Ty Simpkins
Born
Ty Keegan Simpkins

(2001-08-06) August 6, 2001 (age 22)
New York City, U.S.
Alma materSan Diego State University
OccupationActor
Years active2001–present
RelativesRyan Simpkins (sibling)

Ty Keegan Simpkins (born August 6, 2001) is an American actor. His notable film credits include Insidious (2011), its sequel Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), Jurassic World (2015), and Insidious: The Red Door (2023). He is also known for his appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Harley Keener in Iron Man 3 (2013) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), as well as the independent film The Whale (2022).

Early life and education

Simpkins was born on August 6, 2001[1] in New York City, to Monique and Stephen Simpkins.[2] His older sibling is actor Ryan Simpkins. In 2020, he began attending San Diego State University and is a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.[3]

Acting career

Simpkins first appeared on TV when he was three weeks old. His first role was on One Life to Live where he shared the recurring role as John "Jack" Cramer Manning. Simpkins then had a recurring role as Jude Cooper Bauer on Guiding Light, in which he went on to be "Jude" for about four years. He guest starred in Law & Order: Criminal Intent and a handful of commercials and print ads.

Simpkins made his film debut in Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds (2005).[2] Next was a featured role in All the King's Men (2006), where he played a young version of Jude Law's character, and he played Aaron in the multiple-award-winning Little Children (2006).[4][5] Simpkins went on to film Pride and Glory (2008), in which he and his sibling, actor Ryan Simpkins, play the children of Colin Farrell. Simpkins also completed Gardens of the Night (2008) and then Revolutionary Road (2008), in which he again starred alongside his real-life sibling Ryan.[6][7] Simpkins has guest-starred on CSI, Private Practice and Family of Four. In September 2009, he signed on to play Luke in the 2010 film The Next Three Days.[8] He also played Dalton Lambert in Insidious (2011) and Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013). He reprised the role ten years later for Insidious: The Red Door (2023).

In 2013, Simpkins starred alongside Robert Downey Jr. in the live-action film Iron Man 3, as Tony Stark's sidekick Harley Keener (he also reprises the role in Lego Marvel's Avengers). This was the first time a child character had been featured prominently in the Iron Man films.[9] He appeared in Iron Man 3 director Shane Black's 2016 film, The Nice Guys.

In 2019, he reprised the role of Harley Keener in a cameo during Stark's funeral at the end of the film Avengers: Endgame.[10] Simpkins later revealed that he had to keep Stark's death, and his own cameo, a secret for two years.[11]

Simpkins starred in the 2015 blockbuster Jurassic World, and he appeared as Adam in Meadowland.[12][13]

Simpkins played a Christian missionary called Thomas in Darren Aronofsky's Oscar-winning The Whale (2022).[14][15]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes
2005 War of the Worlds 3 Year Old Boy
2006 Little Children Aaron Adamson
2008 Gardens of the Night Dylan Whitehead
Pride and Glory Matthew Egan
Revolutionary Road Michael Wheeler
2009 Family of Four Tommy Baker
Abracadabra Tucker Short film
2010 The Next Three Days Luke Brennan
2011 Insidious Dalton Lambert
2012 Arcadia Nat
Extracted Young Anthony
2013 Iron Man 3 Harley Keener
Insidious: Chapter 2 Dalton Lambert
2015 Hangman Max Miller
Meadowland Adam
Jurassic World Gray Mitchell
Barbados Gary Short film
2016 The Nice Guys Bobby
2018 Insidious: The Last Key Dalton Lambert Archive footage
2019 Avengers: Endgame Harley Keener Cameo appearance
Summer Lightning Philip Olson Short film
2021 Where's Rose Eric Daniels
2022 The Whale Thomas
2023 Insidious: The Red Door Dalton Lambert
The Re-Education of Molly Singer Elliot

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2001–2002 One Life to Live Jack Manning 4 episodes
2001–2005 Guiding Light Jude Cooper Bauer 47 episodes
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Jake Nikos Episode: "Ex Stasis"
2008 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Tyler Waldrip Episode: "A Thousand Days on Earth"
Private Practice Braden Tisch Episode: "Past Tense"
2016 Family Guy Little Drummer Boy Episode: "How the Griffin Stole Christmas"
2021 Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. Anthony Episode: "Talk-Story"

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Lego Jurassic World Gray Mitchell Voice
Lego Dimensions

Theater

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Cabaret Ernst Debatable Productions
2019 Annie Rooster


Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2014 Saturn Award Best Performance by a Younger Actor Iron Man 3 Nominated
2016 Jurassic World Won
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor (11 – 13) Nominated
Young Entertainer Awards Best Younger Actor Nominated
2018 Broadway World Los Angeles Awards Best Supporting Actor Cabaret Nominated[16]

References

  1. ^ Simpkins, Ty (August 6, 2018). "Hey thanks everyone". Twitter.
  2. ^ a b Riordan, Kevin (June 18, 2006). "Child actors play for a living". Courier Post. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
  3. ^ "Picture of Ty Simpkins in General Pictures – ty-simpkins-1598161141.jpg | Teen Idols 4 You". www.teenidols4you.com. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  4. ^ Vancheri, Barbara (December 30, 2006). "Study in Suburban Angst". Google archive. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 53. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  5. ^ Douresseaux, Leroy (June 7, 2007). "Winslet and Haley Anchor Little Children (2007 Oscar Nominee)". Comicbookbin. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  6. ^ "A 'Titanic'Class Reunion". Newsweek. December 8, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  7. ^ "Leonardo DiCaprio with his siblings Ryan and Ty". The Insider. August 8, 2007. Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  8. ^ Fernandez, Jay A. (September 23, 2009). "Trio pencil in 'Three Days'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 9, 2009. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  9. ^ Zorianna, Kit. ""Iron Man 3" goes back to basics in a quest to save the U.S." Reuters. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  10. ^ Bradley, Bill (May 29, 2019). "'Avengers: Endgame' Actor Reveals Secrets About That Surprise Cameo". HuffPost. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  11. ^ Kleinman, Jake (April 23, 2020). "'Avengers: Endgame' actor reveals how Marvel kept Iron Man's death a secret for 2 years". Inverse. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  12. ^ "Iron Man 3 Exclusive: Ty Simpkins Talks Cut Kiss Scene & 3 Picture Deal". Comicbook.com.
  13. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 14, 2013). "Ty Simpkins Lands Lead In 'Jurassic World'".
  14. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (March 4, 2021). "'Insidious' Star Ty Simpkins Joins Darren Aronofsky's 'The Whale' At A24". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  15. ^ "The Whale's Ty Simpkins: "To see Brendan getting the love is…". The Face. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  16. ^ Staff, B. W. W. "Vote For The 2018 BroadwayWorld Los Angeles Award; WAITRESS Leads Best Musical Tour!". BroadwayWorld.com.

External links

Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Authority control databases
Categories