Despite criticism of its somewhat problematic portrayals of Native Americans and women, Peter Pan has remained an ever-loved and often reproduced story about the mischievous boy who never grows old, and his adventures in Neverland. Written originally as a play in 1904 by British author and playwright J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan has been adapted multiple times on film, stage, and television, including the upcoming Peter Pan & Wendy live-action film, part of Disney's efforts to re-release their animated classics as live-action pictures.
One of the most fondly remembered adaptations of the character is 2003's Peter Pan, which starred Jeremy Sumpter as the boy who never grows old. Sumpter, who lived in Kentucky when he auditioned for the role, was only 13-years-old when he moved from the United States to Australia to shoot the movie, and would go on to receive international recognition after it was released. In 2004 he would win Young Artist and Saturn awards for Best Performance by a Younger Actor for his performance. But what has he been up to in the years since?
7 Jeremy Sumpter's Family Moved To California For His Career
Two years before his breakout performance as Peter Pan, Jeremy Sumpter began working at just 11 years old as a teen model, where he won Pre-Teen Male Model of the Year at the Internation Modeling and Talent Association. This led to his family moving to California where he would start his acting career, beginning in 2001 with a Saturn-nominated role in the Matthew McConaughy film Frailty, and a guest turn on ER.
6 Jeremy Sumpter Moved To Australia To Film 'Peter Pan'
In 2002 Sumpter was selected for Peter Pan and moved to the Gold Coast, Australia to shoot. During production, Sumpter grew from 5 feet to 5 feet eight inches, and the sets around him had to be mended and enlarged to accommodate his changing height. Sumpter did the majority of his own stunts for the film and did extra training by surfing and playing cricket. The film was well-received critically but did not make back its budget at the box office, as it was released alongside The Lord of the Rings finale, The Return of the King. But Sumpter was just starting in a career that would last for two decades and running.
5 Sumpter Continued Acting In Smaller Roles
Peter Pan wasn't the end of Jeremy Sumpter's career, and while he hasn't played the leading role in a big-budgeted Hollywood blockbuster since, his career is far from over. He followed Peter Pan with Cyber Seduction: His Secret Addiction, a television film that is meant to be a cautionary tale about the dangers of addiction to internet pornography. This led to Sumpter landing the lead role in Clubhouse, a television show about a teen who is hired as a batboy for his favorite baseball team. Unfortunately, the show was canceled midway through season one, with six episodes remaining unaired. He had bit parts in television movies in the years that followed, and played the boyfriend of a girl who was murdered in CSI: Miami.
4 Jeremy Sumpter Joined A Critically Acclaimed Television Show
In 2008, Sumpter's career reached a new milestone when he joined the cast of the critically acclaimed NBC sports drama Friday Night Lights. Over 20 episodes between seasons three and four, Sumpter played freshman J.D. McCoy, a natural player on the football field whose talent threatens the team's quarterback.
3 Jeremy Sumpter Played A Surfer in 'Soul Surfer'
Sumpter stuck to sporting-themed stories the following year when he appeared in the biographical drama film Soul Surfer (2011), the true story of American surfer Bethany Hamilton whose left arm was bitten off in a horrific shark attack. All that surfing in Australia must have paid off, as Hamilton herself chose Sumpter to portray her best friend's brother in the film alongside AnnaSophia Robb who was cast as Hamilton herself. In 2019, Sumpter wrote on his Instagram account that he "had so much fun making this film!" His role in the film was also voted by his Twitter followers as their favorite performance of his that wasn't Peter Pan.
2 Sumpter Isn't Married Or A Father
Sumpter was in a relationship with American blogger and influencer Lauren Pacheco, announcing their engagement in December 2015, after a reported three months of dating. After fielding questions on social media from fans about the relationship, in October 2016 Sumpter announced on social media that the relationship had ended, writing "Many of you have asked about my relationship with Lauren Pacheco. We are no longer engaged to be married. I wish her the best in life," accompanied by a praying hands emoji. In June 2020, he clarified that he was not a father after confusion arose after he posted a "congratulations on becoming a parent" post about his twin sister and her husband.
1 Jeremy Sumpter Loves Social Media
Sumpter is active on social media, often posting "Flashback Friday" posts of images from his younger days, especially pictures of him as Peter Pan. Unlike a lot of celebrities, he uses his Twitter account to talk about his own interests, such as which shows he is binging. He often replies to TMZ headlines about salacious celebrity gossip. He is available for fans to book on Cameo and has a video blog that he produces through Fanward to connect with his admirers. He is also on TikTok and Instagram. Sumpter's IMDb account currently has three upcoming titles listed, and in November 2021 he posted that he was at the beach filming his next movie, so fans certainly have lots to look forward to!