Jared Gilmore

Jared Scott Gilmore was born on May 30, 2000, in San Diego, California. For two years, he attended John Robert Powers San Diego, a training school for actors, models, and singers. According to Variety, Gilmore unintentionally began his acting career after running into talent representatives who were interested in his twin sister, Taylor. After many auditions, he acquired his first jobs through modeling T-shirts and acting in commercials. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Gilmore said, “Entering the film industry at a young age gave me a chance to mature and get a level of professionalism that is extremely helpful in our world. It’s an amazing experience being in the entertainment industry. I’m given a chance to influence people and help people in any way, shape, or form and it’s incredible.” Before being cast as Henry Mills in Once Upon a Time, Gilmore held minor roles in Roommates, Wilfred, Without a Trace, Eleventh Hour, The Back-up Plan, and Hawthorne. In 2009, he was cast as Bobby Draper in Mad Men. He was the third actor to play the character, after Maxwell Huckabee and Aaron Hart. In 2011, Jared left Mad Men and was cast in Once Upon a Time as Henry Mills, the adopted son of Regina Mills and biological son of Emma Swan. Series creators Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis stated of the role, "One of our emotional centers was an 11-year-old boy who had to be precocious and vulnerable at the same time." Kitsis believed that Gilmore "naturally brought [these characteristics] out... We just knew he had to be our Henry!" Gilmore commented, "I relate to Henry, because I'm 11 and also have a very good imagination. I enjoy making up and playing games in worlds with alternate realities myself."