# Chris Zylka
**Chris Zylka** (born 1985 as Chris Settlemire) is an American actor and producer known for playing Jake Armstrong in the CW series *The Secret Circle* (2011–2012), [Flash Thompson](https://www.edgepedia.org/flash-thompson) in *The Amazing Spider-Man* (2012), and Tom Garvey in the HBO series *[The Leftovers](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-leftovers-tv-series)* (2014–2017).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) He was born in Warren, Ohio, and adopted Zylka, his mother's maiden name, as his professional surname.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [2](https://utpmag.com/project/chris-zylka)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1985, Warren, Ohio, U.S.; birth name Chris Settlemire[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/chris-zylka/) |
| Breakthrough roles | Thor in *Kaboom* (2010), which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival; Jake Armstrong in *The Secret Circle* (2011–2012)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) |
| Studio film | Flash Thompson in *The Amazing Spider-Man* (2012); he reprised the role in the 2014 sequel, but his scenes were removed from the final cut[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_zylka) |
| Signature television role | Tom Garvey, son of Justin Theroux's character, in HBO's *The Leftovers* (2014–2017)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [5](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/chris-zylka-the-leftovers) |
| First leading film role | Kermit, an ex-con, in the crime drama *Dixieland* (2015), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [6](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/chris-zylka-dixieland-interview) |
| Producing credits | Executive producer of *Model House* (2024); co-producer of *King Cobra*[7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/chris-zylka/credits/3000515047/) |
## Early life
Zylka was born in Warren, Ohio, and graduated from Howland High School in 2003.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) He studied art at the [University of Toledo](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-toledo) for two years while playing college football, then dropped out and moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [8](https://www.out.com/movies/2012/2/16/chris-zylka?page=1) He has said the decision followed his grandfather's heart attack during his second college football game; while caring for the elder Zylka, a Ukrainian immigrant from Kyiv and a wood sculptor, he first heard about Stanislavsky and Chekhov and came to see acting as an art form.[5](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/chris-zylka-the-leftovers)
His first years in Los Angeles were precarious. He arrived with no job, no money, and no plan, and was homeless for a time, sleeping behind a Burbank dumpster and using a nearby apartment complex's gym and showers so his family would not know.[9](https://www.thedailybeast.com/from-homeless-to-hbo-the-leftovers-star-chris-zylkas-crazy-hollywood-story) He was working at a restaurant when manager Jon Simmons, who had recently dropped a client who looked similar, asked if he was an actor; Simmons then trained and developed him.[9](https://www.thedailybeast.com/from-homeless-to-hbo-the-leftovers-star-chris-zylkas-crazy-hollywood-story) • [8](https://www.out.com/movies/2012/2/16/chris-zylka?page=1) He changed his surname to his mother's maiden name, saying he wanted to make his grandfather proud, and asked his great-grandmother for permission before she died.[9](https://www.thedailybeast.com/from-homeless-to-hbo-the-leftovers-star-chris-zylkas-crazy-hollywood-story)
Sources describe his ancestry differently: IMDb lists Polish, Ukrainian, Slovak, and Ruthenian/Rusyn descent,[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) while the Polish site Filmweb describes Polish-Czech descent through his mother, whose surname he took, and German-British descent through his father.[10](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Chris%2BZylka-911501)
## Television career
Zylka began acting professionally in 2008 with a guest appearance on *90210*, followed by a recurring role in the [Chris Rock](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-rock)-produced comedy *Everybody Hates Chris* and appearances on *Hannah Montana*, *Cougar Town*, and *Zeke and Luther*.[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/chris-zylka/) • [11](https://thesecretcircle.fandom.com/wiki/Chris_Zylka) His first substantial part was a 16-episode recurring role as Joey Donner in ABC Family's *10 Things I Hate About You* (2009–2010).[11](https://thesecretcircle.fandom.com/wiki/Chris_Zylka) • [12](https://www.bustle.com/articles/29266-the-leftovers-star-chris-zylka-isnt-just-justin-therouxs-fictional-son-he-has-an-amazing)
**The Secret Circle.** In October 2011 he was introduced as Jake Armstrong, a former witch hunter, on the CW's supernatural teen drama *The Secret Circle*, joining the main cast mid-season after starting as a guest star.[12](https://www.bustle.com/articles/29266-the-leftovers-star-chris-zylka-isnt-just-justin-therouxs-fictional-son-he-has-an-amazing) • [11](https://thesecretcircle.fandom.com/wiki/Chris_Zylka) Filmweb credits him with 17 episodes across 2011 and 2012.[13](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Chris%2BZylka-911501/filmography) [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw) canceled the show after one season.[12](https://www.bustle.com/articles/29266-the-leftovers-star-chris-zylka-isnt-just-justin-therouxs-fictional-son-he-has-an-amazing) After the cancellation, he was reportedly cast in a guest role on the second season of *American Horror Story* but was dismissed after refusing to shave his head for a two-episode part.[11](https://thesecretcircle.fandom.com/wiki/Chris_Zylka) He later played Tyler Lewis on the ABC Family series *Twisted* (2013) and appeared in the [USA Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-network) series *Dare Me*.