Jake M. Smith was born and raised in Queens, New York City, his mother was an actress involved with the theater so at a very young age he became a touring world traveler. He then picked up acting for himself, and at the age of thirteen was starring in Cymbeline (Shakespeare in the park) and soon found himself an agent and his first role in a film. By 15 he had starred in many independent films and guest- starred on television. When he was 18 he starred in his breakthrough role in the movie Holes (2003) as the character "Squid". He loves acting and writing and calls it "the only thing he wants to, or sees himself doing".