{{Short description|American actor}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Grayson Russell | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|5|1}}<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1653243553663909889 |user=mnralphie |title=Happy 25th Birthday to Grayson Russell! The actor who played Texas Ranger Bobby in Talladega Nights, Fregley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies (2010-2012), Tommy in Mother's Day (2016), one of the Signalmen in Greyhound, and voiced Marley in Marley & Me: The Puppy Years. |date=May 1, 2023 |author=Jake with the Ob |language=en}}</ref> | birth_place = Clanton, Alabama, U.S. | occupation = Actor | years_active = 2005–present | partner = Rachel Schumacher (2024–present; engaged) }}
'''Grayson Russell''' (born May 1, 1998) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in ''Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby'' and the ''Diary of a Wimpy Kid'' film series.<ref name="ref1">{{cite news |last=Carlton |first=Bob |date=2010-03-21 |title=Clanton's Grayson Russell fits in feature films amid regular kid activities |url=http://blog.al.com/bob-carlton/2010/03/clantons_grayson_russell_fits.html |access-date=2011-05-04 |publisher=The Birmingham News |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="ref2">{{cite news |last=Asilo |first=Rito |date=2011-04-29 |title=Growing Pains |url=http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20110429-333699/Growing-pains |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110502013719/http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20110429-333699/Growing-pains |archive-date=2011-05-02 |access-date=2011-05-04 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="ref3">{{cite news |date=2011-04-16 |title=Actors to greet fans |url=http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2011/04/16/1a-showtell16-art-gmkca70c-1.html?sid=101 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121220417/http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2011/04/16/1a-showtell16-art-gmkca70c-1.html?sid=101 |archive-date=January 21, 2013 |access-date=2011-05-04 |publisher=The Columbus Dispatch |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He had a recurring role as Dwayne Dixon on the INSP television series ''Blue Ridge''.
==Life and career== Russell was born on May 1, 1998 in Clanton, Alabama, the son of Crystal (née Cleckley) and Jerry Russell, who have a Christian music ministry.<ref name="ref1"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Cecil Cleckley September 24, 1945 — September 9, 2024 |url=https://www.martinfuneralhomeinc.com/obituaries/cecil-cleckley |website=www.martinfuneralhomeinc.com}}</ref> He attended public high school in Clanton at Chilton County High School, home of the Tigers, and graduated from there in 2016.<ref name="ref4">{{cite news |last=Mims |first=Scott |date=2011-03-28 |title='Wimpy Kid' movie No. 1 at box office |url=http://www.clantonadvertiser.com/2011/03/28/%e2%80%98wimpy-kid%e2%80%99-movie-no-1-at-box-office/ |access-date=2011-05-04 |publisher=The Clanton Advertiser |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Russell later attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, for a brief time.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}
Russell's acting career began at the age of six, when he appeared as Cowboy Grayson, in a series of television commercials for a local car dealership.<ref name="ref1" /> Other commercials include appearances in a regional McDonald's spot, and a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee commercial.<ref name="ref5">{{cite news |last=Wagner |first=Neal |date=2011-03-25 |title=Movie star celebrates premiere in Alabaster |url=http://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2011/03/25/young-movie-star-celebrates-premiere-in-alabaster/ |access-date=2011-05-04 |publisher=The Shelby County Reporter |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Russell's film career began with an open casting call for a role in ''Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.''
Russell's mother, Crystal Russell, has stated that Grayson auditioned to gain some experience with the process, and the family was surprised to learn that he would be playing ''Texas Ranger Bobby'', the son of racecar driver Ricky Bobby (played by Will Ferrell).<ref name="ref6">{{cite news |date=2010-03-16 |title=Film starring local opens Friday |url=http://www.clantonadvertiser.com/2010/03/16/film-starring-local-opens-friday/ |access-date=2011-05-04 |publisher=The Clanton Advertiser |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
''The Rainbow Tribe'', Russell's second movie, was based on a true story, and was filmed in California in 2007. The independent film won Best Picture at the 2008 The Feel Good Film Festival<ref name="ref7">{{cite web |year=2008 |title=Feel Good Film Festival 2008 |url=http://fgff.org/films.php?id=2 |access-date=2011-05-04 |website=Feel Good Film Festival |df=mdy-all}}</ref> founded by Kristen Ridgway Flores in Los Angeles, but was released direct-to-video in 2011.<ref name="ref8">{{cite news |last=Morris |first=Theadoris |date=2011-02-09 |title=New film starring Grayson Russell out on DVD |url=http://www.clantonadvertiser.com/2011/02/09/new-film-starring-grayson-russell-out-on-dvd/ |access-date=2011-05-04 |publisher=The Clanton Advertiser |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In 2009, Russell appeared in an episode of Disney's sitcom ''I'm in the Band''.<ref name="ref6" /> By the next year, Russell appeared in the film adaptation of author Jeff Kinney's ''Diary of a Wimpy Kid''. Russell played Fregley, an awkward and unpopular classmate of Greg Heffley.<ref name="ref4"/> He reprised the role in the sequels, ''Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules'' (2011)<ref name="ref5"/> and ''Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days'' (2012).