[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/chris-zylka/) • [14](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/chris-zylka)
**The Leftovers.** Zylka's most prominent television role came as Tom Garvey in HBO's *The Leftovers* (2014–2017), created by [Damon Lindelof](https://www.edgepedia.org/damon-lindelof) and [Tom Perrotta](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-perrotta) from Perrotta's novel.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [5](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/chris-zylka-the-leftovers) The series is set after the disappearance of two percent of the world's population; Tom is the son of Kevin Garvey ([Justin Theroux](https://www.edgepedia.org/justin-theroux)) and Laurie (Amy Brenneman) and becomes a devoted disciple of the cult leader "Holy Wayne."[5](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/chris-zylka-the-leftovers) • [15](https://philarchive.org/archive/VIEITL) Zylka said Peter Berg, who had worked with him on an earlier project, offered him the part.[5](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/chris-zylka-the-leftovers)
## Film career
Zylka's feature debut was in [Gregg Araki](https://www.edgepedia.org/gregg-araki)'s *Kaboom* (2010), playing Thor, the male protagonist's surfer-dude roommate; the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and played Sundance and Toronto before release by IFC.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [16](https://the-leftovers.fandom.com/wiki/Chris_Zylka) He has called it his favorite film to work on.[8](https://www.out.com/movies/2012/2/16/chris-zylka?page=1) Genre roles followed: Brigg in the MTV made-for-TV horror films *My Super Psycho Sweet 16* (2009) and its sequels, Blake in *Shark Night 3D* (2011), and Kyle, a deputy sheriff, in *Piranha 3DD* (2012).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [17](https://mediamikes.com/2011/08/interview-with-chris-zylka/)
**The Amazing Spider-Man.** In 2012 he played Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Peter Parker's high school tormentor, in Sony's reboot *The Amazing Spider-Man*, directed by [Marc Webb](https://www.edgepedia.org/marc-webb) and starring [Andrew Garfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrew-garfield) and [Emma Stone](https://www.edgepedia.org/emma-stone).[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_zylka) • [8](https://www.out.com/movies/2012/2/16/chris-zylka?page=1) He reprised the role in *The Amazing Spider-Man 2* (2014), although his scenes were removed from the final cut.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_zylka)
**Leading roles.** *Dixieland* (2015), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, gave Zylka his first leading film role, as an ex-con named Kermit who returns to his [Mississippi](https://www.edgepedia.org/mississippi) home and falls in love with [Riley Keough](https://www.edgepedia.org/riley-keough)'s character.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/) • [6](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/chris-zylka-dixieland-interview) The same year he appeared in the comedy horror *Freaks of Nature* and the indie drama *Bare*.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_zylka) Later credits include *Welcome to Willits* (2016), *Novitiate* (2017), and *The Death and Life of John F. Donovan*, and he was credited as executive producer on *Model House* (2024).[7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/chris-zylka/credits/3000515047/) • [18](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-zylka-749686/film-credits)
## References
1. [Chris Zylka, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024712/)
2. [Chris Zylka, Un-Titled Project Magazine](https://utpmag.com/project/chris-zylka)
3. [Chris Zylka, BuddyTV](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/chris-zylka/)
4. [Chris Zylka Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_zylka)
5. [Chris Zylka Remains, Interview Magazine (June 25, 2014)](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/chris-zylka-the-leftovers)
6. [Chris Zylka Is Totally Unrecognizable in His First Leading Film Role, Teen Vogue (April 23, 2015)](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/chris-zylka-dixieland-interview)
7. [Chris Zylka List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/chris-zylka/credits/3000515047/)
8. [Chris Zylka, Out.com (February 16, 2012)](https://www.out.com/movies/2012/2/16/chris-zylka?page=1)
9. [From Homeless to HBO, The Daily Beast (June 27, 2014)](https://www.thedailybeast.com/from-homeless-to-hbo-the-leftovers-star-chris-zylkas-crazy-hollywood-story)
10. [Chris Zylka, Filmweb](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Chris%2BZylka-911501)
11. [Chris Zylka, The Secret Circle Wiki](https://thesecretcircle.fandom.com/wiki/Chris_Zylka)
12. [The Leftovers Star Chris Zylka Isn't Just Justin Theroux's Fictional Son, Bustle](https://www.bustle.com/articles/29266-the-leftovers-star-chris-zylka-isnt-just-justin-therouxs-fictional-son-he-has-an-amazing)
13. [Chris Zylka - Filmografia - Filmweb](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Chris%2BZylka-911501/filmography)
14. [Chris Zylka Movies: Full List, Movie List](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/chris-zylka)
15. [The Leftovers, PhilArchive](https://philarchive.org/archive/VIEITL)
16. [Chris Zylka, The Leftovers Wiki](https://the-leftovers.fandom.com/wiki/Chris_Zylka)
17. [Interview with Chris Zylka, MediaMikes (August 31, 2011)](https://mediamikes.com/2011/08/interview-with-chris-zylka/)
18. [Chris Zylka Filmography and Movies, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-zylka-749686/film-credits)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames X to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license