Riley Smith

Like fellow Iowa native Ashton Kutcher  who was an acquaintance back in their mutual hometown of Cedar-Rapids  this all-American hunk entered showbiz after a talent scout spotted Smith at a mall and encouraged him to attend the International Modeling and Talent Association Convention. In high school, Smith was an avid horseback rider and basketball player, but he turned down an athletic scholarship to college to model, appearing in campaigns for brands like Tommy Hilfiger. He used the money he earned to pay for acting classes and soon began landing TV gigs, including recurring roles on Freaks and Geeks, Joan of Arcadia and 24. Comfortable both with comic (Raising Dad, Eight Legged Freaks) and dramatic fare, he built up an impressive resume and proved he was more than just eye candy. In 2007, he signed on to the small-screen actioner Drive as an Iraq War vet competing in a mysterious cross-country race, but the show ran out of gas after a handful of episodes.