Biography
New York City native Jake T. Austin entered filmdom as a preteen actor; like many who achieved stardom in the 2000s before the age of 13, Austin owed much of his celebrity to The Disney Channel, whose producers made him a veritable fixture on many of their series. Austin's star shone particularly brightly with his role as mischievous, superpower-laden Max Russo on the Disney fantasy series
Wizards of Waverly Place. He then moved into features, specializing (unsurprisingly) in family-friendly fare; assignments included a role voicing a character in 2006's
The Ant Bully, a supporting turn in the sports-themed docudrama
The Perfect Game (2008), and a role as an orphan who hides numerous dogs in an abandoned hotel in the comedy
Hotel for Dogs (2009). ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide