An American Pie star stunned fans on Monday, as he made an appearance at the Primitive War premiere in Los Angeles, over a quarter of a century after making his name in the X-rated comedy.
The actor, 45, looked worlds away from his sexually frustrated signature character as he posed on the red carpet alongside a Tyrannosaurus Rex, sporting much shaggier and longer hair and a full beard.
The former child star rose to global fame after starring in the 1999 runaway hit, inspired by the raunchy sex comedies of the 1970s such as Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Porkies, and Animal House.
He reprised his role in the billion dollar franchise numerous times, with his final appearance being in 2012’s American Reunion.
Since then, he has continued acting in various projects and pursued a music career, putting out seven studio albums.
But can you guess who he is?
An American Pie star stunned fans on Monday, as he made an appearance at the Primitive War premiere in Los Angeles, over a quarter of a century after making his name in the X-rated comedy
The actor, 45, looked worlds away from his sexually frustrated signature character as he posed on the red carpet alongside a Tyrannosaurus Rex, sporting much shaggier and longer hair and a full beard
The former child star rose to global fame after starring in the 1999 runaway hit, going on to reprise his role in the franchise numerous times, with his final appearance being in 2012’s American Reunion. But can you guess who he is?
It’s Thomas Ian Nicholas!
He famously played Kevin Myers in American Pie, alongside a star-studded cast including Jason Biggs, Jennifer Coolidge, Tara Reid, Mena Suvari, Eugene Levy, Alyson Hannigan, and Seann William Scott.
The comedy told the age-old story of a group of teenagers trying to lose their virginity before college, and Thomas said he knew the film was destined for huge success.
‘It was in my contract,’ he joked. ‘Must do at least four films, maybe five, and it has to be a billion dollar franchise otherwise I won’t consider doing the first one.’
However, years later Thomas admitted that he initially threw the script in the trash, after not realising the plot and believing that the film would be purely ‘smut’.
The first scene, which didn’t make the final cut, initially saw Vicky – played by Tara – instructing Kevin on ‘how to move his fingers’.
Thomas said of the moment: ‘I’ll let you put the rest together with your mind. I threw the script in the trash thinking it was just smut. I didn’t understand it was a modern-day Porkies, and I love Porkies.’
And he still almost didn’t get the iconic role as it was originally offered to his high-school friend Andrew Keegan, who turned it down to star in beloved romantic comedy, 10 Things I Hate About You.
It’s Thomas Ian Nicholas! He famously played Kevin Myers in American Pie, alongside a star-studded cast including Jason Biggs, Jennifer Coolidge, Tara Reid, Mena Suvari, Eugene Levy, Alyson Hannigan, and Seann William Scott (seen in film with Tara)
The comedy told the age-old story of a group of teenagers trying to lose their virginity before college, and Thomas said he knew the film was destined for huge success (Thomas, Jason, Seann and Chris Klein pictured)
Thomas said: ‘They came back to me and once I read the script properly I saw all of the heart that existed in the characters. It wasn’t just a teen sex comedy.
‘It was a real coming-of-age story that everyone could find someone to relate to, or know someone who was exactly like Stiffler.’
The film spawned three well-received sequels, and Thomas recently hinted there could still be a fifth more than 20 years on as he said a follow-up has recently been discussed.
Speaking at a Rhode Island Comic Con panel in November, he revealed his son Nolan River, who made his acting debut in M Night Shyamalan’s 2021 thriller Old, inadvertently got the ball rolling.
He explained: ‘So the only truth I can share with you is because my son is following in my footsteps as an actor. He starred in the M Night Shyamalan movie Old. And that was also a Universal film.
‘We were at the premiere, and the President and Chairwoman of Universal, didn’t realise that he was my kid.
‘They were like, “No way, oh my gosh! Hey, by the way, we’re negotiating for American Pie 5”. This was the summer of 2021. So, I was like, “Sweet, this is happening”.’
However, he went on to reveal how his excitement was dashed after getting bad news from screenwriter Adam Herz.
However, years later Thomas admitted that he initially threw the script in the trash, after not realising the plot and believing that the film would be purely ‘smut’
The film spawned three well-received sequels, and Thomas recently hinted there could still be a fifth more than 20 years on as he said a follow-up has recently been discussed (seen in 2023)
He said: ‘I texted Adam Herz six months later. I was like, “Hey buddy, how’s the script coming?” He’s like, “Oh, we didn’t come to terms on negotiation.” So that’s the last that I heard.’
