Fred Hechinger became the breakout star of The White Lotus, but he’s already been making a name for himself with several significant movie and TV roles over the past couple of years. At only 21 years old, Hechinger is still only at the beginning of his career, having just made his film debut in 2018. No stranger to media, Hechinger’s grandfather was The New York Times education editor Fred M. Hechinger. The younger Fred inherited the elder's journalistic touch, having been a teen reporter while studying at Upright Citizens Brigade. Hechinger also attended an acclaimed arts-oriented private high school in New York City, where his actor classmates were Stranger Things’ Maya Hawke and Manchester by the Sea’s Lucas Hedges.
In HBO’s 2021 critically acclaimed series The White Lotus, Fred Hechinger starred as Quinn Mossbacher, the socially awkward son of wealthy Nicole and Mark Mossbacher and younger brother to the sardonic Olivia. The Mossbachers take a week-long vacation at the exclusive White Lotus Hawaii resort, where they discover more about themselves and the complexities of the hotel. Although his family members typically act aloof and self-centered, Quinn is a kind-hearted teen who just wants to play video games, lay on the beach, reluctantly SCUBA with his dad, and go outrigger canoeing with the locals. By the end of The White Lotus, Quinn can’t return to his depressing family and social life back home, choosing to stay and venture with his new Hawaiian friends.
Notable for his several Netflix projects, Fred Hechinger got his start on Netflix’s 2018 teen rom-com Alex Strangelove, where he had a minor role as Josh. Even in just 2018, the prominence of his film roles began to progress, having won the role of Trevor in the critically acclaimed coming-of-age dramedy Eighth Grade. The same year, Hechinger played the small part of Aidan in Natalie Portman’s Vox Lux. Continuing with Hechinger’s quick build into more significant Hollywood characters, he played Jamie, the son of Marisa Tomei’s character Carrie in Human Capital (2019). This would also be his first official collaboration with former classmate Maya Hawke, who he would appear with in one of 2021’s most popular movie series. Hechinger’s first major film role came in 2020, where he starred as John Calley alongside Tom Hanks in the Western drama News of the World.
For Fred Hechinger, 2021 is known as his impressive breakout star year, where he’s been featured in several of the most popular television and film series in significant lead roles. Hechinger began the year playing a cruel role as the young version of slave-catcher John Ridgeway in Amazon’s The Underground Railroad. Released on the same day, Hechinger played the captivating role of teenage serial killer Ethan Russell in Netflix’s The Woman in the Window. Securing his title as an upcoming scream king, Hechinger starred as Shadyside teenager Simon in Netflix’s Fear Street: 1994, and later in the dual roles of Simon and Isaac in Fear Street: 1666.
Following Hechinger’s acclaim for his performances in The White Lotus and the Fear Street trilogy, he won’t be seeing a shortage of notable projects, making him a name audiences will need to remember. The young actor is already slated to star in one of the most anticipated upcoming TV series, Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, where he’ll play pornographer and Internet Entertainment Group founder Seth Warshavsky alongside Sebastian Stan and Lily James. Fred Hechinger has also been cast in Owen Kline’s upcoming indie comedy film Two Against Nature as Alex.