# Jake Abel
**Jake Abel** (full name Jacob Allen Abel) is an American actor born in 1987 in [Canton, Ohio](https://www.edgepedia.org/canton-ohio), known for playing Luke Castellan in the two *Percy Jackson* films, Ian O'Shea in *The Host* (2013), Mark James in *I Am Number Four* (2011), and Adam Milligan and the archangel Michael on the television series *Supernatural*.[1](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/JakeAbel) • [2](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/jake-abel) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1831976/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987, Canton, Ohio, USA[4](https://www.fandango.com/people/jake-abel-1274) |
| Breakout genre roles | Luke Castellan in *Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief* (2010) and *Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters* (2013); Ian O'Shea in *The Host* (2013); Mark James in *I Am Number Four* (2011)[2](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/jake-abel) |
| Television | Adam Milligan/Michael on *Supernatural* (2009–2010, 2019–2020); series regular Sasha Harrison on *Another Life* (2019); Kevin Golden on *Walker* (2022–2023)[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) |
| Early honor | Rising Star award at the 16th Hamptons International Film Festival, October 2008, for *Flash of Genius*[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) |
| Music | Played Beach Boys member Mike Love in *Love & Mercy* (2014); released the album *Black Magic* with his wife Allie Wood in March 2013[6](https://www.movieinsider.com/p60/jake-abel) • [5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) |
| Recent work | Derek Mitchell in James Wan's *Malignant* (2021); Gene, a recruited OSS spy, in *Fog of War* (2025) with John Cusack and Mira Sorvino[7](https://duelinggenre.com/from-malignant-to-supernatural-a-conversation-with-actor-jake-abel/) • [8](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2025/04/04/Fog-of-War-Jake-Abel-William-Hurt/4761743705424/) |
## Early career
Abel's first credited role was Spencer in the Disney Channel Original Movie *Go Figure* (2005). He followed it with a recurring guest role as Brian Janklow on CBS's short-lived science fiction series *Threshold* (2005–2006, three episodes), and guest appearances on *Cold Case*, *The Suite Life of Zack & Cody*, *CSI: Miami*, *Life*, *CSI: NY*, and *ER*.[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) In 2008 he appeared in *Flash of Genius* and *Strange Wilderness*, and in October 2008 he received a Rising Star award at the 16th Hamptons International Film Festival for his work in *Flash of Genius*.[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) • [1](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/JakeAbel)
In a December 2009 *Interview* Magazine profile, Abel said he had auditioned to play [Edward Cullen](https://www.edgepedia.org/edward-cullen) in *Twilight* (2008), a part that went to [Robert Pattinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-pattinson); he described his tryout as a deliberately unconventional reading of the character.[9](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/jake-abel) That same year he appeared in [Peter Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-jackson)'s adaptation of Alice Sebold's novel *The Lovely Bones* and in the web series *Angel of Death*, which ran for ten episodes.[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) • [9](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/jake-abel)
## Genre films and Supernatural
**Young adult adaptations.** In February 2009 Abel was cast in [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw) series *Supernatural* as Adam Milligan, half-brother to protagonists Dean and [Sam Winchester](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-winchester); he appeared in three episodes as Adam and as the Archangel Michael possessing Adam, with later appearances bringing his total on the show to five episodes across 2009–2010 and 2019–2020.[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) His film career in the same period centered on teen-friendly genre adaptations: he played the sword-fighting son of Hermes, Luke Castellan, in *Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief* (2010) and its 2013 sequel, the antagonist Mark James in *I Am Number Four* (2011), and Ian O'Shea in *The Host* (2013), [Andrew Niccol](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrew-niccol)'s adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's science fiction novel.[2](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/jake-abel) • [5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel)
Abel has described *The Host* as a formative experience. [William Hurt](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-hurt), who played the uncle in the film, requested two weeks of rehearsal before shooting, which Abel called integral to the finished film; Hurt also taught him, by example, to take an interest in all aspects of filmmaking beyond acting.[10](https://www.chud.com/130670/interview-max-irons-jake-abel-the-host/) • [8](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2025/04/04/Fog-of-War-Jake-Abel-William-Hurt/4761743705424/)
**Beyond genre.** In 2014 Abel played Beach Boys songwriter and [Mike Love](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-love) in *Love & Mercy*, the [Brian Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-wilson) biopic, and appeared in *Good Kill* and *Against the Sun*.[6](https://www.movieinsider.com/p60/jake-abel) He was a series regular as Sasha Harrison in the first season of the Netflix science fiction drama *Another Life* (2019), played Trey Newell in *Dirty John* (2018), and joined the CW's *Walker* as Kevin Golden for eight episodes in 2022–2023, reuniting with his former *Supernatural* co-star [Jared Padalecki](https://www.edgepedia.org/jared-padalecki).[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) • [11](https://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2022/11/07/interview-jake-abel-on-joining-walker/) In 2021 he played Derek Mitchell in James Wan's horror film *Malignant*, his first major horror role.[7](https://duelinggenre.com/from-malignant-to-supernatural-a-conversation-with-actor-jake-abel/)
His 2025 film *Fog of War* casts him as Gene, a pilot who, after an injury grounds him from flight, is recruited by the OSS to spy on a New England community, co-starring [John Cusack](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-cusack) and [Mira Sorvino](https://www.edgepedia.org/mira-sorvino).[8](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2025/04/04/Fog-of-War-Jake-Abel-William-Hurt/4761743705424/) He also narrated the 2020 audiobook of [Stephenie Meyer](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephenie-meyer)'s *Midnight Sun*, voicing Edward Cullen, the character he had once auditioned to play on screen.[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel)
## Music and personal life
Abel married writer Allie Wood on November 9, 2013. The two released an album together, *Black Magic*, in March 2013. They had a stillbirth in November 2019 and have two sons, born in 2021 and 2023.[5](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel) In interviews he has described an interest in directing alongside acting, saying he has written, shot, and edited since his early acting years; his role on *Walker* came about after he asked Padalecki to shadow a director, and he instead joined the cast with an understanding that he intended to direct.[11](https://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2022/11/07/interview-jake-abel-on-joining-walker/)
## References
1. [Jake Abel (Creator), TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/JakeAbel)
2. [Jake Abel Movies: Full List, Trailers & Where to Watch, Movie List](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/jake-abel)
3. [Jake Abel, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1831976/)
4. [Jake Abel Overview, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/jake-abel-1274)
5. [Jake Abel, VALÉORINE Encyclopedia](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/jake-abel)
6. [Jake Abel Film Credits, Movie Insider](https://www.movieinsider.com/p60/jake-abel)
7. [From Malignant to Supernatural — A conversation with actor Jake Abel, Dueling Genre Productions](https://duelinggenre.com/from-malignant-to-supernatural-a-conversation-with-actor-jake-abel/)
8. ['Fog of War' star Jake Abel recalls lessons from William Hurt, more, UPI](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2025/04/04/Fog-of-War-Jake-Abel-William-Hurt/4761743705424/)
9. [Jake Abel, Interview Magazine (December 2, 2009)](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/jake-abel)
10. [Interview: Max Irons & Jake Abel (THE HOST), CHUD.com](https://www.chud.com/130670/interview-max-irons-jake-abel-the-host/)
11. [Interview: Jake Abel on Joining 'Walker' [EXCLUSIVE], Nerds and Beyond](https://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2022/11/07/interview-jake-abel-on-joining-walker/)
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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 A to At*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license