Childhood & Early Life
Dylan Bruce was born on April 21, 1980, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The family moved to Boundary Bay, soon after he was born, and he spent most of his childhood years there.
He was brought up in a huge family with four kids. He has a brother and two sisters, with whom he is extremely close.
Dylan grew up like an average kid, interested in outdoor sports and the world of entertainment. He dreamed of being an actor, ever since he was a kid, and that interest led him to participate in several theater productions. Hollywood was the ultimate goal for Bruce, and that led him to the US to pursue further studies, once he graduated from high school.
Bruce had done some theater dramas in Canada, had enrolled in the ‘University of Washington’ in Seattle, and also did some modeling to make ends meet. During his college days, he kept auditioning for roles in TV, which however, did not amount to anything solid. Meanwhile, he finished his graduation in drama and economics and got some lucrative job offers from major companies.
However, he had his eyes on making it big as an actor, and this very passion made him move to Los Angeles in 2004, where he started hopping from studio to studio and eventually began his career with a small role in the soap opera ‘Passions.’
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Career
Dylan’s first soap opera, ‘Passions,’ had him playing a small role of a ‘dream guy,’ and his appearance lasted for just two episodes. His good looks and acting talents made him acquire several more productions, but in the initial few roles of his acting career, he did not get plum roles which would allow him to showcase his skills to the fullest.
His first significant role came to him in the year 2005, when he was selected in an extensive audition, as a federal agent, Martin Kail, in ‘24: Conspiracy.’ It was a mobile-only spin-off of the highly deemed political thriller series ‘24’ and gave Bruce ample space to finally exhibit his talent. However, the series failed miserably and was panned, both critically and commercially.
In the same year, another soap opera ‘Passions’ fell into his lap. He played a minor role in this soap. However, it was watched extensively and offered him further exposure. Nevertheless, the fact that soap operas are notorious for being too childish and low on quality got him negative reviews. Bruce defended his decision of starring in them, saying that they were a good enough practice in front of the camera and that they also paid well.
He was also seen in ‘Joey’, a spin-off version of the globally successful sitcom ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S,’ where he got a one-episode role, as a waiter. A few other works of his initial days are the crime drama ‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty,’ and ‘Las Vegas.’ He also appeared briefly on ‘CSI: NY,’ and he received slight critical acclaim for the same.
In 2007, he auditioned and got a major part in the soap opera ‘As the World Turns.’ He appeared in 100 episodes of the soap and played the role of Chris Hughes, a doctor. He was the eighth actor to play the iconic part in the long-running soap opera.
During his time on the show, his performance was not very well received, and the role, which was once a major role, turned into a recurring part. Frustrated with this situation, Bruce quit the show in 2008 and intended to concentrate on better roles.
His decision to quit ‘As the World Turns’ turned out to be a good choice, as immediately after his exit from the soap opera, he got offered a major role in the disaster-thriller film ‘Unstoppable.’ He played the role of Michael Colson in the film, which also starred Hollywood superstar Denzel Washington in the lead role.
However, still unable to get major roles in the industry, Bruce resorted to doing television films for the next few years. He appeared in lesser known TV films, such as ‘Love’s Christmas Journey,’ ‘Willed to Kill,’ ‘Petals on the Wind,’ and ‘Flowers in the Attic.’ He was also featured in episode-long stints for both ‘NCIS’ and ‘Matador.’
In 2013, he was offered to appear in an audition for the role of Adam Donner in the ‘CW’ TV series ‘Arrow’. Bruce appeared for the audition and won the role, which earned him general and critical appreciation. His eight-episode role in the series turned out to be one of the most-loved characters in the series.
Soon after ‘Arrow,’ he got another meaty part in a mini-series ‘Heroes Reborn.’ The science-fiction series featured Dylan as Captain James Dearing. The fact that the series was a continuation of the successful series ‘Heroes’ worked in its favour and it became a commercial and critical success.
His 2013, his role in the science-fiction thriller series ‘Orphan Black’ became the most successful acting stint of his career. Bruce played the part of Paul Dierden, who happens to be an ex-military man, in the series. It became one of the best-reviewed science-fiction series of the contemporary age and helped Bruce in placing himself in the international arena.
He made a guest appearance in the series ‘Motive,’ in 2016, and in the same year, appeared in the independent film ‘First Round Down.’
2016 witnessed him playing the role of Tom Price in the mystery series ‘American Gothic.’ Presently, he stars in ‘Midnight, Texas,’ as Bobo Winthrop. The show has received average ratings from critics, in its first season.
