As you’re aware, Austin Nichols is no longer with Chloe Bennet. After nearly six years of dating, the couple went their separate ways to focus on their respective careers.
Who Is Austin Nichols?
Austin Nichols is a filmmaker and performer from the United States of America. He is famous for his portrayal of Julian Baker in the CW’s series, One Tree Hill.
Additionally, he’s renowned for his roles in The Day After Tomorrow and Wimbledon. He appeared in HBO’s drama series John from Cincinnati as John Monad.
Moreover, Nichols played a supporting role in AMC’s horror television drama The Walking Dead as Spencer Monroe. His current estimated net worth is approximately $4 million.
All About Austin Nichols
Born on April 24, 1980 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Austin Nichols moved to Austin, Texas before turning one. He was named after the distillery Austin Nichols, which produces Wild Turkey bourbon.
Austin Nichols’ parents are both accomplished in their respective fields. His father, David, is a radiologist, and his mother, Kay (née Vermeulen), was a professional competitive water skier.
His mother has won 10 national championships and one international title. He has an older sister named Ashley, who is his only sibling.
Adolescence
Nichols grew up near Lake Austin and attended Casis Elementary School. Due to his mother’s influence, Nichols began competitive water skiing at the age of two.
In 1997, Nichols competed for the United States junior water skiing team at the Pan-American Championships, owing to his mother’s professional coaching.
Progressing in his sports career, Nichols became a member of the United States junior Olympic water skiing squad.
He was ranked third in the world at the age of thirteen. Nichols aspired to become a professional water skier until he sustained a shoulder injury in Florida and had to abandon his sports career.
He also played basketball at McCallum High School in Austin, albeit without much success, mostly playing to pass the time.
Nichols discovered his passion for acting at fifteen and began taking acting classes. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles.
Commencing His Career
Austin Nichols’ acting career began when he attended a Sundance Film Festival party without an invitation. He was spotted by a manager and subsequently signed with them.
Following the signing, he moved to Los Angeles, although his original plan was to enroll at the University of Texas.
Eventually, he enrolled at the University of Southern California, from where he graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.
Prior to graduating, Austin Nichols made appearances not only on Sliders, Odd Man Out, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, but also on Family Law, Watching Ellie, and Wolf Lake.
In 2002, he achieved his first significant role, appearing in two episodes of Six Feet Under as Brenda Chenowith’s lover. He had previously acted in two films, Durango Kids in 1999 and Holiday in the Sun in 2001.
Critical Recognition
Nichols made his film debut as a clichéd “frat guy” in The Utopian Society, a 2003 indie film directed by John P. Aguirre that received numerous awards and critical acclaim.
This was a turning point for him. He landed the role of Julian Baker in The CW’s teen drama One Tree Hill and became a regular cast member in the sixth season.
Subsequently, Nichols portrayed Spencer Monroe in AMC’s horror series The Walking Dead as a recurring character before being promoted to a regular cast member.
In the 2004 environmental blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow, Nichols portrayed J.D., an intellectual privileged boy and the romantic antagonist to Jake Gyllenhaal’s main protagonist.
Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film was a box office success. He also starred in Wimbledon in 2004, alongside Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany.
The film received positive reviews, though it was only a moderate success at the US box office.
Nichols’ performance as the egotistical tennis pro Jake Hammond was considered “effectively unlikeable.” For the role, he had to learn tennis from scratch and was trained to appear professional by Pat Cash, who was impressed by his talent.
Personal Life of a Star
In addition to his acting career, Nichols has a strong interest in movies, keeping a record of every film he watches. On average, he watches 20 films a week and has a particular fondness for Hal Ashby, Sam Fuller, and John Ford.
Since 2004, Nichols has been great friends with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, whom he met on the set of The Day After Tomorrow.
In an interview, Nichols mentioned, “I’ve learned a lot from Jake. He’s a very intelligent guy. He taught me everything about acting, business, relationships, and life.”
After gaining recognition, he was in a relationship with Claire Oswalt, a contemporary American artist known for her drawings, paintings, and sculptures. They were engaged after a long courtship but later went their separate ways.
After being single for a while, he met his One Tree Hill co-star Sophia Bush. Sophia Bush is an actress, director, speaker, and activist from the United States. They had an on-and-off relationship for six years from 2006 to 2012 before parting ways.
It was during his portrayal of Julian Baker in the show that Nichols met actress Chloe Bennet, whom he dated from 2014 to 2017 after working together on Marvel’s Agents of Shield, where he portrayed her ex-boyfriend, Miles.
Their relationship was highly publicized, but they eventually separated. Chloe and Austin met in 2013, started dating, and were well-liked by many.
