cast as a series regular in the second season.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction is an American television anthology series created by Lynn Lehmann, presented by Dick Clark Productions, and produced and aired by the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. Each episode featured five stories, all of which appeared to defy logic, and some of which were... |
Season 1 Episode 2: "The Viewing, The Subway, Kid in the Closet, Justice is Served & The Tractor" | |
| 1998 | Black Cat Run | Gas Station Attendant | TV movie (as Eric Olsen) |
| 1999 | Arthur's Quest | Artie/King Arthur | TV movie |
| 1999 | Turks | Kevin Williams | Episode: "Friends & Strangers" |
| 1999 | ER ER (TV series) ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television... |
Travis Mitchell | Episode: "Responsible Parties" |
| 1999–2000 | Get Real Get Real (TV series) Get Real is a short-lived comedy-drama on the FOX Network centering on the fictional Green family of San Francisco. It ran from September 1999 to April 2000... |
Cameron Green | 22 episodes (main cast) |
| 2000 | Lessons Learned | TV movie | |
| 2001 | Ruling Class | Bill Olszewski | TV movie |
| 2001 | Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor (film) Pearl Harbor is a 2001 American action drama war film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Randall Wallace, who wrote the screenplay... |
Gunner | |
| 2001 | Smallville Smallville (TV series) Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October... |
Young Harry Bollston | Episode: "Hourglass" |
| 2001 | Not Another Teen Movie Not Another Teen Movie Not Another Teen Movie is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Joel Gallen, released on December 14, 2001 by Columbia Pictures. It is a parody of teen movies which have accumulated in Hollywood over the last few decades... |
Austin | |
| 2002 | Local Boys | Randy Dobson | |
| 2002 | The Hot Chick The Hot Chick The Hot Chick is a 2002 American comedy film about a teenage girl whose body is magically swapped with that of a 30-year-old criminal. It was directed by Tom Brady and produced by Guy Riedel for Happy Madison and Touchstone Pictures, from a screenplay by Tom Brady and Rob Schneider... |
Jake | |
| 2002 | 24 24 (TV series) 24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration... |
John Mason | Episode: "Day 2: 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m." |
| 2003 | Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd | Lloyd Christmas | |
| 2004 | Cellular Cellular (film) Cellular is a 2004 thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham and William H. Macy. The screenplay was written by Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen and J... |
Chad | |
| 2004 | Death Valley | Josh | {original title: Mojave} |
| 2005 | Tru Calling Tru Calling Tru Calling is an American television supernatural drama series that premiered on Fox Network on October 30, 2003. It ran for two seasons before being canceled.... |
Jensen Ritchie | 5 Episodes |
| 2006 | Beerfest Beerfest Beerfest is a 2006 beer-themed comedy film by the comedy group Broken Lizard. Along with the regular members of Broken Lizard, other actors who appear in the movie include Will Forte, M. C. Gainey, Cloris Leachman, Kendra C... |
Gunther | |
| 2006 | The Last Kiss The Last Kiss The Last Kiss is a 2006 American romantic comedy-drama film which is based on the 2001 Italian film L'ultimo bacio, directed by Gabriele Muccino. The plot revolves around a young couple and their friends struggling with adulthood and issues of relationships and commitment.The film stars Zach Braff,... |
Kenny | |
| 2006–2007 | The Loop The Loop (TV series) The Loop is an American sitcom that ran from March 15, 2006 to July 1, 2007 on Fox. The show starred Bret Harrison as Sam Sullivan, a young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways, a major U.S.... |
Sully Sullivan | 17 episodes (main cast) |
| 2007 | License to Wed License to Wed License to Wed is a 2007 romantic comedy film starring Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, and John Krasinski and directed by Ken Kwapis. The film was released in theaters on July 3, 2007.-Plot:... |
Carlisle | |
| 2007 | The Comebacks The Comebacks The Comebacks is a 2007 American satirical comedy film directed by Tom Brady. This film is a parody of the clichés and plots of the sports film genre. In the UK, Greece, Finland and Australia this film is called Sports Movie and called Team of Crazy in Brazil... |
Foreign Exchange Student | |
| 2007 | The Hill | Matt | TV movie |
| 2007 | Write & Wrong Write & Wrong Write & Wrong is a 2007 Lifetime Television movie, directed by Graeme Clifford and starring Kirstie Alley and Eric Christian Olsen.... |
Jason 'Krueger' Langdon | TV movie |
| 2008 | Sunshine Cleaning Sunshine Cleaning Sunshine Cleaning is a 2008 comedy-drama film starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Directed by Christine Jeffs and written by Megan Holley, the film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2008. It was purchased by Overture Films for distribution and opened in limited release in... |
Randy | |
| 2008 | Eagle Eye Eagle Eye Eagle Eye is a 2008 thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso and starring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan. The two portray a young man and a single mother who are brought together and coerced by an anonymous caller into carrying out a plan by a possible terrorist organization... |
Craig | |
| 2008–2009 | Brothers & Sisters | Kyle DeWitt | 6 episodes |
| 2009 | Fired Up Fired Up (film) Fired Up! is a 2009 teen comedy film produced and directed by Will Gluck and written by Freedom Jones. The main plot revolves around two popular high school football players who create their lie to attend cheerleading camp for the summer and get close to its female cheerleaders.-Plot:Nick Brady... |
Nick Brady | |
| 2009 | The Six Wives of Henry Lefay The Six Wives of Henry LeFay The Six Wives of Henry Lefay is a 2009 American comedy film starring Elisha Cuthbert and Tim Allen. A grieving daughter tries to arrange her father's funeral, while putting up with all of his ex-wives... |
Lloyd | |
| 2009–2010 | Community Community (TV series) Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television... |
Vaughn | 4 episodes |
| 2010 | The Back-Up Plan The Back-Up Plan The Back-up Plan is a 2010 romantic comedy film, starring Jennifer Lopez and Alex O'Loughlin. It was released theatrically in the U.S. on April 23, 2010, and later in other regions... |
Clive | |
| 2010-present | LEGO Hero Factory LEGO Hero Factory LEGO Hero Factory is a continuing mini-series first aired on September 20, 2010 on Nickelodeon. The series started airing in Denmark and Norway on August 29, 2010 on Cartoon Network.-Season 1 :-Season 2 :- Voice Cast:... |
William Furno | all episodes |
| 2010–present | NCIS: Los Angeles | Marty Deeks | (recurring, first season; main cast, season 2–) |
| 2010-present | Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil | Wade | Recurring character |
| 2011 | The Thing The Thing (2011 film) The Thing is a 2011 science fiction horror film directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., and written by Eric Heisserer. It is a prequel to the 1982 film of the same name by John Carpenter, the plot taking place immediately prior to the events of that film... |
Adam Goodman |