Andrew Keegan

This handsome young actor seemed destined to play recurring roles as "the boyfriend" in TV series until he finally was cast in a meaty supporting role in the 1999 release, "10 Things I Hate About You," a modern spin on "The Taming of the Shrew." The son of a voice-over actor from Nebraska and a hairdresser from Colombia, a mixed heritage that has provided his slightly exotic dark good looks, Andrew Keegan began his career as an infant, appearing in print advertisements for Gerber baby products. By age four, he was comfortably ensconced in front of the camera doing TV commercials. It took ten years before he made it to the big time, though. In 1993, he was tapped as one of the co-hosts of the ABC Saturday morning special "Rhythm & Jam." The following year, Keegan co-starred with Jonathan Jackson and Christopher Lloyd in the lame big screen comedy "Camp Nowhere" (1994). Shortly thereafter, he began his round of recurring characters on the ABC sitcom "Thunder Alley" and went on to play teen beau to Christine Lakin's Alicia on "Step By Step," Brandy's "Moesha" and Jessica Biel's Mary on "7th Heaven." Keegan achieved perhaps his highest profile (to date) as Reed, the football player who caught the eye of Claudia Salinger (Lacey Chabert), in "Party of Five." Video enthusiasts noted his brief appearance in the blockbuster smash "Independence Day" (1996) in the blink-and-you-miss-him role where he begs his girlfriend to have sex since the world appears to be ending. It remains to be seen, however, (and depends on the success of his films) whether he can break out beyond his status as teen heartthrob.