DREW POWELL

From the moment Drew Powell was born, he was drawing attention. The actor, who went on to play a young Hoss Cartwright in the television series “The Ponderosa,” started life as a real Hoss: he set a record at the Indiana hospital in which he was born, weighing in at more than 11 lbs.

Drew grew up in Lebanon, Indiana, outside of Indianapolis. He graduated from DePauw University, where he majored in English Literature and was a Media Fellow, an honors program in media studies. He was active in the theatre department, and wrote and performed in campus television shows and student films.

After graduation, Drew moved to Los Angeles. His first television appearance was a small co-starring role in the hit television series "Malcolm in the Middle." So impressed were the producers of the show that they wrote the role into episode after episode and even named the character after him: “Cadet Drew.” He appeared on many episodes of the show over two seasons.

Next up for Drew was the prequel to "Bonanza" called "The Ponderosa” on which he played Hoss Cartwright. The twenty episodes produced continue to air on cable. Shooting in rural Australia, Drew met and fell in love with Veronica, now his wife, who was a make-up artist on the show.

Drew’s first starring role in a major feature film is in the remake of the 1971 film “Straw Dogs,” directed by Rod Lurie and due for release in late 2010/early ‘11. Other feature film appearances include “Starship Troopers 2,” “The Marine,” “Mexican Sunrise” and “1408” with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. Drew has guest starred on numerous television series including “House,” “Leverage,” “Psych,” “ER,” “The Office,” “CSI,” “Cold Case,” “Without a Trace,” “Monk," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Southland."

Playing the role of Bear, Drew starred alongside Paul Reubens in the 2010 stage revival of “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The show was a huge hit and is planning a Broadway run in fall of 2010. In the show Drew gets to perform his lifelong passions of singing and dancing. In "Skirts and Flirts," a monologue show at the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles and the Kraine Theater in New York, Drew received rave reviews for his portrayal of Paul, a lonely guitar-playing troubadour, performing original songs inspired by a recent heartbreak. He performed in a version of the show at the 2009 South Beach Comedy Festival, sponsored by Comedy Central, in Miami.

Drew lives with his wife Veronica, son Leo and dog Elsie in Los Angeles. He is a legal resident of Australia and England. (2012)