Dylan O'Brien

Dylan Rhodes O'Brien was born on August 26, 1991, in New York City, United States. His mother, Lisa Rhodes, was a former actress who also ran an acting school, while his father, Patrick B. O'Brien, worked as a camera operator. O'Brien grew up in New Jersey and later moved with his family to Hermosa Beach, California. Initially, he planned to attend film school and pursue cinematography, following an interest in filmmaking and his father's profession.

Before becoming widely known as an actor, O'Brien created and appeared in comic online videos and developed a following on YouTube. His early online work gave him experience as a performer, writer, director, and producer. He eventually decided to pursue acting professionally.

O'Brien's breakthrough came in 2011 when he was cast as Stiles Stilinski in MTV's supernatural drama series Teen Wolf. Although he was initially considered for the lead role of Scott McCall, he was more interested in playing Stiles. The series ran from 2011 to 2017, and the character became one of O'Brien's most recognized roles.

His film career also began in 2011 with the independent comedy High Road. He followed it with a leading role in The First Time (2012) and a supporting role in The Internship (2013). In 2014, he took on the lead role of Thomas in The Maze Runner, based on James Dashner's novel. He reprised the character in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) and Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018).

Following the success of the Maze Runner films, O'Brien appeared in a range of projects, including the action thriller American Assassin (2017), the science-fiction comedy Love and Monsters (2020), Flashback (2021), Not Okay (2022), and The Outfit (2022). He has also taken roles in television and streaming productions, including Weird City, Amazing Stories, and The Other Two.

In the 2020s, O'Brien continued taking on varied roles. His credits include Caddo Lake (2024), Saturday Night (2024), Fantasmas (2024), and Twinless (2025). For Twinless, he received the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. He also received a 2026 Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Lead Performance for the same film.

O'Brien's career has therefore included television, major studio franchises, independent films, comedy, drama, action, and science fiction. His performances as Stiles Stilinski and Thomas remain particularly associated with his rise to prominence, while his later projects have broadened the range of roles in his filmography.