Liam James

Canadian Liam James's acting choices reflected a penchant for playing roles outside of the usual scope offered to young talent, from a troubled young man with a photographic memory on "Psych" (USA Network, 2006-14) to an emotionally volcanic teen on "The Killing" (AMC, 2011-13; Netflix, 2014) before giving a star-making performance as a lonely young man on summer vacation in the box-office independent hit "The Way, Way Back" (2013). Though essentially a light-hearted show, "Psych" provided James with the earliest showcase for his talent at playing conflicted young men, which he would continue to essay in features like "Fred Claus" (2007) and "The Killing." But it was the layers of sadness and longing he brought to his turn in "The Way, Way Back" that vaulted James from juvenile performer to as an up-and-coming player with the ability to transition capably to leading man status.