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Lucas Till

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Lucas Till
Till in 2015
Born
Lucas Daniel Till

(1990-08-10) August 10, 1990 (age 34)
Fort Cavazos, Texas, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active2003–present
SpouseSkyler Samuels
Children1

Lucas Daniel Till (born August 10, 1990) is an American actor. His work spans film and television, and his accolades include five Teen Choice Award nominations.

Till began his career in the early 2000s with roles in independent films, before gaining early attention for his supporting role in the biopic Walk the Line (2005). He had his breakthrough with romantic lead roles in the Disney film Hannah Montana: The Movie and music videos for Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" and Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" (all 2009).

The action comedies The Spy Next Door (2010) and Monster Trucks (2016) brought him wider attention, and he portrayed Havok in Marvel's X-Men prequel films (2011–2016). Till next played the eponymous role in the CBS action crime drama series MacGyver (2016–2021), a reboot of the 1980s series of the same name. He subsequently garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of Bob Zellner in the historical biopic Son of the South (2020), before starring in the action film The Collective (2023).

Early life and education

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Lucas Daniel Till was born on August 10, 1990, in Fort Cavazos, Texas. He is the son of chemist Dana Lyn (née Brady),[1] and John Mark Till, a colonel in the Army.[2][3][4] He has a younger brother, Nick (b. 1997). Till spent most of his childhood living in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. His family noticed he enjoyed impersonating voices and characters. When he was 11 his mother enrolled him in local acting classes, and it was not long before he was discovered by Joy Pervis, an agent from a Talent agency in Atlanta. Till began booking almost immediately in print, local, regional, and national commercials. He later attended Kell High School.[5] After filming for The Hannah Montana Movie in Nashville, Till went back home to graduate with the Kell High School class of 2008.[6] After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, California, to continue acting.[6]

Career

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2000s: Early career and Hannah Montana film

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In 2003, Till made his first film collaboration in the short film The Lovesong of Edwerd J. Robble, in the role of Michael.[7] At the age of 12, he was cast in The Adventures of Ociee Nash in which he played Harry Vanderbilt, the bully of the main character.[8] In 2004, Till played the role of Jay in the horror film Lightning Bug which filmed in Fairview, Alabama,[9] and, later, he participated in the short film Pee Shy,[10] playing Chad. His first major movie role was Jack Cash, the older brother of Johnny Cash, who died in a sawmill accident, in the biographical film Walk the Line (2005).[11] After Walk the Line, Till was featured in a number of television films for Lifetime and independent films.[8] For example, the following year, Till played the young Samuel North in a feature film The Other Side filmed in Atlanta, Georgia.[12] In 2006, he also joined the cast of the Lifetime television film Not Like Everyone Else, portraying Kyle Kenney.[13]

In 2008, Till starred as Jensen in Gregg Bishop's horror-comedy Dance of the Dead which was hand-picked by director Sam Raimi for distribution through Lions Gate Entertainment and Ghost House Pictures.[14] He was also invited to participate in the fifth season of the American television series House in the episode titled "Joy to the World" in the role of Simon, a high school student who has a romantic relationship with his schoolmate, but due to their social differences, they cannot be together.[15] Three weeks before graduating from high school, Till auditioned for Hannah Montana: The Movie (starring Miley Cyrus) and landed the role of Travis Brody, a young cowboy and Miley's friend who ends up becoming her love interest.[16] The role garnered Till two nominations at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, in the Choice Movie Actor: Music/Dance and Choice Movie: Liplock (shared with Cyrus) categories respectively.[citation needed] As part of the awards promotion campaign, Till recorded three short films: Not Another Changeling Movie, a parody of Angelina Jolie's movie Changeling;[17] The Red Menace[18] and The Bourneson Stupidity, a parody of the film The Bourne Identity.[19]