However, Thomas said he was still remaining positive, adding: ‘I guess the silver lining her is that Universal is circling around the idea. It’s a billion dollar franchise, why wouldn’t they revisit it, right?’
He went on to say he hoped the recently-released sequel to Adam Sandler’s 1996 hit Happy Gilmore would help negotiations for a fifth American Pie.
He said: ‘If the tonality of Happy Gilmore 2 is accepted and successful, then we’ll be coming back into an era of broad comedy, which we haven’t had for a while. I think people are ready for some levity.’
While he acknowledged that several controversial scenes from the original film wouldn’t be accepted in today’s landscape, following the landmark Me Too movement.
But Thomas said: ‘I think it would be really interesting to see this world, [the world of American Pie] in this world.
‘How do you make it work now? You cannot make that movie now for so many reasons.’
He previously reflected one of the movie’s most famous scenes, when Shannon Elizabeth’s foreign exchange student character changes clothes, and some of the boys secretly watch via webcam.
His mother, a casting director, gave him his first role as an altar boy — but his first credited role was playing ‘Little Tony’ Danza in a Who’s The Boss? flashback in 1988 (seen)
Stardom: His big break came at age 12 with 1993’s Rookie of the Year, in which he played Henry Rowengartner, a boy who can suddenly pitch on a pro-level and joins the Chicago Cubs (seen)
Thomas said that the scene paid homage to a similar one in the 1981 film Porky’s involving a girls’ locker room, though he admits it wouldn’t make it into a movie today.
He said: ‘They would just probably do it in a different way today. But at the same time, there is a bit of, what are we calling it now? I don’t want to pigeonhole a term, but there are a lot of things that are being cancelled now. So, it’s definitely not the right time to push the envelope on a teen sex comedy.’
Though he may be best known for his role in American Pie Thomas’ career started much earlier with TV spots in the early ’80s and starring movie roles in the early to mid-90s.
He got his start in Hollywood thanks to a familial connection, as his mother was a casting director who found background actors for low-budget films and gave him his first role as an altar boy.
But it wasn’t until 1988, when he was eight years old, that he scored his first credited role playing ‘Little Tony’ Danza in a Who’s The Boss? flashback.
Thomas went on a lot of auditions during his childhood, though unlike some other child stars, he insists that his mother wasn’t pressuring him to stay in the business, and would check in regularly to make sure he still wanted to do it.
In 1989, he scored another TV role, this time as Ricky Blount on an episode of Baywatch, followed by a two-episode arch on Married… With Children.
He had several more small roles before his big break with 1993’s Rookie of the Year, in which he played Henry Rowengartner, a boy who can suddenly pitch on a pro-level and joins the Chicago Cubs.
Thomas has continued acting and also fronts the Thomas Nicholas band, which is currently on tour, playing dates across the US and UK
Thomas was previously married to Colette Marino, also known as DJ Colette, for 14 years, before they divorced in 2022 (pictured together in 2017)
They share two children together, nine-year-old daughter Zoë Dylan and son Nolan River, 13, who has followed in his father’s footsteps in pursuing an acting career (seen together in 2020)
Speaking to Vice in March 2021, he shared some of his memories on set with his very famous co-stars, revealing he had his first beer ever at age 14 with Kate Winslet.
Thomas has continued acting, most recently starring in 2020’s Adverse alongside Mickey Rourke, Lou Diamond Phillips and Sean Astin and mockumentary, Underdeveloped in 2023.
He is next set to star in upcoming dramedy crime series, A Motel, following a group of outcasts working at a seedy motel who find themselves in danger when they accidentally uncover a drug smuggling plot for the mafia.
He also fronts the Thomas Nicholas band, which is currently on tour, playing dates across the US and UK.
Thomas was previously married to Colette Marino, also known as DJ Colette, for 14 years, before they divorced in 2022.
They share two children together, nine-year-old daughter Zoë Dylan and son Nolan River, 13, who has followed in his father’s footsteps in pursuing an acting career, with roles on New Girl and M. Night Shyamalan’s Old.
