Paul Joseph Otto Johansson (born January 26, 1964) is an American-born Canadian actor, writer and director, best known for playing Dan Scott on the WB/CW television series, One Tree Hill, and for his role as Nick Wolfe on the short lived Highlander: The Series spin-off Highlander: The Raven. He directed the film version of Ayn Rand's novel, Atlas Shrugged: Part I.^[1][2]

Acting career[link]

Johansson landed his first role on the popular soap opera, Santa Barbara. He played Greg Hughes from 1989 to 1990. Soon he made appearances in other television shows such as Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Lonesome Dove.^[3]

Johansson became well-known to fans of 90210 for playing John Sears, a fraternity brother who unsuccessfully vied for the affections of Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) and set up Steve Sanders (Ian Ziering) to burglarize a professor's office. Sears was later blackballed from the fraternity for the incident. Johnasson's character did not return until the season 4 finale, where he attempted to humiliate Steve at every turn, only to be brought down by Steve's friends Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty) and Donna Martin (Tori Spelling).

He also appeared in commercials, most notably as the delivery man in a Diet Coke commercial. He has appeared in the films Soapdish, John Q and Alpha Dog and had a small role in The Notebook. He subsequently featured in Takashi Miike's 2003 film Gozu, appearing as a man with a cow's head. In 2003 Johansson wrote and directed the film The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie. He has also directed several episodes of One Tree Hill. In 2006 he starred in Emily Skopov's Novel Romance, alongside Traci Lords and Sherilyn Fenn. He appeared in the 7th season of The Drew Carey Show, playing a sportscaster.

He is the director of Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011), the first third of a proposed trilogy based on the novel by Ayn Rand. The film received a "13% Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating that only five of thirty-nine reviewers liked it.^[4]

Personal life[link]

Johansson was born in Spokane, Washington, the son of ice hockey player Earl Johnson, but raised in Kelowna, B.C.^[5] He was an athlete like his father and played for the Canadian Olympic Basketball Team and for the University of British Columbia.^[6] After quitting basketball he began writing, which in turn led to acting.

Johansson's ex-wife is actress Gabriela Oltean.

Johansson's mother, Joanne Leone Johansson, died on October 14, 2011, after a 20-year battle with breast cancer. Season 9, episode 11 of the CW's One Tree Hill (titled "Danny Boy", in which Paul's character Dan Scott dies) was dedicated to her memory. "Obituary: Joanne Leone Johansson". Newspaper. Vancouver Sun and/or The Province. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theprovince/obituary.aspx?n=joanne-leone-johansson&pid=154203585. 

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Paul Johansson at the Internet Movie Database
• Official website

James Lafferty
Born	James Martin Lafferty (1985-07-25) July 25, 1985 (age 26) Hemet, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, director, producer
Years active	1997–present

James Martin Lafferty (born July 25, 1985) is an American actor, director and producer. He is best known for his role as Nathan Scott on the CW television drama One Tree Hill. In addition to his role on the young adult drama, Lafferty is also known for his appearance as Justin in S. Darko, the 2009 sequel to the 2001 film Donnie Darko.

Early life[link]

James Martin Lafferty was born in Hemet, California, to parents Jeff and Angie Lafferty, who own a local construction company. He has a younger brother, actor Stuart Lafferty. After attending Hemet High School until 2003, Lafferty enrolled in and graduated from California State University, Long Beach. At the age of eighteen, he moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, after he was cast as Nathan Scott on the teenage drama One Tree Hill on the CW.

Career[link]

In 2001, James Lafferty was cast in the short-lived television series Emeril, where he portrayed Emeril's son Justin. He has also made guest appearances on Once and Again, Get Real, and Boston Public. This was followed by his role as Steve Alford in the ESPN made-for-television movie A Season on the Brink, a basketball film about the 1985-1986 season of Indiana University's men's basketball team. It was based on the book by John Feinstein.

In 2003, Lafferty was cast in CW's new teenage drama One Tree Hill, where he portrayed the younger half-brother to series lead Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray), bad boy basketball star Nathan Scott. Of the original five main cast members who portrayed students at the fictional Tree Hill High School, he was the only teenager when the show debuted in September 2003. Chad Michael Murray and Bethany Joy Galeotti (then known as Bethany Joy Lenz) were both twenty-two, while Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton were twenty-one.

In 2009, Lafferty starred in the Donnie Darko sequel S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale as Iraq Jack.^[1]

Personal life[link]

Lafferty currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He is an ardent basketball player, and played for the New Orleans basketball team at the 2008 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game alongside Ne-Yo, Terrell Owens, Taylor Hicks, and Master P.^[2] They defeated the Hornets 51-50 with Owens being named MVP. He is a supporting partner of the professional basketball team, the Wilmington Sea Dawgs, part of the Premiere Basketball League. From 2003-2008, he hosted a yearly charity basketball event in Wilmington. However, in 2009, he announced that he was canceling the event, stating: "As a result of constant harassment and gross invasions of privacy via e-mail and telephone, targeting myself, my friends and even my family, I no longer feel comfortable holding a fundraiser in such an intimate setting with fans."^[3]

On October 27, 2008, Chad Michael Murray, Sophia Bush's ex-husband and fellow One Tree Hill co-star, confirmed a romance between Bush and Lafferty. "Sophia and I are both professional and mature enough to get through it," he said. "And now it's just easy. We're just friends. She's got James, and James and I are friends. " ^[4][5] In October 2009, it was reported that Lafferty and Bush's romance had ended.^[6][7]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: James Lafferty

• James Lafferty at the Internet Movie Database
• James Lafferty cast bio at CWTV.com