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Background:
"You never expect these things to happen. I can't explain to you the
gratification with that, what it feels like to have all this stuff going on. I
feel really blessed. I've had such support from everyone, from every angle, from
fans to management to the record label. It's been a very long and
successful ride." Jesse McCartney
18-year-old singer and actor Jesse McCartney came to the spotlight with his
platinum debut album, "Beautiful Soul" (2004). On screen, he gained recognition
while portraying troubled teen surfer, Bradin Westerly, in WB's teen soap,
Summerland (2004).
Winner of double Young Artist Awards (2001 and 2002) and a TRl Award for artists
under 21 (2005), Jesse McCartney recently announced his tour, beginning May 2,
at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento, California.
Jester in JV
Childhood and Family:
The first son to parents Ginger and Scot McCartney, Jesse Arthur McCartney was
born on April 9, 1987, in New York City, New York. The oldest of three children,
Jesse has one little sister, Lea, and one kid brother, Timmy, the latter of whom
he is very close to. Also raised in New York, a very young Jesse joined his
parents performing on stage.
While studying in high school, Jesse, nicknamed Jester or Jmac, played JV
Baseball in his school. He once dreamed of going to UCLA.
In Summerland
Career:
Starting when he was 7 years old, Jesse McCartney frequently sang and was seen
on stage with his family in their community theater and in Broadway productions.
At age 10, McCartney starred with the Broadway National Touring Company in The
King And I, playing Anna's son, Louis.
At age 11, McCartney landed on television. His debut character was Adam 'J.R.'
Chandler Jr. on ABC's daytime drama, the 1970 hit series, All My Children.
Portraying the character for three years (1998-2001), McCartney gathered praise
for his performance. He earned nominations for an Emmy Award in 2001 and 2002
for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Daytime Television Series, and a
nomination for a Soap Opera Digest Award. McCartney eventually brought home
double Young Artist Awards in 2001 and 2002. Meanwhile, he appeared in A
Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden in 1998 (played Scrooge at 12,
alongside Roger Daltrey). He also splashed onscreen as a guest in an episode of
the drama Law & Order (December of 2000), Rosie O'Donnell's Primetime Christmas
Special and in her Big K-Back to School advertisement.
McCartney also proved his talent in music. He signed up with boy band Sugar
Beats and became the band's lead vocalist. With the band, McCartney released the
Grammy nominated CDs, How Sweet It Is (1998), Wildthing (1999) and Car Tunes
(2000). Meanwhile, McCartney launched two solos on "A Sugarbeat's Christmas"
2001 CD, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Little Saint Nick."
Dream Street, which was recognized for their platinum-debut album, was
McCartney's next band. With four other boys, he released a gold-certified album
and joined Britney Spears' tour. The band's songs have also become the
soundtrack for the films Pokemon 2000 and The Little Vampire.
After staying with Dream Street for three and a half years, the band split in
2002. McCartney then decided to pursue a solo career with Sugar Beats producer
Sherry Kondor, who also helped him set up the production company Jump Ahead.
On September 28, 2004, McCartney released his first solo full-length album,
"Beautiful Soul," under Buena Vista/Hollywood Records. His debut album was
widely received and finally went platinum. Commenting on his debut album, he
said, "Making sure it was very upbeat and enjoyable. It's a pop record, with a
little bit of this urban, kinda like R&B, twist to it. The album is filled with
variety; it's definitely an eclectic album. I'm very happy with the way it
panned out."
More recent, McCartney launched his new song, "She's No You," which debuted on
an episode in the series "Summerland." He shot the song's music video in
Manhattan with director Sanji. He also had a duet with actress Anne Hatheway
singing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," which became the soundtrack of the fantasy
movie, Ella Enchanted (2004), a film inspired by Gail Carson Levine's novel. For
McCartney's fans, don't miss his upcoming performances on the latest episodes of
MTV's Fake ID Club and on CBS' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. As for
acting, McCartney has appeared in two short films: Robert L. Farber's The
Pirates of Central Park (2001), and Mark Christopher's Pizza (2004, starring
Ethan Embry). However, he gained more notice on television, notably for his
recent portrayal of problematic teen surfer Bradin Westerly, in WB's teen drama
soap, Summerland (starring Lori Loughlin).
The young star recently mentioned he was looking forward to motion picture work.
He admitted, "I'm looking at scripts. I'm actually planning on doing a film next
year, next April. I'm into drama. I love comedy, but it's just I'm more of a
dramatic actor. So I'm looking for a 'Basketball Diaries' type of role."
Awards:
- Young Artist Award: 2002
- Young Artist Award: 2001
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