Justin McDonald

As a young man, actor Justin McDonald received a scholarship to the Italia Conti Academy of Theater Arts, a prestigious school in London, but when he landed a co-starring role in the television drama "Distant Shores," the opportunity was too sweet to turn down and he left the college early. Debuting in 2005, "Distant Shores" revolved around a big-city plastic surgeon who relocates with his family to a tiny island full of unusual characters. McDonald was cast as Ben McCallister, a local boy the doctor's daughter falls for, a part which only lasted for one season. The year of his television debut, he also guest-starred on several long-running British dramas, including the hospital series "Holby City" and the crime show "The Bill." In 2006 McDonald made his first appearance on the big screen with the biopic "Miss Potter," playing the youthful version of children's author Beatrix Potter's lawyer. That same year, he also landed a guest-starring role on the second episode of the popular science fiction show "Torchwood." McDonald spent the rest of the decade alternating between television, voice work for the spooky 2009 video game "Cursed Mountain" and movies, including a turn as a goth party boy in the low-budget 2007 horror film "Vampire Diary" and small part in the Colin Firth drama "When Did You Last See Your Father? ."