Also by the next year, Russell also appeared in the ''Alien Candy'' episode of ''R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour''. Russell plays an autistic baseball savant named Rafer, in the 2013 feature film ''Season of Miracles'', a role for which fans and critics have acknowledged his broader acting range.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 25, 2012 |title=Russell to star in 'A Season of Miracles' |url=https://www.clantonadvertiser.com/2012/05/25/russell-to-star-in-a-season-of-miracles/ |website=The Clanton Advertiser}}</ref>
In 2020, Grayson played a signalman in the Apple TV+ movie ''Greyhound'' starring Tom Hanks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hamby |first=DeWayne |date=July 8, 2020 |title=Grayson Russell on 'Greyhound,' 'Talladega Nights,' and Working with Tom Hanks |url=https://www.patheos.com/blogs/reelfaith/2020/07/grayson-russell-on-greyhound-ricky-bobby-and-working-with-tom-hanks.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812124545/https://www.patheos.com/blogs/reelfaith/2020/07/grayson-russell-on-greyhound-ricky-bobby-and-working-with-tom-hanks.html |archive-date=August 12, 2020 |website=Patheos}}</ref>
==Personal life== Russell became engaged to his girlfriend, Rachel Schumacher, on January 14, 2024.<ref>{{Cite Instagram |postid=C2GrkgJr6Or |user=graysoncrussell |title=Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord✨ My life will be too short not to have you in it @rachelschumacherog I can’t wait to spend the rest of it with you my love✨ |first=Grayson |last=Russell |date=January 14, 2024 |language=en |location=Mount Sunday, New Zealand}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Instagram |postid=C2BDoDrvu2D |user=rachelschumacherog |title=It was always going to be you. YES. Hard Launch 😘 |first=Rachel |last=Schumacher |date=January 14, 2024}}{{Dead link|date=March 2025}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" ; |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |- |2006 |''Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby'' |Texas Ranger Bobby |- |2008 |''The Rainbow Tribe'' |Calvin |- |2010 |''Diary of a Wimpy Kid'' | rowspan="2" |Fregley |- | rowspan="2" |2011 |''Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules'' |- |''Marley & Me: The Puppy Years''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Sandie Angulo |title=Marley & Me: The Puppy Years |url=http://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/marley-me-puppy-years |website=Common Sense Media}}</ref> |Marley (voice) |- |2012 |''Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days'' |Fregley |- | rowspan="2" |2013 |''Space Warriors'' |Russell "Rusty" Riggs |- |''Season of Miracles'' |Rafer |- |2015 |''How I Got Made'' |Sean McCrorie |- |2016 |''Mother's Day'' |Tommy |- | rowspan="2" |2019 |''Christmas in July'' |Jimmy |- |''Apparition'' |Sam |- |2020 |''Greyhound'' |Signalman #1 |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" ; |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Show ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- |2009 |''I'm in the Band'' |Martin |Episode: "Birthdazed" |- | rowspan="2" |2011 |''R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour'' |Walt |Episode: "Alien Candy" |- |''Pajanimals'' |Himself |Episode: "An Octopus Hug" |- |2020 |''Tell Me a Story'' |Allen |Episode: "Sweet Dreams" |- |2024 |''Blue Ridge'' |Dwayne Dixon |Recurring role; 4 episodes |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|2124254}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Grayson}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American male child actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:Male actors from Alabama Category:People from Clanton, Alabama Category:Actors from Chilton County, Alabama