# Jesse Bradford
**Jesse Bradford** (born Jesse Bradford Watrouse, 1979) is an American actor, producer, and director who began performing as an infant and built a career spanning child roles in the 1980s and 1990s, leading-man parts in early-2000s films, and television work from the 2000s onward. He is known for the title role in [Steven Soderbergh](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-soderbergh)'s *King of the Hill* (1993), Cliff Pantone in *Bring It On* (2000), and [Rene Gagnon](https://www.edgepedia.org/rene-gagnon) in [Clint Eastwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/clint-eastwood)'s *Flags of Our Fathers* (2006).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) • [2](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/260186-Jesse-Bradford?cp=1&cxt=Cast3&pos=2&sid=8631552e-6d1d-4d00-b5ea-2bfc5a5168ad&sr=0.09956296)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and origin | Jesse Bradford Watrouse, born 1979 in Norwalk, Connecticut; both parents, Curtis Watrouse and Terry Porter, are actors[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) |
| First work | A Q-Tip television commercial at eight months old; steady acting and modeling work from age 4[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) |
| Breakthrough | Lead role as Aaron Kurlander in Steven Soderbergh's *King of the Hill* (1993), with Spalding Gray and Elizabeth McGovern[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) |
| Early nominations | Chicago Film Critics Association most promising actor and Young Artist Award nominations for *King of the Hill*; Young Artist Award nomination for *Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog* (1995)[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/bradford-jesse-1979) |
| Education | Brien MacMahon High School in Norwalk; film degree from Columbia University, 2002[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) |
| Signature adult roles | Cliff Pantone in *Bring It On* (2000), Ben in *Swimfan* (2002), Zak in *Clockstoppers* (2002), Rene Gagnon in *Flags of Our Fathers* (2006)[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/260186-Jesse-Bradford?cp=1&cxt=Cast3&pos=2&sid=8631552e-6d1d-4d00-b5ea-2bfc5a5168ad&sr=0.09956296) |
| Television | Recurring role on *The West Wing* (2003–2004); later series work including *Shooter*, *Guys with Kids*, and guest parts on *High Potential* and *The Hunting Party*[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/1223747/jesse-bradford-now-today-bring-it-on/) • [5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/53776/jesse-bradford) |
## Early life and start in acting
Bradford was born in [Norwalk, Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/norwalk-connecticut), to Curtis Watrouse and [Terry Porter](https://www.edgepedia.org/terry-porter), both actors who appeared in many television commercials. His professional debut came at eight months old in a Q-Tip commercial, and he worked steadily in acting and modeling from the age of 4.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) His first acting role was on the soap opera *Guiding Light*, followed by a part in the 1984 film *Falling in Love*, in which he played [Robert De Niro](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-de-niro)'s son.[6](https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/jesse-bradford/2442/) In a later interview, Bradford recalled that De Niro, committed to the Method approach, took the four-year-old and his on-screen family to the circus, the zoo, and Central Park to build a father-son comfort level before shooting.[7](https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/news/a22809/jesse-bradford-interview/)
He attended Brien MacMahon High School in Norwalk, where he was named homecoming king, and went on to study film at Columbia University, graduating with a film degree in 2002.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) Columbia Magazine identifies him with the class of 2002 at Columbia College.[8](https://www.magazine.columbia.edu/print/pdf/node/8586)
## Child and teen career
Bradford's film-acting debut was *Falling in Love* (1984), but he first drew wide attention as the young lead in Steven Soderbergh's Depression-era drama *King of the Hill* (1993), opposite [Spalding Gray](https://www.edgepedia.org/spalding-gray) and [Elizabeth McGovern](https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-mcgovern).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) The performance earned him a Chicago Film Critics Association nomination for most promising actor and a [Young Artist Award](https://www.edgepedia.org/young-artist-award) nomination for best youth actor in a leading role in a motion picture drama.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/bradford-jesse-1979)
Teen roles followed in quick succession: Angus McCormick in *Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog* (1995), which brought a further Young Artist Award nomination for best young leading actor in a feature film; Joey in *Hackers* (1995) opposite [Jonny Lee Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonny-lee-miller) and [Angelina Jolie](https://www.edgepedia.org/angelina-jolie); and Balthasar in [Baz Luhrmann](https://www.edgepedia.org/baz-luhrmann)'s *Romeo + Juliet* (1996) with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) • [2](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/260186-Jesse-Bradford?cp=1&cxt=Cast3&pos=2&sid=8631552e-6d1d-4d00-b5ea-2bfc5a5168ad&sr=0.09956296) He also played a fictionalized young James Jones in James Ivory's *A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries* (1998), a performance that led Ivory's producer Ismail Merchant to cast him again in *Heights* (2004).[9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jesse-bradford/)
## Adult career
As a young adult Bradford moved into leading roles, playing Cliff Pantone in the cheerleading comedy *Bring It On* (2000), Ben in the thriller *Swimfan* (2002), and Zak in the science-fiction adventure *[Clockstoppers](https://www.edgepedia.org/clockstoppers)* (2002).[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/260186-Jesse-Bradford?cp=1&cxt=Cast3&pos=2&sid=8631552e-6d1d-4d00-b5ea-2bfc5a5168ad&sr=0.09956296) He then worked in ensemble parts across independent and mainstream film, including Don Roos's *Happy Endings* (2005), *Heights* (2005), and Clint Eastwood's World War II drama *Flags of Our Fathers* (2006), in which he played flag-raiser Rene Gagnon.[9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jesse-bradford/) • [2](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/260186-Jesse-Bradford?cp=1&cxt=Cast3&pos=2&sid=8631552e-6d1d-4d00-b5ea-2bfc5a5168ad&sr=0.09956296) Later film credits include *W.* (2008), *I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell* (2009), *The Power of Few* (2013), and *Merry Kiss Cam* (2022).[9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jesse-bradford/) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/1223747/jesse-bradford-now-today-bring-it-on/)
On television he had a recurring role on *The West Wing* in 2003 and 2004, starred as Chris in the sitcom *Guys with Kids* (2012), played Harris Downey in *Shooter* (2016–2018), and appeared in *Sequestered* (2014), for which he was also a producer.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/1223747/jesse-bradford-now-today-bring-it-on/) • [5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/53776/jesse-bradford) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) More recent guest parts include Solomon in *High Potential* (2025–2026) and Mark Marsden in *The Hunting Party* (2025).[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/53776/jesse-bradford)
## Behind the camera and personal life
Bradford has directing and producing credits: he directed the short film *The Day of Matthew Montgomery* (2018), directed an episode of the series *Co-op of the Damned* (2012), and produced the series *Sequestered* (2014).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) He plays guitar, a skill that surfaced on screen in *Bring It On*, where his character plays guitar in a scene TV Insider describes as "frantic."[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/) • [9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jesse-bradford/)
He married Andrea Watrouse in November 2018, and their daughter Magnolia was born in 2021.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/1223747/jesse-bradford-now-today-bring-it-on/)
## References
1. [Jesse Bradford – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/bio/)
2. [Jesse Bradford filmography, AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/260186-Jesse-Bradford?cp=1&cxt=Cast3&pos=2&sid=8631552e-6d1d-4d00-b5ea-2bfc5a5168ad&sr=0.09956296)
3. [Bradford, Jesse 1979–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/bradford-jesse-1979)
4. [Where Is 'Bring It On' Star Jesse Bradford Now?, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1223747/jesse-bradford-now-today-bring-it-on/)
5. [Jesse Bradford, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/53776/jesse-bradford)
6. [Jesse Bradford Biography & Movies, Tribute.ca](https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/jesse-bradford/2442/)
7. [Hot Topic: Jesse Bradford, Elle](https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/news/a22809/jesse-bradford-interview/)
8. [Jesse Bradford '02CC, Columbia Magazine](https://www.magazine.columbia.edu/print/pdf/node/8586)
9. [Jesse Bradford – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jesse-bradford/)
---
*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 Bo to Br*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: 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