Haley Joel Osment entered the professional acting world at age four after a talent scout noticed him at a retail store. Following a successful audition for a television commercial, his career expanded rapidly into series television and feature films. By his early teenage years, he established himself as a prominent performer in high-profile psychological thrillers and science fiction dramas.
Early Career and Television Roles
Born April 10, 1988, in Los Angeles, Osment began his professional life in a 1994 Pizza Hut television commercial. That same year, he secured his first feature film role as Forrest Gump's son in Forrest Gump, while also appearing in Mixed Nuts. Through the 1990s, he maintained a steady presence on television, appearing in the sitcom Thunder Alley and The Jeff Foxworthy Show, eventually joining the cast of Murphy Brown during its final season.
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The 1999 psychological thriller The Sixth Sense marked his professional breakthrough. Portraying the psychic child Cole Sear earned Osment a Saturn Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, making him the second-youngest performer to receive such an honor. He continued this momentum with leading roles in Pay It Forward in 2000 and Steven Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence in 2001, the latter earning him a second Saturn Award. He also appeared in the 2003 film Secondhand Lions.
Adult Career and Voice Work
Osment transitioned into adult roles while continuing his work in voice acting and theater. He made his Broadway debut in 2008 in a revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo at the Belasco Theatre. His film credits expanded to include Montana Amazon, Tusk, and Entourage. In the video game industry, he provided the voice for Sora and Vanitas in the Kingdom Hearts series. Television work includes roles in Silicon Valley, Alpha House, and various animated projects like Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous.
Education
Before pursuing acting full-time, Osment attended Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada Flintridge, California. He later enrolled at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he completed his studies and graduated in 2011.
Fast facts
- Born: 10 April 1988, Los Angeles
- Education: New York University Tisch School of the Arts
- Broadway debut: American Buffalo, 2008
- Academy Award nomination: The Sixth Sense, 1999
- Kingdom Hearts role: Voice of Sora and Vanitas
- First feature film: Forrest Gump, 1994
Questions readers ask
What was Haley Joel Osment's first major film role?
He played the son of the title character in the 1994 film Forrest Gump.
Did Osment attend university?
Yes, he graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 2011.
Achievements
- Began acting in commercials at age four
- Oscar nomination at age 11 for 'The Sixth Sense' (1999)
- Starred in 'Pay It Forward' and 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence'
- Multiple young-performer awards