Charles Melton‘s performance in May December has sparked major praise, but the actor’s skills aren’t a surprise for those of Us more familiar with his filmography.
After moving around often as a child, Melton settled down in Manhattan, Kansas, and initially studied at Kansas State University, but he dropped out of school to move to Los Angeles and pursue his acting dreams.
“[My parents] have always been so supportive. I think [they were nervous about me moving]. They didn’t really know [what would happen] but they were so supportive, and I was really lucky,” he told Today in November 2023. “I was driving to football practice and I heard [a radio ad that asked], ‘Do you want to be an actor?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah.’ So I called and I auditioned. Then one thing led to another and I drove out to L.A.”
Melton took a detour into modeling before scoring guest roles on Glee and American Horror Story. His big breakthrough came when he took over for Ross Butler as Reggie Mantle on The CW’s Riverdale, which Melton starred in from 2017 to 2023.
After landing the fan-favorite role, Melton expanded his resume with appearances on American Horror Stories and Poker Face. On the big screen, Melton won Us over with his performances in The Sun Is Also a Star and Heart of Champions.
It wasn’t until Melton shared the screen with Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore in May December that he received well-deserved accolades for his acting chops. After the movie’s December 2023 release, critics and fans alike started to voice their support for Melton to receive an Academy Award nod for his chilling performance as Joe.
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Ahead of the 2024 Oscar nomination announcements, Melton brought home trophies from the Gotham Awards, New York Film Critics Circle and Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Keep scrolling for a look back at Melton’s most memorable performances:
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