In early 2009, he participated in the horror film Laid to Rest as a commercial employee.[20] He also participated in the episodes "Scotophobia" and "Hydrophobia" of the horror web series Fear Clinic playing the character of Brett, a young man suffering from hydrophobia.[21] He starred in the music video for Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" as her next-door neighbour and love interest.[22] Till and Swift first met in 2008 while filming for Hannah Montana: The Movie. In 2009, he participated in the fifth season of Medium in the role of Adam Mankowitz in the episode titled "Things to do in Phoenix when you're dead",[23] and on Leo Little's Big Show along with Emily Osment in the episode titled "Hannah Montana: The Movie".[24] He was also part of the starring cast in the movie The Lost & Found Family released directly in DVD format and distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. His character was Justin, a young boy with some bad attitudes.[25]

2010s: Career fluctuations and breakthrough with MacGyver

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Till in 2014

In early 2010, Till played the role of a Russian agent in the film The Spy Next Door starring Jackie Chan.[26] That same year, he played Matt Parker, a high school quarterback in the first season of Blue Mountain State in the episode titled "The Legend of the Golden Arm".[27] He also returned to collaborate in the co-production in an independent science fiction adventure film directed by Jason Trost and in which he also plays Jack, a young man on vacation in Asia who realizes that his horrible dreams are becoming a reality and that reality is turning into a nightmare. The movie was called "Vacation 8".[28] In 2011, he was part of the cast of the Columbia Pictures-produced action science fiction film Battle: Los Angeles as Corporal Grayston.[29] Till played Alex Summers/Havok, a mutant who has the ability to absorb solar energy which he can then launch as plasma energy from his body in the X-Men spin-off X-Men: First Class, a superhero film produced by 20th Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment directed by Matthew Vaughn.[30] This role allowed him to receive a nomination for the 13th Teen Choice Awards in the Choice Movie: Chemistry category (shared with Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz, Caleb Landry Jones, and Edi Gathegi).[citation needed]

In 2011, the actor took his first steps into the world of audiovisual production, collaborating with the production of the independent superhero film All Superheroes Must Die (also known as Vs)[31] and in which he also plays the role of Ben / Cutthroat. In the film, four superheroes (one of whom is Till) are kidnapped by their arch enemy and are forced to compete in a series of challenges to save an abandoned city full of kidnapped innocent civilians. Later that year, he collaborated on the music video accompanying the performance of Adele's song "Someone like You" by Tony Oller. In the video, Till plays Tony's friend who gets in the way of their love affair.[32][unreliable source?] In 2011, he also made a commercial for an international brand of sports shoes.[33][unreliable source?]

In 2012, Till returned to work in dramas by participating in the movie Dark Hearts in the role of Sam, a young man who travels to the city to spend time with his older brother and thus escape problems at home.[34] He next worked with Nicole Kidman on the 2013 film Stoker, in which he played a bragging young man named Chris Pitts.[35] He was also part of the starring cast in the direct-to-DVD film Crush as Scott Norris, a star member of the high school soccer team who despite having a knee injury caused by a blow in a game runs every morning.[36] That same year, he returned to collaborate with Jason Trost in the production of the independent comedy Wet and Reckless and in which he played Toby 'Dollars'.[37] He also participated with Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford in the film Paranoia as Kevin, friend and co-worker of Adam (Liam Hemsworth).[38]

In 2014, he returned to movies in the horror genre by participating in the film Wolves as Cayden Richards, a high school student who is becoming a werewolf and who after the murder of his parents tries to discover the truth of who he really is.[39] and in the thriller and drama movie Sins of our Youth as Tyler, alongside Joel Courtney, Mitchel Musso and Bridger Zardina.[40] He was also a co-producer on the horror and suspense film My Eleventh.[41] He also participated in the television series Comedy Bang! Bang! in the first episode of the third season titled "Patton Oswalt Wears a Black Blazer & Dress Shoes"[42] and reprised his role as Havok in X-Men: Days of Future Past, the sequel to 2011's First Class.[43]

Till promoting MacGyver at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con

In 2015, Till participated in the dramatic film Bravetown, originally titled Strings,[44] playing the role of Josh Harvest a DJ in his early and formative stage, and in the suspense movie The Curse of Downers Grove in the role of Bobby.[45] Both movies released directly in DVD format.

