Childhood & Early Life
Born Andrew James West, on November 22, 1983, in Merrillville, Indiana, Andrew spent much of his childhood in the nearby town of Lake Station. The actor has not revealed much about his parents or siblings.
Though interested in acting since a tender age, he did not really venture into it until he joined ‘Indiana University. He studied philosophy and anthropology in college but soon started auditioning for plays and began earning roles.
The actor describes one such college gig, the lead role in Eric Bogosian's ‘Suburbia,’ as a turning point in his life. He believes it gave him the confidence to actually pursue a career as a professional actor.
He also happened to have a roommate majoring in film studies at the university. He initially started writing, producing, and acting in short films just to help out. However, soon, some of these projects were screened at film festivals and ended up winning awards.
Two of his notable shorts that he had written, produced, directed, and acted in, during this phase of his life, were ‘On Being-in-and-of the Classroom’ and ‘The Last Night,’ both released in 2006. He also appeared in a horror short named ‘Onionhead’ in 2007.
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Career
After graduating college, West decided to move to Los Angeles with some of his close friends and collaborators. His talent got him a manager almost as soon as he arrived in the city. However, the first year and a half was a struggle, as he only managed to land bit parts in a few commercials while waiting tables at a small Italian joint.
In 2008, he finally bagged his first real acting job, in the series ‘Privileged.’ He appeared as ‘Max’ in four episodes of the series, the last of which came in 2009. He quit his side-job as a waiter as soon as he got the role, but kept appearing in shorts such as ‘Cinco de Mayo,’ ‘Coup de Grace,’ ‘Dialogues.’ and ‘Nothing for Something.’ He also appeared in an episode of ‘Rita Rocks’ (2008).
After ‘Privileged,’ he bagged Josh Schwartz’s critically acclaimed comedy web-series ‘Rockville CA’ (2009), in which he was cast as the lead. His big break, though, came later that year, with the recurring role of ‘Fisher’ in ‘ABC’s college comedy–drama ‘Greek.’ The same year, he also appeared in single-episode guest roles on hit shows such as ‘Ghost Whisperer’ and ‘Bones.’
After the success of simultaneous roles in ‘Greek’ and ‘Privileged,’ West appeared as the young ‘Christian Troy’ in an episode of the ‘FX’ cult classic ‘Nip/Tuck’ in 2010. This was a part that drew a lot of attention from producers and casting directors. Soon, he was deluged with offers for guest-starring roles in big-banner series such as ‘CSI: NY,’ ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,’ ‘Body of Proof,’ and the Nathan Fillion-starrer ‘Castle’ (between 2010 and 2012).
From 2010 to 2012, he also appeared in guest roles in series such as ‘Dark Blue,’ ‘The Whole Truth,’ and the comedy ‘$h*! My Dad Says.’ He was also seen in shorts such as ‘The Distance Between’ and ‘Walter.’
During this period, the upcoming actor leveraged his previous experience with comedy to score lead roles in two different network pilots: ‘ABC's ‘Who Gets the Parents’ and ‘Family Practice.’ Neither of them was picked up as a TV series. However, they were later turned into telefilms.
After starting 2014 with a role in the thriller ‘Bipolar’ and a guest appearance in the sitcom ‘Suburgatory,’ he earned a career-defining role: a multi-episode stint as the sadistic cannibal ‘Gareth’ in ‘AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead.’ The series earned him a ‘Saturn Award’ nomination for the ‘Best Guest Starring Role on Television’ and the title of the “#1 Villain of 2015” in a poll conducted by ‘US Weekly.’
Between ‘The Walking Dead’ and his next big job, the ‘Freeform’ horror series ‘Dead of Summer’ in 2016, where he played a Satanist cult leader named ‘Damon Crowley,’ West appeared in several guest roles. He was seen in series such as ‘Hot in Cleveland,’ ‘Justified,’ and ‘Minority Report.’ He was also featured in a two-episode role, as ‘Pete Blackwell,’ in ‘CBS's ‘Under the Dome.’ He appeared in the tech-horror film ‘Nightmare Code’ and the 2015 indie film ‘Walter’ (which featured him opposite ‘Academy Award’ nominee William H Macy).
Between 2015 and 2016, he also played lead roles in the Tom Kapinos and ‘Warner Bros.’ TV movie ‘Dead People’ and the indie feature ‘Middle Man.’ He was also seen in a major role in the thriller ‘Rebirth.’
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After nominal jobs in ‘The Guest Book’ and ‘Noches con Platanito,’ the actor was cast as the adult ‘Henry Mills’ in the seventh season of ‘ABC's popular adventure–fantasy ‘Once Upon a Time.’ This was a role with which he seems to have finally redeemed himself as the “good guy” and dissolved his image as a memorable TV “baddie.”
Later, West appeared in a leading role in the self-discovery comedy–drama ‘Antiquities.’ His upcoming projects include the films ‘Cash for Gold’ and ‘Tired Lungs,’ both of which are in the pre-production stage.
Family & Personal Life
West met actor Amber Stevens while working on the show ‘Greek,’ where they portrayed a couple in love. They got married at the ‘Carondelet House’ in Los Angeles, California, on December 5, 2014.
Amber’s pregnancy was announced on social media on May 13, 2018. They welcomed their daughter, Ava Laverne West, on October 7, 2018.
Facts About Andrew J West
West is an avid fan of comic books and superheroes, and he enjoys collecting rare items related to his favorite characters.
West is also a talented musician and can play several instruments, including the guitar and piano.
West is known for his love of animals and actively supports various animal welfare organizations, advocating for their rights and well-being.
West is known among his colleagues for his sense of humor and ability to bring levity to the set, making him a joy to work with.
West is passionate about environmental conservation and sustainability efforts, often using his platform to raise awareness about important issues affecting our planet.
