# Keean Johnson **Keean Johnson** (full name Keean Manny Johnson) is an American actor, dancer, and photographer known for playing Hugo in the 2019 science-fiction film *Alita: Battle Angel* and for television roles including Colt Wheeler on NBC's *Nashville* and Adam Freeman in the series *Spooksville*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) • [2](https://tv.apple.com/gb/person/keean-johnson/umc.cpc.xh0fjbshiolnetwwfwk9zpt9) He was born in 1996 in Colorado, USA, to a British father and an American mother.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/keean_johnson) | Key fact | Detail | |---|---| | Born | 1996, Colorado, USA; son of a British father and an American mother[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/keean_johnson) | | Stage background | Performed over 300 shows in the Broadway musical *Billy Elliot*, which won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical; moved to Chicago in 2010 to play the same role[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) • [4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) | | Breakout film role | Hugo, the lead male role in *Alita: Battle Angel* (2019), a $200 million production directed by Robert Rodriguez and produced by James Cameron, based on Yukito Kishiro's manga *Gunnm*[4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) | | Television roles | Colt Wheeler on *Nashville* (seasons 2 to 4), Adam Freeman in *Spooksville* (2013 to 2014), Daniel in season 1 of HBO's *Euphoria* (6 episodes)[5](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-672275/filmographie/) • [2](https://tv.apple.com/gb/person/keean-johnson/umc.cpc.xh0fjbshiolnetwwfwk9zpt9) | | Recent work | Vernon Howell in *Waco: The Aftermath* (2023) and Luke Brueggeman in *Joe Pickett* (2023, 10 episodes)[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keean-johnson/) | | Rotten Tomatoes range | Highest-rated film *Cut Throat City* at 72%, lowest-rated *Midway* at 42%[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/keean_johnson) | ## Early life and stage career Johnson was homeschooled for most of his life alongside his younger brother Cade, and he divides his time between dance, music, acting, and photography.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) Before working on camera, he performed in the Broadway musical *Billy Elliot*, appearing in more than 300 shows; in 2010 he moved from Manhattan to Chicago to perform the same role in that production.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) A casting director, Claire Simon, saw him on stage and encouraged him to move to Los Angeles with his family to study acting and audition for television and film.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) ## Television Johnson's first regular television role was Adam Freeman, the lead of the action-horror adventure series *Spooksville*, which ran 22 episodes from 2013 to 2014.[2](https://tv.apple.com/gb/person/keean-johnson/umc.cpc.xh0fjbshiolnetwwfwk9zpt9) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) He then played Colt Wheeler on the NBC series *[Nashville](https://www.edgepedia.org/nashville-2012-tv-series)*, appearing in one episode of season 2, eight episodes of season 3, and thirteen episodes of season 4 between 2013 and 2015.[5](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-672275/filmographie/) In 2015 he had a recurring role as Tony in six episodes of season 3 of the Freeform series *The Fosters*, and he appeared in a 2016 episode of *Notorious* as Finn.[5](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-672275/filmographie/) • [4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) In 2019 he appeared as Daniel in six episodes of the first season of HBO's *Euphoria*, alongside Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, and [Jacob Elordi](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacob-elordi).[4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) • [5](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-672275/filmographie/) In 2023 he played Luke Brueggeman in ten episodes of the second season of *Joe Pickett* and Vernon Howell in the five-episode docuseries *Waco: The Aftermath*.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keean-johnson/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) ## Film Johnson's breakout film role was Hugo, the lead male role opposite [Rosa Salazar](https://www.edgepedia.org/rosa-salazar), in *Alita: Battle Angel*, released in early 2019 by 20th Century Fox. The film was directed by [Robert Rodriguez](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-rodriguez), produced by [James Cameron](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-cameron), made on a $200 million budget, and based on Yukito Kishiro's Japanese manga *Gunnm*; Christoph Waltz and Jennifer Connelly also starred.[4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) 2019 brought three further releases. He played James Murray in [Roland Emmerich](https://www.edgepedia.org/roland-emmerich)'s ensemble war film *Midway* for Lionsgate, recounting the [Battle of Midway](https://www.edgepedia.org/battle-of-midway), with co-stars including [Woody Harrelson](https://www.edgepedia.org/woody-harrelson), Luke Evans, Patrick Wilson, Aaron Eckhart, and Dennis Quaid.[4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) He played Alan in A24's drama-thriller *Low Tide*, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and Mark in the horror-thriller *We Summon the Darkness*.[4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/keean_johnson) In 2020 he appeared as Junior in *Cut Throat City*, an action-drama directed by RZA about a heist in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans during [Hurricane Katrina](https://www.edgepedia.org/hurricane-katrina), co-starring Eiza Gonzalez, Wesley Snipes, and [Terrence Howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/terrence-howard), and as Rufus Little in *Emperor*.[4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/keean_johnson) He then played the lead role of Marcus, an audio-obsessed student who learns he will soon become deaf, opposite [Madeline Brewer](https://www.edgepedia.org/madeline-brewer) in Hulu's original film *The Ultimate Playlist of Noise*, released in 2021.[4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/keean_johnson) ## Reception On Rotten Tomatoes, Johnson's highest-rated film is *Cut Throat City* at 72 percent and his lowest is *Midway* at 42 percent; *Low Tide* also scored 72 percent with critics, while *Alita: Battle Angel* holds 61 percent from critics and 91 percent from audiences.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/keean_johnson) His earlier television work has rated higher on the platform, with *Nashville* at 91 percent and *Joe Pickett* at 100 percent.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keean-johnson/) ## Other work Johnson continues to dance professionally and recreationally, alongside pursuits in music, photography, and art; he resides in Los Angeles.[4](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) He has also worked behind the camera, serving as cinematographer on the short films *Origin* (2023) and *B1* (2024).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) ## References 1. [Keean Johnson (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5277107/) 2. [Keean Johnson Films and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/gb/person/keean-johnson/umc.cpc.xh0fjbshiolnetwwfwk9zpt9) 3. [Keean Johnson Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/keean_johnson) 4. [Keean Johnson, Hulu Press](https://press.hulu.com/bios/keean-johnson/) 5. [Keean Johnson : Filmographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-672275/filmographie/) 6. [Keean Johnson, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keean-johnson/) --- *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 Jo to Kl* *Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; 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