# Cody Christian
**Cody Christian** (full name Cody Allen Christian) is an American actor known for playing troubled young men on teen television, most prominently Mike Montgomery on *Pretty Little Liars*, Theo Raeken on *Teen Wolf*, and Asher Adams on *All American*, and for voicing [Cloud Strife](https://www.edgepedia.org/cloud-strife) in the modern *Final Fantasy VII* games.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1995, Portland, Maine; raised on a reservation by his mother, a member of the Penobscot Nation[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/) |
| Television debut | 2007, at age twelve, in the drama *State of Mind*[2](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D447671.html) |
| Breakout role | Mike Montgomery, Aria's troubled brother, on *Pretty Little Liars* (ABC Family/Freeform, 2010–17)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/) |
| *Teen Wolf* | Theo Raeken, a malevolent genetically altered lycanthrope, in seasons 5 and 6 (2015–2016)[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9774/cody-christian) • [2](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D447671.html) |
| *All American* | Series regular as Asher Adams on The CW from 2018, credited for 90 episodes through the season 6 finale in July 2024[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9774/cody-christian) |
| Film lead | Nick Newell, a one-armed mixed martial arts fighter, in *Notorious Nick* (2021), his first leading man role in a film[4](https://hollywoodlife.com/2021/08/06/cody-christian-notorious-nick-training-process-interview/) |
| Video game voice | Cloud Strife in *Final Fantasy VII Remake* (released April 10, 2020), *Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion* (2022), and *Final Fantasy VII Rebirth* (2024)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2421367/) |
## Early life and start in acting
Christian was born in [Portland, Maine](https://www.edgepedia.org/portland-maine), and was raised on a reservation by his mother, who was a member of the Penobscot Nation[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/). In interviews he has described a childhood far from the industry: until age eight he grew up in midwestern Indiana, and his early ambitions ran to college sports, the military, or medicine before a radio commercial for an acting school, which he calls a scam, first immersed him in the acting world[6](https://phosphormagazine.com/cody-christian).
His screen career began with short film projects, followed by guest roles on series such as *True Blood* (HBO, 2008–2014) and *Grey's Anatomy* (ABC, 2005– ), and a minor part in the [Bruce Willis](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruce-willis) science-fiction feature *Surrogates* (2009)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/). The French filmography database AlloCiné dates his television debut to 2007, at age twelve, in the comedy-drama *State of Mind*, with an appearance in *Back to You* the same year[2](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D447671.html).
## Pretty Little Liars and Teen Wolf
In 2010 Christian landed his breakout role as Mike Montgomery on *Pretty Little Liars*, playing the troubled brother of [Aria Montgomery](https://www.edgepedia.org/aria-montgomery) ([Lucy Hale](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucy-hale)); his character's anger issues and conflicts with his sister formed the backbone of his arc across the series' run[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/). AlloCiné credits him with appearances in seasons 1 through 6 of the show[2](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D447671.html).
When that series neared its end, Christian was cast on *Teen Wolf* as Theo Raeken, a recurring villain described as a malevolent, genetically altered lycanthrope who posed trouble for [Tyler Posey](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyler-posey)'s title character[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/). He appeared in 17 episodes of season 5 (2015) and 10 episodes of season 6 (2016) per AlloCiné's episode listing[2](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D447671.html). In a 2020 interview he said he saw Theo as a product of his environment rather than a born villain, and that he would be willing to reprise the role if a story for the character were ever told[7](https://crookedforest.ca/2020/09/06/interview-cody-christian/).
## All American
The popularity of his two teen-series roles led to series-regular work on *All American* ([The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw), 2018– ), a school and sports drama based on the life of professional football player [Spencer Paysinger](https://www.edgepedia.org/spencer-paysinger)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/). Christian portrays Asher Adams, a well-off teenager whose place on a Beverly Hills high school football squad comes under threat when a newcomer from South Central Los Angeles, played by [Daniel Ezra](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-ezra), shows up[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/). TVmaze lists 90 episodes of Asher Adams through the season 6 finale, "I Do (Part II)", broadcast July 15, 2024[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9774/cody-christian).
The character's arc gave Christian an unusually long runway: Asher endures a heart condition that benches him from football, the loss of a coach who was a father figure, the end of a relationship, and eventually young fatherhood to a baby boy named AJ. Christian has said the role felt like playing many different characters within one, across an arc stretching more than six years[6](https://phosphormagazine.com/cody-christian).
## Film and voice work
Christian's film roles include the lead in the parody *[The Starving Games](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-starving-games)* (2013) as Peter Malarky, Dylan in *Submerged* (2015), Johnny in [Sam Levinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-levinson)'s dystopian dark comedy *Assassination Nation* (2018), and the title role in *Notorious Nick* (2021)[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cody_christian). According to his IMDb biography, *Assassination Nation* was the biggest deal made at the 2018 [Sundance Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundance-film-festival)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2421367/).
*Notorious Nick*, in which he plays the real one-armed mixed martial arts fighter [Nick Newell](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-newell), who was born with a congenital amputation of his left arm, was Christian's first leading man role in a film[4](https://hollywoodlife.com/2021/08/06/cody-christian-notorious-nick-training-process-interview/). He said he was drawn to the true story of will and determination, and prepared by building himself physically like an athlete for the part[4](https://hollywoodlife.com/2021/08/06/cody-christian-notorious-nick-training-process-interview/) • [6](https://phosphormagazine.com/cody-christian). He is also credited as a performer on the song "Blessed" for the film[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2421367/).
A separate strand of his career is voice acting. Since 2020 he has voiced Cloud Strife, the playable protagonist of the *Final Fantasy VII* remake project based on the original 1997 game, in *Final Fantasy VII Remake* (April 10, 2020), *Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion* (2022), and *Final Fantasy VII Rebirth* (2024), and in *Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles* (2025)[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2421367/) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/cody-christian/). He has also hosted, including the Future Games Show Spring Showcase in 2023[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/).
## References
1. [Cody Christian – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cody-christian/)
2. [Cody Christian – AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne%3D447671.html)
3. [Cody Christian – TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9774/cody-christian)
4. [Cody Christian On 'Notorious Nick' Role: Exclusive Interview – HollywoodLife](https://hollywoodlife.com/2021/08/06/cody-christian-notorious-nick-training-process-interview/)
5. [Cody Christian – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2421367/)
6. [Cody Christian on the impact of storytelling – Phosphor Magazine](https://phosphormagazine.com/cody-christian)
7. [Interview: Cody Christian – Crooked Forest](https://crookedforest.ca/2020/09/06/interview-cody-christian/)
8. [Cody Christian Movies & TV Shows List – Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cody_christian)
9. [Cody Christian – Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/cody-christian/)
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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 Ch to Cl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; 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