Why Ray From The Adam Project Looks So Familiar
"The Adam Project" hit Netflix earlier this year and quickly became one of the streaming service's most popular films, garnering almost 100 million viewers during its release weekend. The sci-fi action film received mostly positive reviews from critics, with its Rotten Tomatoes score sitting at 68% at the time of writing.
Directed by "Real Steel" director Shawn Levy, the blockbuster stars Ryan Reynolds as a seasoned fighter pilot from the year 2050 named Adam. In a bid to find his wife (Zoe Saldana) and stop time travel from being created, Adam goes back in time, only to accidentally arrive in 2022. With the help of his 12-year-old-self (Walker Scobell), Adam embarks upon a journey through nostalgia and chaos to save the world and his family.
A memorable moment in the film is when the older Adam instructs his younger counterpart to stand up to his bullies. The younger version fails, which compels Reynolds' version of the hero to confront his childhood bullies in a humorous fashion. Ray, one of the bullies who mercilessly targets Adam, may look quite familiar to audiences. Ray is played by Braxton Bjerken, whose career in Hollywood is off to an interesting start.
Braxton Bjerken's early beginnings
One of Braxton Bjerken's earliest roles was Clint Eastwood's "The 15:17 to Paris," which dramatized the real-life 2015 Thalys train attack. The biographical film notably saw the real-life heroes of the train attack playing themselves. The film was released in 2018 to mostly negative reviews, with outlets like The New Republic calling Eastwood's film out for not having captivating performances and direction. Bjerken appeared in the film in a small role as Everett Stone, a relative of Spencer Stone, who played himself in the film. Bjerken wasn't credited for his brief performance.
After the release of "The 15:17 to Paris," Bjerken starred in the 2018 comedy "Tag," which featured an all-star cast consisting of Jon Hamm, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress, Jeremy Renner, and Ed Helms as grown adults who continue to play their childhood game of tag. The film, which went on to gross over $78 million (via Box Office Mojo), starred Bjerken as the young counterpart to Helms' Hoagie during the comedy's pivotal flashback sequences.
Perhaps Bjerken's most notable film appearance in 2018 was in "The House with a Clock in its Walls." Directed by Eli Roth and based on the novel of the same name, the children's fantasy film starred Jack Black and Cate Blanchett. Bjerken appeared briefly in the film as Woody Mingo, a classmate of lead character Lewis (Owen Vaccaro).
Bjerken made a splash on multiple TV series
After appearing in a flurry of films in 2018, Braxton Bjerken made his way to television. The child actor notably appeared in "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings," an anthology series that dramatizes some of the Grammy-award-winning singer's most memorable moments. Bjerken appeared in the first episode "Jolene," based on the singer-songwriter's hit tune of the same name.
The actor later earned a recurring role as Young Max in Netflix's "The Defeated." The series focuses on Max (Taylor Kitsch), a detective from Brooklyn who arrives in post-WWII Berlin to form a police force and find his missing brother Moritz (Logan Marshall-Green). Bjerken appeared throughout the series as young Max in flashbacks. Audiences thoroughly enjoyed the period drama, landing "The Defeated" a 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Perhaps Bjerken's most popular television guest appearance was in AMC's "The Walking Dead" spin-off "Walking Dead: World Beyond." The series is set 10 years after the zombie apocalypse began and focuses on the generation raised in the apocalyptic world. Bjerken appeared in Season 1, Episode 8, "The Sky Is a Graveyard," in a flashback scene as a young Silas. The older Silas, played by Hal Cumpston, is one of the show's lead characters, a teenager who has seen firsthand the horrors of the zombie apocalypse.
Bjerken played Christina Hendricks' son in Good Girls
Braxton Bjerken's first major recurring role was in NBC's "Good Girls." Created by "Desperate Housewives" writer Jenna Bans, "Good Girls" debuted in 2018 to mixed reviews. The series eventually picked up some momentum, with Seasons 2 and 3 landing perfect 100% scores on Rotten Tomatoes. The crime dramedy was eventually canceled after Season 4 due to money and scheduling issues.
"Good Girls" focused on three suburban mothers who decide to rob a grocery store to meet their financial goals. Their lives quickly turn upside down after the heist and what was meant to be a once-time crime quickly becomes a lifestyle. Bjerken plays Kenny Boland in "Good Girls," the eldest son of Elizabeth (Christina Hendricks) and Dean (Matthew Lillard). Bjerken appeared throughout the show's four seasons.
To date, "Good Girls" and "The Adam Project" have been Bjerken's most notable roles. With both projects wrapped up, we can't wait to see the next time the star pops up on the big or small screen.