# Jaeden Martell
**Jaeden Martell** (born 2003) is an American actor known for playing Bill Denbrough in the 2017 film adaptation of [Stephen King](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-king)'s *It* and its 2019 sequel, and for roles in *Knives Out* (2019), the miniseries *Defending Jacob* (2020), and *Mr. Harrigan's Phone* (2022)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057). He was credited as **Jaeden Lieberher**, his family name, for the first six years of his career before adopting his mother's maiden name, Martell, in 2019[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2003, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Angela Teresa Martell and Wes Lieberher, a Los Angeles-based executive chef[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057) |
| Name change | Credited as Jaeden Lieberher for his first six years; legally adopted his mother's maiden name, Martell, in 2019[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057) • [2](https://thecinemaholic.com/jaeden-martell-everything-we-know/) |
| Breakthrough | Bill Denbrough in *It* (2017), which grossed over $701 million worldwide[3](https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/Jaeden_Martell) |
| Notable ensemble work | Jacob Thrombey in Rian Johnson's *Knives Out* (2019), Rotten Tomatoes critics score 97%[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jaeden_martell) |
| Television lead | Jacob Barber in Apple TV+'s *Defending Jacob* (2020), opposite Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery[5](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e3e0195e-b37c-4586-a401-7c5f493ba4a2/-/inline/no/Press%20Kit.pdf) |
| Awards | 5 wins and 7 nominations, including the 2018 MTV Movie + TV Award for Best On-Screen Team for *It*[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057/awards/) |
| Recent work | *Arcadian* and *Y2K* (both 2024); *Our Hero, Balthazar* (2025), which won the Audience Choice Award at the Tribeca Festival[5](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e3e0195e-b37c-4586-a401-7c5f493ba4a2/-/inline/no/Press%20Kit.pdf) • [7](https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-news/film-interviews/jaeden-martell-and-asa-butterfield-talk-our-hero-balthazar/) |
## Early life and start in acting
Martell grew up in [South Philadelphia](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-philadelphia) and moved to Los Angeles at the age of eight, in 2011, so that his mother could be closer to his father[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057) • [8](https://contentmode.com/jaeden-martell/). He has Korean heritage through his maternal grandmother, Chisun Martell[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057). He has described the move as difficult at first, saying he was extremely introverted and would sit alone and read books during recess at his new school[8](https://contentmode.com/jaeden-martell/).
His acting career began with commercials, starting with an ad for [Hot Wheels](https://www.edgepedia.org/hot-wheels) and expanding to brands including Google, Moneysupermarket, Liberty Mutual, Hyundai (for the 2013 [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl)), Verizon Fios, and [General Electric](https://www.edgepedia.org/general-electric)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057). Unlike many child actors, he never trained with drama classes or similar resources before finding national exposure on camera[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jaeden_martell).
## Film career
**Early roles.** Martell broke into movies playing a young Chris Evans in the romantic comedy *Playing It Cool* (2014), then took third billing opposite [Bill Murray](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-murray) and [Melissa McCarthy](https://www.edgepedia.org/melissa-mccarthy) in *St. Vincent* (2014), directed by Ted Melfi, playing the son of divorced parents who falls into the care of Murray's curmudgeonly drinker and gambler[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jaeden_martell). Critics cited his naturalistic performance as one of the film's chief assets, and the role earned him youth-performance awards and nominations from several critics' groups[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jaeden_martell) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057/awards/). Murray later recommended him to [Cameron Crowe](https://www.edgepedia.org/cameron-crowe), which led to his role in *Aloha* (2015)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057). In 2016 he appeared in the science-fiction film *Midnight Special* as Alton, a boy with inexplicable powers, holding his own opposite Michael Shannon and Kirsten Dunst, and in the independent comedy *The Confirmation*[9](https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2019/09/29/star-jaeden-martell-talks-defending-jacob-and-striking-gold-low-tide/Nrt4g5kKtobmgiPlf09s1O/story.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057).
***It* and breakthrough.** In 2017 Martell played Bill Denbrough, the leader of the Losers' Club, in the Warner Bros. adaptation of Stephen King's *It*. The film grossed over $701 million worldwide, marking his first major commercial success[3](https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/Jaeden_Martell). He was surprised by the scale of its opening weekend, telling *Teen Vogue* that while he knew the property had a following among fans of the book and miniseries, he had not expected that level of success[10](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/jaeden-lieberher-it-interview). The cast's camaraderie carried off screen; he described meeting his costars and feeling he had known them forever, with weekend sleepovers during shooting[10](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/jaeden-lieberher-it-interview). He reprised the role in *It Chapter Two* (2019)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057).
**2019 and after.** The same year he appeared in four more releases: [Rian Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/rian-johnson)'s murder mystery *Knives Out* as Jacob Thrombey, the psychological thriller *The Lodge*, the A24 drama *Low Tide* as a Jersey-shore teen drawn into his brother's burglaries, and *The True Adventures of Wolfboy*[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jaeden_martell) • [9](https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2019/09/29/star-jaeden-martell-talks-defending-jacob-and-striking-gold-low-tide/Nrt4g5kKtobmgiPlf09s1O/story.html). In *Defending Jacob* (2020), the Apple TV+ limited series based on William Landay's novel, he played the titular 14-year-old accused of murdering a classmate, with Chris Evans and [Michelle Dockery](https://www.edgepedia.org/michelle-dockery) as his on-screen parents[5](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e3e0195e-b37c-4586-a401-7c5f493ba4a2/-/inline/no/Press%20Kit.pdf). He told the *Boston Globe* that the series deliberately made Jacob more ambiguous than the book's version, and that when he asked episode director [Morten Tyldum](https://www.edgepedia.org/morten-tyldum) whether his character was guilty, Tyldum answered, "I don't know. You decide."[9](https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2019/09/29/star-jaeden-martell-talks-defending-jacob-and-striking-gold-low-tide/Nrt4g5kKtobmgiPlf09s1O/story.html)
**Stephen King and genre work.** Martell returned to King's work in *Mr. Harrigan's Phone* (2022), the Netflix film written and directed by [John Lee Hancock](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-lee-hancock) based on the novella from the *If It Bleeds* collection, playing Craig opposite [Donald Sutherland](https://www.edgepedia.org/donald-sutherland)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057) • [5](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e3e0195e-b37c-4586-a401-7c5f493ba4a2/-/inline/no/Press%20Kit.pdf). Also in 2022 he played Kevin Schlieb in Netflix's *Metal Lords*, a coming-of-age comedy about two childhood friends forming a metal band[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jaeden_martell) • [11](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/metal-lords-interview-jaeden-martell/).
**2024 and 2025.** In 2024 he starred in two releases: *Arcadian*, a post-apocalyptic thriller opposite [Nicolas Cage](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicolas-cage) shot in Ireland, in which he plays Joseph, one of a father's twin sons; and *Y2K*, directed by [Kyle Mooney](https://www.edgepedia.org/kyle-mooney), a horror-comedy set at a 1999 New Year's Eve party in which he plays Eli, a nerdy outsider[5](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e3e0195e-b37c-4586-a401-7c5f493ba4a2/-/inline/no/Press%20Kit.pdf) • [12](https://jaeden-martell.com/category/articles-interviews/). In *Our Hero, Balthazar* (2025), directed by Oscar Boyson, he plays Balthazar "Balthy" Malone, a privileged New York teenager who travels to Texas hoping to prevent a school shooting to impress an activist crush; the film won the Audience Choice Award at the 2025 Tribeca Festival[7](https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-news/film-interviews/jaeden-martell-and-asa-butterfield-talk-our-hero-balthazar/) • [13](https://parade.com/movies/our-hero-balthazar-tribeca-festival-interview-jaeden-martell-noah-centineo). He also served as a producer on the film[14](https://www.fandango.com/people/jaeden-martell-931707/film-credits).
## The name change
Martell has explained the switch from Lieberher to Martell as personal rather than professional. "That is my mom's last name and I wanted to honor her because she is here with me every day that she's on set with me and she makes me the person I am," he said in an interview with GoldDerby[2](https://thecinemaholic.com/jaeden-martell-everything-we-know/). In another interview he called it "definitely not a career decision, more of a personal change to honor my mom"[8](https://contentmode.com/jaeden-martell/). Older credits on databases such as IMDb carry the notation "(as Jaeden Lieberher)" for his earlier roles[15](https://theaudient.blogspot.com/2019/09/leaving-lieberher.html?showComment=1728453651570).
## Recognition
Martell's awards record stands at 5 wins and 7 nominations[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057/awards/). For *St. Vincent* he won the Las Vegas Film Critics Society's Youth in Film Sierra Award and the Phoenix Film Critics Society award for Best Performance by a Youth, and was nominated for the Critics' Choice Award for Best Young Actor/Actress[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057/awards/). The *It* cast, shared with Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor, and Chosen Jacobs, won the 2018 MTV Movie + TV Award for Best On-Screen Team, and the *It Chapter Two* ensemble won a 2019 Fright Meter Award for Best Ensemble Cast[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057/awards/). Across his film career, Metacritic records his highest-scoring film as *Knives Out* (Metascore 82) and his average career score as 59[16](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jaeden-martell/).
## Approach to roles
Martell has described his role choices as driven by a preference for complex, flawed humans over typical "kid" parts[8](https://contentmode.com/jaeden-martell/). Speaking about *Y2K*, he said he seeks roles that challenge him because he does not consider himself a natural-born performer, and that comedy, a genre new to him, was the most challenging of all[12](https://jaeden-martell.com/category/articles-interviews/). He was educated through online schooling for most of his acting career[17](https://thelaterals.com/articles/jaeden-martell/).
## References
1. [Jaeden Martell, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057)
2. [Jaeden Martell Realized Acting Was His True Calling At Age 10, The Cinemaholic](https://thecinemaholic.com/jaeden-martell-everything-we-know/)
3. [Jaeden Martell, Moviepedia (Fandom)](https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/Jaeden_Martell)
4. [Jaeden Martell, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jaeden_martell)
5. [Arcadian press notes](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/e3e0195e-b37c-4586-a401-7c5f493ba4a2/-/inline/no/Press%20Kit.pdf)
6. [Jaeden Martell Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5897057/awards/)
7. [Jaeden Martell and Asa Butterfield Talk Our Hero, Balthazar, Film Obsessive](https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-news/film-interviews/jaeden-martell-and-asa-butterfield-talk-our-hero-balthazar/)
8. [Jaeden Martell, ContentMode](https://contentmode.com/jaeden-martell/)
9. ['It' star Jaeden Martell talks 'Defending Jacob' and striking gold in 'Low Tide', The Boston Globe](https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2019/09/29/star-jaeden-martell-talks-defending-jacob-and-striking-gold-low-tide/Nrt4g5kKtobmgiPlf09s1O/story.html)
10. [Jaeden Lieberher Talks About "It" Costar Bill Skarsgård, Teen Vogue](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/jaeden-lieberher-it-interview)
11. [Metal Lords' Jaeden Martell on loving controlled chaos, Digital Trends](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/metal-lords-interview-jaeden-martell/)
12. [Jaeden Martell Fan, articles and interviews](https://jaeden-martell.com/category/articles-interviews/)
13. [Jaeden Martell Shares His Secret to Crying in Our Hero, Balthazar, Parade](https://parade.com/movies/our-hero-balthazar-tribeca-festival-interview-jaeden-martell-noah-centineo)
14. [Jaeden Martell Filmography, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/jaeden-martell-931707/film-credits)
15. [Leaving Lieberher, The Audient](https://theaudient.blogspot.com/2019/09/leaving-lieberher.html?showComment=1728453651570)
16. [Jaeden Martell, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jaeden-martell/)
17. [Jaeden Martell is not slowing down, The Laterals](https://thelaterals.com/articles/jaeden-martell/)
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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 M to Ma*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 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