Lewis Pullman is one of the most exciting stars of young Hollywood. The 30-year-old actor and musician was part of the all-star cast of 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, joining the likes of Glen Powell and Miles Teller in the Tom Cruise blockbuster. He also stars as Josh Brolin's son Rhett Abbott in the acclaimed Western series Outer Range. Now, he's appearing in the buzzy Brie Larson Apple TV+ series Lessons in Chemistry, based on the beloved Bonnie Garmus novel.
Apparently, Lewis Pullman's acting chops run in the family. He's a dead ringer for his father, actor Bill Pullman.
Bill Pullman, 69, has been a screen icon for decades. He played the President of the United States in Independence Day and starred opposite Sandra Bullock in the classic rom-com While You Were Sleeping. Spaceballs, Casper, Lake Placid... You name a '90s hit and it's likely Bill Pullman was in it. Most recently, he starred in USA's Emmy-nominated mystery series The Sinner.
Lewis is the youngest child of Bill and his wife Tamara Hurwitz. His sister Maesa pursued a singing career and his older brother Jack is a puppet-maker, making him the only Pullman child to follow in his father's acting footsteps. And it seems he has inherited his father's down-to-earth charm, too. In Lessons in Chemistry, Lewis plays Calvin Evans, a chemist who unexpectedly steals the heart of Brie Larson's Elizabeth Zott.
Here's what you need to know about Lewis Pullman, from his film and TV roles to what his father had to say about his decision to pursue an acting career.
Lewis Pullman Grew Up in California and Montana
Lewis Pullman and Bill Pullman in 2018. (Gabriel Olsen/WireImage)
Although Lewis had early aspirations of becoming an actor like his father, he went to college pursuing something completely different. He opted for a degree in social work, but always enjoyed working outside — which likely stemmed from splitting time between California (his family was based in Los Angeles) and Montana as a child. Bill Pullman was an adjunct professor at Montana State University before pursuing a professional acting career, so Montana remained a special place for the Pullman family.
"I was on the tractor division," Lewis told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019, describing the required job he took at his liberal arts college in North Carolina. "I figured if acting didn't work out I could be on the road crew, working the back hoe."
Lewis Pullman's Film and TV Roles
Lewis Pullman and Brie Larson in Lessons in Chemistry. (Apple TV+)
Lewis worked on short films during his summers in college, landing a big opportunity when his friend's parents, Little Miss Sunshine filmmakers Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, asked him to audition for the Amazon series Highston. The show was canceled after only an episode, but it launched Lewis' career.
You might recognize him from the Hulu miniseries Catch-22 starring George Clooney where he played Major Major Major Major, or when he played the drug addict Miles Miller in Bad Times at the El Royale. Maybe even from playing Garrett in Them That Follow. He's developed an eclectic resume ranging from sports drama Battle of the Sexes and horror film The Strangers: Prey at Night to the western film The Ballad of Lefty Brown, starring his father.
How does pops feel about Lewis' Hollywood ambitions? Turns out the legendary actor has been nothing but supportive:
"Once I decided that's what I wanted to do, my dad was never like, 'You've got to do it,' or 'You shouldn't do this,'" Lewis told People in 2023. "He was just like, 'Give it a shot. Whatever kaleidoscope you want to look at life through, if it feels good, do it.'"
Lewis will next lead the adaptation of Stephen King's Salem's Lot. It's safe to say Lewis Pullman has an exciting career ahead of him.
Lewis Pullman's Yellowstone Connection
Lewis Pullman and Josh Brolin in 2022. (Lisa O'Connor/AFP via Getty Images)
Many have drawn comparisons between Outer Range and Yellowstone, but Lewis has his own direct ties to the Taylor Sheridan series. He's in a band with his Outer Range co-star, Josh Brolin's daughter Eden Brolin, who played the barrel racer Mia in Seasons 3-4 of Yellowstone. Their band, Atta Boy, is comprised of Lewis, Eden Brolin, Freddy Reish and Dashel Thompson. Since 2012, Atta Boy has released three albums and an EP.
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