Josh Holloway

Early Years

Josh Lee Holloway was born July 20, 1969 in San Jose, California, but his family moved to Freehome, Georgia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains when he was just two. Holloway has one older brother and two younger brothers. After graduating from Cherokee High School, Holloway attended the University of Georgia. He left after one year to pursue a modeling career.

Early Acting Work

After a successful run as a model, Josh Holloway turned his focus to acting. He moved to Los Angeles and quickly won a role on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off, Angel, playing “Good-looking Guy.” Roles in other television shows followed, including Walker: Texas Ranger, CSI and NCIS. His role in Sabretooth, a Sci-Fi channel movie with John Rhys-Davies and David Keith brought Holloway more attention, although he still had not broken into any significant roles. He also appeared on an episode of The Lyon’s Den as well as a small role on That 70’s Show.

His Big Break

With small roles under his belt, Josh Holloway felt unsure about his career choice as an actor. He said he was about to give up when he won his biggest role to date – James “Sawyer” Ford on the ABC series Lost (2004). Holloway has proven he has acting chops, serving as the likeable bad guy on an island of airplane crash survivors. With the exceptional ratings the show has enjoyed, Holloway quickly shot to television stardom.

While he personally hasn’t been nominated for his role, the cast won the 2006 Screen Actors Guild award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series." Additionally, he and co-star Evangeline Lilly ranked as number six on TV Guide’s "20 Hottest Kisses of All Time" and Holloway was nominated for the Teen Choice Awards’ “Best TV Breakout Performance” in 2005.

Movie Roles

While Josh Holloway hasn’t appeared in a lot of films, he has had a fair share of parts, considering his relative newcomer status to the acting world.

• Whisper (2007)
• Dr. Benny (2003)
• My Daughter's Tears (2002)
• Mi Amigo (2002)
• Moving August (2002)
• Cold Heart (2001)

Celebrity comes at a cost, however, as Lost’s intense shooting schedule has prevented Holloway from taking on other film roles, including a Brad Pitt film and X-Men 3.

Personal Life

Holloway with wife Yessica Kumala in 2005.

Holloway proposed to his girlfriend, Yessica Kumala, in March 2004 while filming the pilot for Lost. The couple was married in October 2004 on Kauai and honeymooned in Alaska. They made headlines in 2005 when they were awoken by a gunman who robbed them at their Hawaii home. Cash, credit cards and Holloway’s Mercedes-Benz were stolen, but the abandoned car was found shortly after.

Josh Holloway Trivia

• His favorite movie is The Shining.
• He was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” in 2005.
• Holloway appeared in the Aerosmith video, Cryin’ in 1994.
• Holloway’s first job was picking up dead chickens on a farm.
• He appeared in an Old Navy commercial with Fran Drescher.
• His 2005 cover of TV Guide was the biggest seller among six different covers of his Lost co-stars.
• He was one of People magazine’s "Sexiest Men Alive" in 2006.
• In Touch Weekly crowned Holloway as television’s “hottest hunk.”
• OK! Magazine ranked him number 17 on the list of “Sexiest Guys Worldwide.”
• Beginning in July 2007, Holloway will be the new face of Davidoff’s Cool Water fragrance.
• Holloway provides his voice talent to the video game Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars.