Biography
Driven by enthusiasm and a passionate desire to live life fully, Jake Grace's journey has been distinctly adventurous, fueled by his wish to create, experience, and share something deeply meaningful and exciting.
Born near Lake Champlain, Vermont, Jake and his family relocated to Scandinavia, where he would ski to nursery school. By age fifteen, he had lived in three states, two countries, and twelve different homes. Much of his teenage years were devoted to studying and refining his acting craft in New York.
With a photographer/designer mother and a surgeon/jazz musician father, Jake was naturally drawn to performing. He thrived on the excitement and camaraderie found in school plays. Encouraged by his parents, he auditioned for a respected improvisational troupe in New York, was hired, and became a professional actor at sixteen. Performing multiple characters weekly for high school audiences gave him an adrenaline rush that deepened his artistic commitment. On stage, Jake discovered he “felt challenged and alive in a way previously only experienced in sports.”
Jake earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, supplementing his studies with courses in world religions and mystical philosophy. He passionately honed a wide range of acting skills at The Circle in the Square Theater, Playwrights Horizons, and The Experimental Theatre Wing. His university performances included his favorite role as Dionysus in "The Bacchae," a notably wild production. He also received acclaim starring as Laurent, a tormented lover, in the world premiere of Neil Bell's "Therese Raquin."
At NYU, Jake was discovered by a local talent agent and began auditioning for film and television. His first commercial and print work soon led to a romantic lead role in the indie comedy Insomnia (1995), playing a college student who seduces his professor. Later, he flew to Los Angeles to test for a lead in an NBC pilot. Though he loved Manhattan’s vibrant culture, Jake was eager for Hollywood’s sunshine and opportunities.
Accelerating his studies, Jake graduated early and moved to Los Angeles. Within three months, Oliver Stone cast him alongside Robert Downey Jr. in Natural Born Killers (1994). This memorable role opened doors to more castings. He co-starred in 20th Century Fox’s comedy PCU (1994) with Jeremy Piven, David Spade, and Jon Favreau, followed by a role as Swackback, a quirky camp counselor, in A Pig's Tale (1994).
Jake also found success on television, landing the recurring role of Stingray on NBC’s California Dreams (1992). His popular “surf-dude” character was so well received that producers brought him into the prime-time series Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993).
After early Hollywood success, Jake returned to the stage, portraying a young ecstatic saint in the musical "The Life of Jnaneshwar." Performing to a packed theater of over 4,000 on New Year’s Eve, he found the experience magical. This profound energy inspired him to explore life beyond Hollywood and the U.S.
Like W. Somerset Maugham’s Larry Darrell in "The Razor's Edge," Jake followed his adventurous spirit on a transformative quest for spiritual enlightenment, motivation, and purpose, traveling worldwide. In the East, he motorcycled through India with friends, mastered yoga, and developed his singing voice. He studied music, philosophy, and ancient Sanskrit, practiced fasting, and meditated in India’s temples and caves. This period also marked the beginning of his original music and lyric writing.
Supported by residual income from earlier film and TV work, Jake continued global adventures—exploring underwater caves near Mexico’s Mayan temples, romancing in Montreal, cliff-jumping in Vancouver, training in freestyle skiing with former Olympians, and snowboarding the Canadian Rockies’ steep powder.
Years later, Jake returned to the U.S. and began producing his first CD. Music became his primary passion as he wrote, sang, and produced three albums featuring thirty-six original songs in an eclectic style blending Electronica, Sanskrit mantras, Rock, and Soulful Pop.
Inspired by his experiences, Jake wrote a novel and two feature-length screenplays. To perfect dialogue, he acted out all characters in each scene—a technique that refined his writing and reignited his passion for acting.
Soon after, Jake returned to Hollywood, teamed with personal manager Linda Reitman, and resumed acting, equipped with diverse life experiences and a broad skill set shaping him into a consummate craftsman.
Shortly thereafter, Jake secured the lead role of Desire in the independent film "Choices." This complex character, described as part snake oil salesman, part circus leader, and a hint of the devil, manipulates the mind of the man he inhabits.
He completed the Warner Bros. film Spring Breakdown (2009) alongside Rachel Dratch and Amy Poehler. Reflecting life, Jake recently starred as Clayton, a mysterious spiritual meditation and yoga instructor in "Mystical Chairs."
He also stars with Lance Henriksen and Edward Furlong in the upcoming supernatural horror thriller Dark Reel (2008), based on true events involving the 1958 murder of actress Scarlett May. Jake provides comic relief portraying adventurous actor Rhett Johnson.
Continuing to act, sing, write, and study, Jake also enjoys multiple sports. As a yoga master, he leads others toward a path that is both physical and spiritual. His remarkable journey continues, driven by a deep commitment to experiencing life with passion, energy, and joy.
