8 Things You Didn’t Know About Austin Nichols

Austin Nichols is an American actor and filmmaker who was born on April 24, 1980. Nichols was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but moved to Austin, Texas, before turning one. He was named after the Austin Nichols distillery, which makes Wild Turkey bourbon.

You may be familiar with Austin Nichols from his acting career, but there is more to his life as you will discover from the following facts.

8 Things You Didn’t Know About Austin Nichols

1. Reason Behind His Name

The son of radiologist David Nichols and professional water skier Kay Nichols, Austin Nichols was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and was given the name Austin Nichols after the Austin, Nichols Distillery Company in Kentucky, which produces Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. 

2. Got Arrested In August 2007

Nichols appears to be a good person, but he found himself on the wrong side of the law when he was jailed in Michigan in August 2007 after being pulled over for driving the wrong way down a street at 3 a.m. ^[1]

3. Went To McCallum High School

Nichols attended McCallum High School in central Austin. He became interested in acting at the age of 15, prompting his relocation to Los Angeles after she graduated. He eventually ended up at the University of Southern California, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2002.

4. His Previous Roles

Many people remember him as Julian Baker on One Tree Hill from 2008 to 2012, and now The Walking Dead, two extremely successful shows that have made many people forget about his earlier roles. After appearing as a love interest in the Olsen twins’ 2001 film Vacation in the Sun, he secured co-starring roles in the films The Day After Tomorrow, Wimbledon, and Glory Road. ^[2]

5. He’s Obsessed With Films

Nichols’ character in One Tree Hill is a film producer who is fascinated with films and producing the perfect story through cinema. And it turns out that Nichols, like his renowned character, is a film enthusiast.

6. Breakup With Claire Oswalt

Nichols and artist Claire Oswalt dated from 1997 to 2004. They were engaged for a short time before divorcing in a messy divorce. Following the separation, Nichols stated in an interview that he spent time living out of his car and sleeping on friends’ couches before reassembling his life. ^[3]

7. His Relationships After Oswalt

Nichols didn’t start dating seriously again after his breakup with Oswalt. Then he met his One Tree Hill co-star and on-screen love interest Sophia Bush. They also dated off and on for seven years before calling it quits. He is now dating actress Chloe Bennet, also known as Daisy ‘Skye’ Johnson.

8. Started Waterskiing At The Age Of 2

Nichols began competitive waterskiing when he was just two years old. Nichols competed for the United States Junior Water Ski Team in the Pan-Am Championships in 1997. He was ranked third in the world at the age of 13. ^[4]