ACTOR
Jerry O'Connell
26 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (26)
- #001
In his third year at NYU film school (studying screenwriting), Jerry O'Connell went to Los Angeles, California, and decided to try out for two TV pilots: Sliders (1995) and a new Fox show called Party of Five (1994). He spent a single day in Los Angeles and landed the role of Bailey on Party of Five (1994), but before he returned to New York, the studio's first choice for Sliders (1995) backed out. With no warning and one day before shooting, they were stuck and begged Jerry to fill in. The rest is teen-idol history.
- #002
While attending NYU, Jerry O'Connell was the sabre captain of the university fencing team. He rose as high as 17th in the country.
- #003
While rehearsing his lines for Stand by Me (1986), Jerry O'Connell was completely taken with being allowed to swear as an 11-year-old boy.
- #004
Jerry O'Connell's father is English and his mother is American.
- #005
Jerry O'Connell still hates talking about Stand by Me (1986) because he was overweight at the time.
- #006
Jerry O'Connell has 2 daughters, Dolly O'Connell and Charlie O'Connell (born 28 December 2008), with his wife Rebecca Romijn.
- #007
Jerry O'Connell holds dual US and British citizenship, and on 23 March 2011 he stated on OK! TV in the UK that 'I'm actually English,' presenting his British passport to prove it.
- #008
Jerry O'Connell took part in the Drambuie Pursuit, held annually in Scotland. The Drambuie Pursuit takes place once a year and includes an archery contest on the first day, followed by a second day featuring canoeing, a castle run, boating, mountain biking, rock climbing, rafting, cross-country cycling, an off-road buggy race and canoeing.
- #009
Jerry O'Connell attended the Professional Children's School in New York City. His classmates included Tara Reid, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Macaulay Culkin and Ben Taylor.
- #010
Jerry O'Connell was signed by an agent at age 10 and was discovered eating a cookie in a Duncan Hines commercial.
- #011
Jerry O'Connell is the older brother of actor/model Charlie O'Connell.
- #012
Because of his small role in 'Scary Movie 5' parodying the Fifty Shades novels, Jerry O'Connell is technically the first person to play Christian Grey in a feature film.
- #013
Jerry O'Connell's father was an art director and his mother was an art teacher.
- #014
Ten years after starring in "Stand By Me" (1986), Jerry O'Connell took his first leading role as "Joe" in the cult classic "Joe's Apartment" (1996). It is the only feature film in which "Don Ho" has appeared and the first feature film produced by MTV Networks.
- #015
Jerry O'Connell provided the voice of the original Fawcett Captain Marvel (now known as Shazam) for Justice League (2001) and the DC Showcase short Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam (2010), and was later cast to voice Superman for Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015); the two characters are known among fans as unofficial "rivals" because of DC's notorious lawsuit claiming Captain Marvel was a Fawcett copy of Superman. Marvel/Shazam looked very much like Superman.
- #016
Jerry O'Connell attended New York University. He graduated in May 1995 with a degree in Film and Television.
- #017
Jerry O'Connell is the first male permanent co-host of CBS's The Talk.
- #018
Jerry O'Connell announced his engagement to actress Rebecca Romijn (September 2005).
- #019
In New York, USA, Jerry O'Connell appeared on Broadway in Theresa Rebeck's comedy "Seminar," also starring Alan Rickman, from 20 November 2011 until it closed on 6 May 2012.
- #020
Jerry O'Connell appeared in Mariah Carey's "Heartbreaker" music video, playing the "heartbreaker" character. The single became Carey's 14th No. 1 hit.
- #021
Jerry O'Connell is of half Irish, one-quarter Italian and one-quarter Polish descent.
- #022
Jerry O'Connell is one of four actors who appeared in both the Scream series and its parody, the Scary Movie series. The other three are Anthony Anderson, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg and Tori Spelling.
- #023
Jerry O'Connell ranked 70th on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Kid Stars (2005).
- #024
Jerry O'Connell is one of two Stand by Me alumni who went on to join Star Trek. Wil Wheaton appeared as Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), while Jerry O'Connell voices Jack Ransom in Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020).
- #025
Jerry O'Connell worked with River Phoenix in Stand by Me (1986) and with Sean Patrick Flanery in Body Shots (1999). Both Phoenix and Flanery played young Indiana Jones.
- #026
Jerry O'Connell attended film school at New York University with Eli Roth.
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