# Max Burkholder
**Max Burkholder** (Maxwell Henry Wolf Burkholder; born 1997 in Los Angeles, California) is an American actor whose career began before he started school and spans live-action film, television, and voice work. He is known for playing Max Braverman on NBC's *Parenthood* (2010-2015), Charlie Sandin in *The Purge* (2013), and, since 2024, the teenage [John Bennett](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-bennett), the character [Mark Wahlberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-wahlberg) played in the *Ted* films, in [Seth MacFarlane](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-macfarlane)'s *Ted* television series.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/max-burkholder/bio/3000430580/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1997, Los Angeles, California[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/) |
| Breakout role | Max Braverman on *Parenthood* (NBC), 2010-2015, 103 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/) |
| Feature films | Max in *Daddy Day Care* (2003), Charlie Sandin in *The Purge* (2013)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/) |
| Current lead role | John Bennett in *Ted* (Peacock, 2024-2026), 15 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/) |
| Voice work | Family Guy child characters from about age six; Chomper in *The Land Before Time*; Roo in *My Friends Tigger & Pooh*[3](https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/max-burkholder-ted-john-young/) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/max-burkholder/) |
| Awards | Two Young Artist Awards in 2014 for *Parenthood*; 2 wins and 4 nominations total[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/max-burkholder/bio/3000430580/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/) |
## Early career
Burkholder was an actor by age three and landed his first film role at seven, as Max in the [Eddie Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-murphy) comedy *[Daddy Day Care](https://www.edgepedia.org/daddy-day-care)* (2003), which earned the young ensemble cast a collective [Young Artist Award](https://www.edgepedia.org/young-artist-award) nomination for 2004.[5](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2026/03/05/Ted-Max-Burkholder-Sesaon-2-interview/2941772583563/) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/max-burkholder/) A string of television guest spots through the mid-2000s followed, including *The O.C.*, *CSI: NY*, *Grey's Anatomy*, and *The Suite Life of Zack & Cody*.[6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/max-burkholder/credits/3000430580/)
**Voice work.** In 2005 he began voicing assorted child characters on *Family Guy*, and he has said he was doing those voices from about age six, a working relationship with Seth MacFarlane that by his own account has lasted around 20 years.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/max-burkholder/) • [3](https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/max-burkholder-ted-john-young/) He voiced Chomper on [Cartoon Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/cartoon-network)'s *[The Land Before Time](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-land-before-time-tv-series)* (2007-2008) and Roo on [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel)'s *My Friends Tigger & Pooh* (2007-2010), and later contributed voice roles to *The Cleveland Show*, *American Dad!*, and the animated series *Invincible*.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/max-burkholder/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/)
## Parenthood and The Purge
After supporting roles in the dramas *Brothers & Sisters* (ABC, 2006-2011) and *In Treatment* (HBO, 2008-2010), where he played Max Weston, Burkholder took his first recurring television role in 2010 as Max Braverman on NBC's *Parenthood*.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/max-burkholder/) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/max-burkholder/) The character was a teenager with [Asperger syndrome](https://www.edgepedia.org/asperger-syndrome), an autism-spectrum disorder; Burkholder worked with medical experts and researchers on the part and said at the time that he had known nothing about autism before taking it and wanted to learn more.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/max-burkholder/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/max-burkholder/bio/3000430580/) He appeared in all six seasons, 103 episodes through 2015, and won two Young Artist Awards in 2014 for the series, for Best Performance in a TV Series by a Supporting Young Actor and Outstanding Young Ensemble in a TV Series, after a 2012 nomination for Best Supporting Young Actor.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/max-burkholder/bio/3000430580/)
