Derek Lee Nixon born April 13, 1983 is an American actor. He was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and gained much notoriety in 2002 after playing Ryan Hammond, the fun loving, lackadaisical nephew of Roman business Tycoon Derek Hammond in Mary-Kate & Ashley's, When In Rome. Derek has built up a very nice resume of television credits including Boston Public, Do Over, The Andy Dick Show, America's Most Wanted and more. He has also made a name for himself as a Film Producer, producing some of the movies that he stars in, including Hallettsville with Gary Busey, The Lights with Joe Estevez, and Ozzy Lusth and Outrage with Michael Madsen, Natasha Lyonne, and horror film legend Michael Berryman. Derek was born in San Antonio, Texas to Patricia Cadena, Roland Nixon. He began his acting career at the young age of 6. His mother submitted his photo to a local Talent Agent and was immediately working on commercials for Ford Motor Company, Sea World, Six Flags, Fiesta Texas also doing public service announcements. He was considered for the main character Preston in Disney's Blank Check He attended North East School of the Arts his first year of high school, then transferred to Churchill High School for the remainder of his high school years graduating in 2001. Following high school he packed up his car and moved to Burbank, California. Derek's movies are credited from 1999-2007 with a small role in Evenhand in 1999, played Ryan Hammond in When in Rome (2002), played Tyler Jensen and produced Hallettsville in 2006, played Brad Taylor and produced The Lights in 2007 and played Jack Cratton and produced Outrage in 2007.