Who Was Max Thieriot Before Becoming 'SEAL Team's' Clay Spenser?
Over the years, CBS has been a true force to be reckoned with when it comes to action dramas. Over the years, it’s delivered hit crime procedurals including CSI and NCIS, which has been on the air since 2003. Back in 2017, the network introduced SEAL Team, which delves into the lives of elite Navy SEALs. On the show, that fictional unit is led by veteran TV star David Boreanaz (most would probably remember him from his time in Buffy and Angel).
At the same time, SEAL Team features some other standout performances from cast members such as Neil Brown Jr., A.J. Buckley, Toni Trucks, Judd Lormand, and of course, Max Thieriot. Ever since the show started, the actor has been praised for his portrayal of SEAL Team member Clay Spenser. Perhaps, unbeknownst to many Thieriot honed his acting chops with previous roles in both film and television.
Max Thieriot’s Breakout Role Was In This Vin Diesel Comedy
After taking some acting and improv classes, Thieriot made his film debut in the 2004 adventure comedy Catch That Kid where he starred alongside a much younger Kristen Stewart. Back then, the California native was only 15 and the film had only been his fourth audition. “When I got it I was pretty shocked,” the actor told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2004.
Just a year later, audiences would catch Thieriot in another adventure comedy. This time though, there’s a lot more action, considering the lead is Vin Diesel and the film is Disney’s The Pacifier.
In the movie, Diesel plays a Navy SEAL who is tasked with protecting the family of a deceased government scientist. Thieriot played one of the children alongside Brittany Snow while Lauren Graham played their school principal.
While working on the film, Thieriot struck a friendship with his famous co-star. “He really helped me work on scenes,” the actor told Phase9 Entertainment. “And we would go to his trailer, and we'd go over things over and over again, and we'd pretty much analyze everything and figure out what needed to be done here and how this needed to be said. And that was really important and helpful for me.”
That said, it’s safe to say that Thieriot had no idea what a big deal Diesel was when they were working together. “Not necessarily a fan, but I'd watch his movies and stuff, and it's funny because when you see people on the screen, you get an image of them that can be so different when you meet them,” the actor explained when asked about the Fast & Furious star. “To be honest, I almost expected a kind of robot.”
Soon after, Thieriot played Virginia Madsen and Billy Bob Thornton’s son in the sci-fi drama The Astronaut Farmer. He then starred alongside a younger Emma Roberts in the family comedy Nancy Drew. The actor also played a younger version of Hayden Christensen in Doug Liman’s sci-fi adventure Jumper.
As Max Thieriot Got Older, More Serious Roles Came
Even as a young teen, Thieriot already started landing several lead roles and they are nothing like the ones he booked as a kid. For instance, he starred in the horror-thriller My Soul to Take by the legendary Wes Craven. And Craven was precisely the reason why he agreed to take on a film this dark.
“As an actor it was something I never really pictured myself doing and then when the opportunity came up I was hesitant at first, but once I read the script it was like if I’m going to do a horror film, there’s not a better person to do it with than Wes Craven,” Thieriot told Cinema Blend. “This was an original Wes Craven film, written, directed, produced by him; it seemed like the best opportunity.”
Not long after, Thieriot starred opposite Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence in the horror-thriller House at the End of the Street. “House at the End of the Street, for me, is a very different kind of movie [from My Soul to Take],” he told The Reel Story. “The character is very different, and it’s a lot more psychological, which I tend to gravitate more towards.”
Meanwhile, right before joining the cast of SEAL Team, Thieriot was gaining a lot of attention for his performance as Norma Bates’ (Vera Farmiga) son Dylan in the Emmy-nominated horror mystery, Bates Motel. The show provides a backstory to the twisted mind of fictional serial killer Norman Bates (portrayed by Freddie Highmore on the show). And for Thieriot joining the cast was a no-brainer, especially since he wasn’t playing the man character.
“For me, since I’m not playing Norman Bates, it wasn’t a tough decision,” the actor told Refinery 29. “To be honest, even though it’s such an iconic role, it would have been hard since my role in House At The End of The Street has so many similarities.”
Fans can look forward to seeing Thieriot next in CBS’ newly ordered drama, Cal Fire. In the series, the actor will play a prisoner who is seeking a shorter prison sentence by joining the Northern California firefighting program. Aside from being the lead star, Thieriot is producing the show alongside tv veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
It is believed that fans will continue to see Thieriot on SEAL Team. The show, which just moved to Paramount+, has already been renewed for a sixth season.
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