In 2016, Till played Ben Philips Jr. in the horror film The Disappointments Room[46] and returned as Havok in X-Men: Apocalypse, the third installment in the X-Men prequel films series.[47] That same year, he began starring as Angus "Mac" MacGyver in the television reboot of MacGyver, which airs on CBS. Mac is a secret agent of a United States government organization that uses his extraordinary talent to solve problems and his extensive knowledge of science to save lives.[48] Paramount Animation together with Nickelodeon Movies produced the comedy and adventure film titled Monster Trucks, directed by Blue Sky Studios founder Chris Wedge in which Till starred as Tripp.[49][50]

During 2016 and 2017, he started working on a project as a co-producer, the science fiction and suspense film Spectrum playing the role of a young scientist named Connor.[51]

He also participated in the one-hour animated television special titled Michael Jackson's Halloween which premiered on CBS in October 2017 lending his voice to the character of Vincent, a young store clerk who wants to be DJ.[52] In the same month, he participated with CBS Cares in a television campaign in support of hurricane relief in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria struck in the area.[6]

CBS renewed MacGyver in which Till played the starring role, continuing his role in the second, third and fourth seasons. This leading role allowed him to receive the nomination in 2018 in the 20th edition of the Teen Choice Awards in the category of Choice TV Actor: Action, a nomination that he also received in 2019 in the 21st broadcast of the Teen Choice Awards in the same category.[53] In addition to the leading role, Till collaborated in the production of the 13 episodes that make up the fourth season of the series.[54]

In 2019, he collaborated again with CBS Cares in a television campaign in support of the fight against lupus.[55]

2020s: MacGyver finale and critical success in film

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Till's portrayal of Bob Zellner (pictured) in Son of the South garnered critical acclaim.

He renewed his contract in 2020 to continue his leading role in the fifth season of MacGyver.[56] Till has said in interviews that he was the subject of verbal abuse and body shaming from the showrunner of MacGyver, Peter Lenkov.[57] Till reported being suicidal in the first year of the filming of MacGyver due to Lenkov's abuse.[57] Lenkov was later fired from CBS on July 7, 2020.[57]

Till played Bob Zellner, the grandson of a member of the Ku Klux Klan, who joins the civil rights movement in the United States in the film Son of the South, based on Zellner's autobiography The Wrong Side of Murder Creek.[58] Written and directed by Barry Alexander Brown, the film received mixed reviews from critics, although Till's performance was widely praised. YouTube film critic Jackie K. Cooper praised his performance, saying Till "does a very good job".[59] The New York Times and Variety also praised Till's performance.[60][61]

In March 2024, Till was cast as Garret Van Ness in the upcoming Netflix western series The Abandons,[62] starring opposite Gillian Anderson and Nick Robinson. Filming began in Spring the same year, after being delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.[63]

Personal life

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Around 2017-2018, Till began dating actress Skyler Samuels. In March 2024, Samuels revealed that the two had since gotten married and were currently residing in Till's hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.[64] In May 2024, Samuels announced that they had welcomed their first child earlier that year.[65]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 The Lovesong of Edwerd J. Robble Michael Short film
The Adventures of Ociee Nash Harry Vanderbilt
2004 Pee Shy Chad Short film
Lightning Bug Jay Graves
2005 Walk the Line Young Jack Cash
2006 The Other Side Young Samuel North
2008 Dance of the Dead Jensen Direct-to-DVD
2009 Laid to Rest Young Store Clerk Direct-to-video
Hannah Montana: The Movie Travis Brody
The Lost & Found Family Justin Direct-to-video
2010 The Spy Next Door Larry
2011 Battle: Los Angeles Cpl. Scott Grayston
X-Men: First Class Alex Summers / Havok
All Superheroes Must Die Cutthroat / Ben Direct-to-video; also producer
2012 Dark Hearts Sam Direct-to-DVD
2013 Stoker Chris Pitts
Crush Scott Norris Direct-to-video
Wet and Reckless Toby 'Dollars' Direct-to-video; also producer
Paranoia Kevin
2014 Wolves Cayden Richards Direct-to-video
Kristy Aaron Direct-to-video
Sins of our Youth Tyler
X-Men: Days of Future Past Alex Summers / Havok
2015 Bravetown Josh Harvest Direct-to-video
The Curse of Downers Grove Bobby Direct-to-video
2016 X-Men: Apocalypse Alex Summers / Havok
The Disappointments Room Ben Philips Jr.
2017 Monster Trucks Tripp Coley
2020 Son of the South Bob Zellner
2023 Spectrum Connor
The Collective Sam Alexander

