Colin Hanks, son of the famous Tom Hanks, was born on November 24, 1977. He spent his youth in Sacramento, and, after deciding to follow in his father's dramatic footsteps, began studying acting. Attending Loyola Marymount University in Westchester, CA, he gained experience that would help to make him a talent in his own right, in addition to the name his father had already made. Before graduation, he had a bit part in That Thing You Do! (1996), directed by Tom Hanks. Colin Hanks landed a role on WB's Roswell after he finished college, and gained a lot of attention through the teen scene with his role as Alex Whitman on the program. In a youthful, modern version of the Cyrano de Bergerac story, Whatever It Takes (2000), he played Cosmo, performing along with fellow heartthrobs James Franco and Shane West. He made an appearance on the HBO series Band of Brothers, and played the part of Felix in Get Over It in 2001. In 2002, Hanks was featured in Melissa Gilbert's Under the Mimosa starring Shelley Duvall. That same year, he starred in Orange County with Jack Black in a crazy comedy involving misplaced college applications and a wide range of hilarious characters.