Freddie Prinze Jr. has come a long way since he made his acting debut.
Prinze Jr. was born in Los Angeles to Katherine Elaine Prinze and standup comedian Freddie Prinze. Upon his father’s death in 1977, Prinze Jr. and his mom relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
As a teen, Prinze Jr. imagined becoming a civil engineer. However, he was inspired to pursue acting after Neil Patrick Harris spoke to his high school about the entertainment industry. After graduating in 1994, Prinze Jr. returned to LA to take a shot at becoming a TV star.
He snagged his first role as a guest star on Family Matters in 1995. Following his stint on the sitcom, Prinze Jr. appeared in several other shows and made for TV films. In 1996, he made his big screen debut in the film To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday. One year later, he scored his breakout role in the horror flick I Know What You Did Last Summer, cementing himself as a star of the ‘90s.
While on the set of the slasher film, he met Sarah Michelle Gellar. After striking up a friendship, the pair’s connection turned romantic several years later. They tied the knot in 2002 and welcomed two children: daughter Charlotte, and son Rocky, in 2009 and 2012, respectively.
Keep scrolling to see Prinze Jr. through the years:
1996
The actor made his film debut in the romantic drama To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday starring Peter Gallagher and Claire Danes.
1997
One year after his first movie, Prinze Jr. had a breakout role in the slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer. Following its box office success, Prinze Jr. returned for the 1998 sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.
1999
Prinze Jr. achieved leading man status after starring in the rom-com She’s All That alongside Rachael Leigh Cook.
2000
Three years after connecting with Gellar on the set of I Know What You Did Last Summer, Prinze Jr. and the actress began their romance.
2001
Prinze Jr. continued to work in more romantic comedies including Summer Catch and Head over Heels.
2002
Gellar and Prinze Jr. starred in the live-action Scooby-Doo movie as Daphne and Fred, respectively. Several months after the film’s premiere, the couple tied the knot after two years of dating.
2005
After securing several guest-starring roles on Friends, Boston Legal and more TV series, Prinze Jr. landed his own sitcom, Freddie, which was based on some actual events from his life. However, the series was short-lived and canceled after one season.
2008
In addition to acting, Prinze Jr. was also passionate about wrestling. After being spotted at a WWE match, he signed on to be a contributor for the organization’s blog. He also made a cameo alongside John Morrison and The Miz for an episode of The Dirt Sheet. The following year, Prinze Jr. decided to leave his role with the WWE.
2009
Prinze Jr. became a father for the first time when he and Gellar welcomed their daughter, Charlotte.
2012
Three years later, the pair welcomed their family with son Rocky.
2014
After dabbling in some voice acting, Prinze Jr. snagged the role of Kanan Jarrus in the animated series Star Wars Rebels.
2021
Even though Prinze Jr. left the WWE a decade prior, his passion for the sport continued. He launched his wrestling-themed podcast, “Wrestling With Freddie,” in November 2021.
2023
In addition to podcasting, Prinze Jr. became co-owner of Premier Streaming Network, which focuses on wrestling, sports and entertainment content.