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2006 Not Like Everyone Else Kyle Kenney Television film
2008 House Simon Episode: "Joy to the World"
2009 Medium Adam Mankowitz Episode: "Things to Do in Phoenix When You're Dead"
Fear Clinic Brett Episode: "Scotophobia" and "Hydrophobia"
2010 Blue Mountain State Golden Arm / Matt Parker Episode: "The Legend of the Golden Arm"
2014 Comedy Bang! Bang! Thief Episode: "Patton Oswalt Wears a Black Blazer & Dress Shoes"
2016–2021 MacGyver MacGyver Lead role
2017 Michael Jackson's Halloween Vincent (voice) Television special
TBA The Abandons Garret Van Ness Main role

Music videos

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Year Title Artist
2009 "You Belong With Me" Taylor Swift
"The Climb" Miley Cyrus

Producer

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Year Title Notes
2011 All Superheroes Must Die Co-producer
2013 Wet and Reckless
2014 My Eleventh
2017 Spectrum
2020 MacGyver

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2009 11th Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Actor: Music/Dance Hannah Montana: The Movie Nominated
Choice Movie: Liplock (shared with Miley Cyrus) Nominated
2011 13th Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Chemistry (shared with Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz, Caleb Landry Jones, and Edi Gathegi)
X-Men: First Class
 Nominated
2018 20th Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actor: Action
MacGyver
 Nominated
2019 21st Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actor: Action
MacGyver
 Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Hank, Melissa (September 26, 2017). "MacGyver star Lucas Till talks season 2, Hawaii Five-0 crossover". Canada.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2017.
  2. ^ "DA MAN magazine - consummate style for today's bon vivant – Lucas Till Exclusive in DA MAN". Daman.co.id. May 16, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  3. ^ "Dark Hearts : A Film by Rudolf Bwitendach" (PDF). Darkheartsthemovie.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 13, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  4. ^ "Dana Brady Till (@dbtill) on Twitter". Mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  5. ^ "Lucas Till". daman.co. Retrieved May 31, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ a b c "Lucas Till in Hannah Montana Movie". Fox 5 Atlanta. April 6, 2009. Archived from the original on May 12, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  7. ^ "The Lovesong of Edwerd J. Robble". rarefilmfinder.com. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Bonner, Julie (January 23, 2009). "Disney Society's Exclusive Interview with Lucas Till of "Hannah Montana: The Movie"". Disney Society fan site. Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  9. ^ "Lightning Bug". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  10. ^ "Pee Shy". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  11. ^ "Lucas Till". lahiguera.net (in Spanish). Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  12. ^ "The Other Side". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  13. ^ "Not Like Everyone Else". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  14. ^ "Joe Lynch Overseeing Short Films for G4TV". Dread Central. October 12, 2011. Archived from the original on October 16, 2011.
  15. ^ "Lucas Till Simon". imdb.com. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  16. ^ "Hannah Montana: la Película". filmaffinity (in Spanish). Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  17. ^ "Lucas Till Wants To Thank You On Stage". shineon-media. July 22, 2009. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  18. ^ "Lucas Till Is the 'Red Menace'". shineon-media. July 28, 2009. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  19. ^ "The Bourne Stupidity: Crazy Moscow Drivers". The Economist. August 27, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2009.
  20. ^ "Laid to rest". filmaffinity (in Spanish). Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  21. ^ "Fear Clinic". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  22. ^ Vena, Jocelyn. "Taylor Swift Hooks Up With Lucas Till In 'You Belong With Me' Video". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  23. ^ "Medium". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  24. ^ "Leo Little's Big Show". imdb. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  25. ^ "The Lost and Found Family". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  26. ^ "Lucas Till 'wants Selena Gomez as co-star'". Digital Spy. January 14, 2010. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  27. ^ "Blue Mountain State". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  28. ^ "Vacation 8". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  29. ^ "Battle Los Angeles". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  30. ^ Sperling, Nicole (July 8, 2010). "'X-Men: First Class': Matthew Vaughn fills his cast with up-and-comers". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
