# Luke Edwards (actor)
**Luke Edwards** (birth name Luke Daniels Edwards; born 1980 in [Nevada City, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/nevada-city-california)) is an American actor and producer who worked steadily as a child actor in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for the films *The Wizard* (1989), *Newsies* (1992), and *Little Big League* (1994).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250180/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/luke-edwards/credits/3030015199/) In adulthood he has continued acting in independent films and has worked as a producer.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250180/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980, Nevada City, California, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250180/) |
| Breakout role | Jimmy Woods, a video-game-skilled boy traveling to California, in *The Wizard* (1989)[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/luke-edwards-187936/film-credits) |
| *Newsies* (1992) | Played Les Jacobs, younger brother of David Jacobs (David Moscow), in the Disney musical directed by Kenny Ortega[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/newsies/cast-and-crew) |
| Lead role | Billy Heywood, owner-manager of the Minnesota Twins, in *Little Big League* (1994)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1023538-luke_edwards) |
| Later horror role | Jack Taggart, Jr., in *Jeepers Creepers 2* (2003)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250180/) |
| Producing | Producer credits on *Big Bear* (2017), *Desolation* (2017), and *A Beginner's Guide to Snuff* (2016)[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/luke-edwards/credits/3030015199/) |
## Early life and start in acting
Edwards began performing at age seven after taking classes at the Young Actor's Space in [Van Nuys](https://www.edgepedia.org/van-nuys), California.[6](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9fdbd450a54f22aace7569/t/5bfc56d81ae6cf295239a3cc/1543263968846/ABGTS_presskit.pdf) His early television work included appearances on *21 Jump Street* and *Roseanne* in 1989 and the true-life NBC miniseries *I Know My First Name Is Steven* (1989), in which he played the young [Steven Stayner](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-stayner), a kidnapped and abused child.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1023538-luke_edwards) In the early 1990s he held regular roles on two sitcoms, as Jason Walker on Fox's *Molloy* (1990) and as one of the three sons on *Davis Rules* (ABC and CBS, 1991–1992).[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1023538-luke_edwards)
## Film roles as a child actor
**The Wizard.** Edwards's feature film career began with *The Wizard* (1989), in which he played Jimmy Woods, the traumatized younger brother of [Fred Savage](https://www.edgepedia.org/fred-savage)'s character, a boy with a gift for video games.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1023538-luke_edwards) The film grossed $14.3 million worldwide, although his highest-grossing film is *American Pie 2* (2001), which earned approximately $287.6 million worldwide.[7](https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/person/luke-edwards/top-movies) • [14](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/ww_top_lifetime_gross/?area=XWW&offset=652)
**Newsies.** In 1992 he played Les Jacobs in Disney's musical *Newsies*, directed by [Kenny Ortega](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenny-ortega), singing and dancing alongside [Christian Bale](https://www.edgepedia.org/christian-bale).[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/newsies/cast-and-crew) • [6](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9fdbd450a54f22aace7569/t/5bfc56d81ae6cf295239a3cc/1543263968846/ABGTS_presskit.pdf) Les is the younger brother of [David Jacobs](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-jacobs) (David Moscow), who uses him to help sell papers during the newsboys' strike at the center of the plot.[8](https://screencrush.com/newsies-then-and-now/) The film was a box-office failure on release but developed a cult following and was later adapted into a Broadway musical that won two Tony Awards in 2012, for original score and choreography.[9](https://www.eonline.com/news/1326412/check-out-the-stars-of-newsies-then-now)
**Little Big League.** Edwards's starring role came in *Little Big League* (1994), a family baseball comedy from [Columbia Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/columbia-pictures) in which he played Billy Heywood, a young fan who inherits the [Minnesota Twins](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnesota-twins) from his grandfather ([Jason Robards](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-robards)) and appoints himself the team's manager.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1023538-luke_edwards) • [10](https://time.com/2945816/little-big-league-anniversary/) The film earned a positive review from Roger Ebert and grossed about $12 million.[10](https://time.com/2945816/little-big-league-anniversary/) • [7](https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/person/luke-edwards/top-movies) Twenty years after its release, Edwards returned to Target Field in Minneapolis to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before a Twins game as part of the film's anniversary.[11](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/little-big-league-star-returns-to-twins-20-years-later)
## Later career and producing
After *Little Big League*, Edwards's first substantial part was a six-episode arc as Mark on the MTV series *Undressed* in 1999.[12](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2116289-where-are-they-now-little-big-league-20-year-anniversary) • [9](https://www.eonline.com/news/1326412/check-out-the-stars-of-newsies-then-now) His screen credits since then include *Jeepers Creepers 2* (2003) as Jack Taggart, Jr., *American Pie 2* (2001), and *Cheaters* (2000), the highest-rated film on his Rotten Tomatoes page.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250180/) • [8](https://screencrush.com/newsies-then-and-now/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1023538-luke_edwards)
**Move behind the camera.** Edwards has also worked as a producer, with credits on *A Beginner's Guide to Snuff* (2016), in which he also played Dominic Winters, *Big Bear* (2017), and *Desolation* (2017).[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/luke-edwards/credits/3030015199/) • [13](https://www.metacritic.com/person/luke-edwards/) His more recent acting work includes the thriller *Adverse* (2021).[3](https://www.fandango.com/people/luke-edwards-187936/film-credits) Across his career his films have grossed a combined at least $287.6 million worldwide, led by *American Pie 2*.[7](https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/person/luke-edwards/top-movies) • [14](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/ww_top_lifetime_gross/?area=XWW&offset=652)
## References
1. [Luke Edwards (I) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250180/)
2. [Luke Edwards List of Movies and TV Shows – TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/luke-edwards/credits/3030015199/)
3. [Luke Edwards Filmography and Movies – Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/luke-edwards-187936/film-credits)
4. [Newsies: Full Cast & Crew – Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/newsies/cast-and-crew)
5. [Luke Edwards Movies & TV Shows List – Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/1023538-luke_edwards)
6. [A Beginner's Guide to Snuff press kit (Luke Edwards biography)](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9fdbd450a54f22aace7569/t/5bfc56d81ae6cf295239a3cc/1543263968846/ABGTS_presskit.pdf)
7. [Best Luke Edwards Movies, Ranked – What's After the Movie](https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/person/luke-edwards/top-movies)
8. [See the Cast of 'Newsies' Then and Now – ScreenCrush](https://screencrush.com/newsies-then-and-now/)
9. [See the Stars of Newsies, Then & Now – E! Online](https://www.eonline.com/news/1326412/check-out-the-stars-of-newsies-then-now)
10. [Little Big League: The Most Underrated Baseball Movie of All Time – TIME](https://time.com/2945816/little-big-league-anniversary/)
11. ['Little Big League' star returns to Twins 20 years later – FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/little-big-league-star-returns-to-twins-20-years-later)
12. [Where Are They Now: Little Big League 20-Year Anniversary – Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2116289-where-are-they-now-little-big-league-20-year-anniversary)
13. [Luke Edwards – Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/luke-edwards/)
14. [Top Lifetime Grosses - Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/ww_top_lifetime_gross/?area=XWW&offset=652)
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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: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Do to Es*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 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