In 2013 he played Charlie Sandin, the son who disables his family's home security system during the titular night in the horror film *[The Purge](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-purge-2013-film)*, and the role made him a persistent target of fan hostility; he has described the Purge fan base as the most toxic of any he has encountered and says he reads the messages for amusement.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/) • [3](https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/max-burkholder-ted-john-young/) On Rotten Tomatoes the film is his lowest-rated credit at 41 percent, against a high of 64 percent for *Imaginary Order* (2019).[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/max_burkholder)
## Ted and recent work
*Ted* (Peacock, 2024-) is a prequel set in 1993, years before the films, following teenager John Bennett and his talking teddy bear. Burkholder, then 24, auditioned for the 16-year-old expecting to be rejected as too old; Seth MacFarlane cast him from his first self-taped audition, which included a version of John's Boston accent later refined with a dialect coach.[9](https://www.gq.com/story/teds-max-burkholder-on-bar-hopping-with-a-bear-dropping-out-of-harvard-and-playing-the-most-hated-kid-in-the-purge-universe) Because the character appears opposite a computer-generated bear, he spent the early weeks of shooting learning to act against empty space while MacFarlane delivered Ted's lines off camera.[9](https://www.gq.com/story/teds-max-burkholder-on-bar-hopping-with-a-bear-dropping-out-of-harvard-and-playing-the-most-hated-kid-in-the-purge-universe) • [3](https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/max-burkholder-ted-john-young/) The series premiere became Peacock's biggest original series debut to date, and Burkholder has called the role his most prominent and a confidence booster.[9](https://www.gq.com/story/teds-max-burkholder-on-bar-hopping-with-a-bear-dropping-out-of-harvard-and-playing-the-most-hated-kid-in-the-purge-universe) A second season was scheduled to premiere on March 5, 2026, with 15 episodes spanning 2024-2026 listed to his credit.[10](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/comedy-shows/seth-macfarlane-says-an-entire-new-season-of-the-orville-has-been-written-but-ted-could-be-dead/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/)
Away from acting, he enrolled at Harvard University thinking he might pursue math and science, then took a leave of absence just before the COVID-19 pandemic and moved to New York to try theater; he has joked that he intends to keep playing high schoolers until middle age.[9](https://www.gq.com/story/teds-max-burkholder-on-bar-hopping-with-a-bear-dropping-out-of-harvard-and-playing-the-most-hated-kid-in-the-purge-universe) • [5](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2026/03/05/Ted-Max-Burkholder-Sesaon-2-interview/2941772583563/)
## Personal life
His parents are Scott Burkholder and Kelly Wolf, and his brother James is also an actor.[11](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/bio/) He played [Mae Whitman](https://www.edgepedia.org/mae-whitman)'s brother in *In Treatment* and her cousin in *Parenthood*, has played a character named Max five times, and lists baseball, tennis, karate, swimming, and piano among his hobbies.[11](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/bio/)
## References
1. [Max Burkholder, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/)
2. [Max Burkholder Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/max-burkholder/bio/3000430580/)
3. [Max Burkholder: Stepping into the World of Ted as a Young John Bennett, CGMagazine (February 22, 2024)](https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/max-burkholder-ted-john-young/)
4. [Max Burkholder, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/max-burkholder/)
5. [Ted star Max Burkholder hopes to play high schoolers through his 50s, UPI (2026)](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2026/03/05/Ted-Max-Burkholder-Sesaon-2-interview/2941772583563/)
6. [Max Burkholder List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/max-burkholder/credits/3000430580/)
7. [Max Burkholder, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/max-burkholder/)
8. [Max Burkholder Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/max_burkholder)
9. [Ted's Max Burkholder on Bar-Hopping With a Bear, Dropping Out of Harvard, and Playing the Most Hated Kid in the Purge Universe, GQ (February 5, 2024)](https://www.gq.com/story/teds-max-burkholder-on-bar-hopping-with-a-bear-dropping-out-of-harvard-and-playing-the-most-hated-kid-in-the-purge-universe)
10. [Seth MacFarlane says an entire new season of The Orville has been written, but Ted could be dead, GamesRadar (March 4, 2026)](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/comedy-shows/seth-macfarlane-says-an-entire-new-season-of-the-orville-has-been-written-but-ted-could-be-dead/)
11. [Max Burkholder Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1370269/bio/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Child and youth screen performers › Child performers born 1986 to 2000*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 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