  31. ^ "All Superheroes Must Die release". Movieweb.com. December 18, 2012. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  32. ^ "Someone Like You". imdb. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  33. ^ "NIKE: ANTI-GRAVITY SHOES". vimeo.com. August 12, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  34. ^ "Dark Hearts: A Film by Rudolf Bwitendach" (PDF). Darkheartsthemovie.com. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  35. ^ Fernández, Joaquín R. (August 4, 2011). "Lucas Till y Alden Ehrenreich se apuntan al sólido elenco de Stoker" [Lucas Till and Alden Ehrenreich join Stoker's solid cast]. labutaca.net (in Spanish). Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  36. ^ "Crush". imdb.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  37. ^ "Wet and Reckless". imdb.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  38. ^ "Lucas Till, amigo y compañero de trabajo de Liam Hemsworth en Paranoia". labutaca.net (in Spanish). Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  39. ^ "Wolves". imdb.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  40. ^ "Sins of our Youth". imdb.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  41. ^ "My Eleventh". imdb.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  42. ^ "Comedy Bang! Bang!". imdb.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  43. ^ "Twitter / BryanSinger: "Mankind must put an end to". Twitter.com. July 15, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  44. ^ "Josh Duhamel se ganará la confianza de Lucas Till en Strings". imdb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  45. ^ "The Curse of Downers Grove". imdb.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  46. ^ "The Disappointments Room: Kate Beckinsale se muda a una casa encantada en el primer tráiler". sensacine.com (in Spanish). August 25, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  47. ^ "Welcome back #lucastill #xmen #XmenApocalypse #jamesmcavoy #michaelfassbender #jenniferlawrence #nicholashoult #rosebyrne How time flies! #XmenFirstClass". Instagram. April 17, 2015. Non-loginwalled link at bibliogram.pussthecat.org
  48. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 21, 2016). "'X-Men's Lucas Till To Play MacGyver In CBS Reboot Pilot". Deadline.
  49. ^ "Paramount Wants Lucas Till & Jane Levy in 'Monster Trucks' Toy Movie". firstshowing.net. February 19, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
  50. ^ "Lucas Till and Jane Levy to star in Monster Trucks". contactmusic. February 19, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
  51. ^ "Lucas Till Boards Spectrum Movie". comingsoon.net. May 12, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  52. ^ "About Michael Jackson's Halloween". cbs.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  53. ^ Moreau, Jordan (June 19, 2019). "'Avengers: Endgame,' 'Riverdale,' 'Aladdin' Top 2019 Teen Choice Award Nominations". Variety. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  54. ^ "MacGyver". imdb.com. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  55. ^ "CBS Cares". cbs.com. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  56. ^ Bonquin, Louise (May 8, 2020). "'MacGyver' season 4 ending this week but CBS renews series". Micky. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  57. ^ a b c Ryan, Maureen (July 20, 2020). ""This was abuse": The fall of a CBS showrunner". Vanity Fair. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  58. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (August 26, 2020). "Clear Horizon Launches U.S. Distribution Arm With 'Son Of The South' From 'BlacKkKlansman' Editor Barry Alexander Brown". deadline.com. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  59. ^ Son of the South |JackieKCooper Quick Grab. JackieKCooper. February 12, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2024 – via YouTube.
  60. ^ Leydon, Joe (February 4, 2021). "'Son of the South' Review: An Involving True-Life Story About the '60s Civil Rights Movement". Variety. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  61. ^ Kenigsberg, Ben (February 4, 2021). "'Son of the South' Review: Tale of an Alabama Activist". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  62. ^ Grobar, Matt (March 1, 2024). "Lucas Till, Nick Robinson, Diana Silvers, Lamar Johnson, Aisling Franciosi & Natalia Del Riego Join Kurt Sutter's Netflix Series 'The Abandons'". Deadline. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  63. ^ Mitchell, Laine. "A new Netflix series will be filmed in Alberta this summer | News". Daily Hive. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  64. ^ "How Skyler Samuels Went From Disney Star To Stanford Student". YouTube. March 4, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  65. ^ "Hallmark's Skyler Samuels Reveals She's a New Mom Ahead of Mother's Day". Heavy. May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
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