Born and raised in San Diego, California, Adam Brody spent his teen years surfing, sunning and swimming. So when it became clear that there was more to his ambition than a career as a professional surfer, he needed to make a decision on his future. After convincing his unwitting parents to allow him to attend college in Los Angeles, Brody moved to Hollywood in January 1999. But instead of enrolling in school, he enlisted the services of an acting coach. A few months (and several part-time jobs) later, the first wave hit as Brody began to land small roles in commercials, pilots, and soaps. Then, a year to the day after his arrival in Hollywood, came the Big Kahuna -- the call that he had been cast in “Growing Up Brady” as the young Barry Williams. Though the news came as a big surprise to his parents and 15-year-old twin brothers, Brody acknowledges that as his first fans, their unwavering support and encouragement continue to motivate him. Upon realizing that his parents would never accept the fact that their son wanted to pursue a career in acting, Adam Brody did exactly what any red-blooded, determined American teen would do in order to achieve his dream -- he lied to them. Thankfully for Brody, his gamble at fame was a success, and following a noteworthy feature debut in the made-for-television movie Growing Up Brady, the talented young star would go on to land roles in such high-profile releases as American Pie 2 and The Ring. Knowing that he had what it took to launch a successful film and television career -- but unable to convince his parents of his certainty -- the San Diego native eventually persuaded his mother and father to allow him to remain on the West Coast following his high-school graduation and attend college in Los Angeles. Of course, Brody's higher education was merely a guise for his true plans, and in lieu of enrolling in classes, the deceptive aspiring thespian instead opted to hire an acting coach and a personal manager in preparation for hitting the audition circuit. Soon chosen to portray Brady Bunch actor Barry Williams for the screen adaptation of his revealing memoir Growing Up Brady, Brody was on his way to stardom. The millennial turnover proved an incredibly fruitful period for the young actor's blossoming career, with a series of small-screen appearances in such popular television series as Once and Again, Grounded for Life, and Judging Amy offering notable exposure before Brody joined the cast of the hit MTV series Undressed. After a brief appearance in American Pie 2, Brody returned to the small screen and MTV for the short-lived cult series The Sausage Factory in 2001. Following a doomed appearance in The Ring, Brody once again returned to television for a lead role on the popular Fox drama The O.C. At this point, it was obvious to all who had followed his career that Brody was more than just another pretty face, with roles in the carefree skateboard comedy Grind and the affecting family drama Missing Brendan serving to highlight his remarkable versatility before the cameras. In 2005, Brody could be seen opposite Hollywood heavies Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Go director Doug Liman's action thriller Mr. and Mrs. Smith.