Austin Nichols was born April 24, 1980 in Ann Arbor, Michigan but was raised in Austin, Texas till he was 18, when he relocated to California to pursue acting. He holds a degree in creative writing from the University of Southern California where he graduated in 2002. Apart from writing and acting, Nichols also used to be a competitive water skier. He represented the U. S. as part of the Junior Water Team that competed in the Pan-American Championships in 1997. He was once ranked third in the World Junior Rankings for the Tricks event and took part in the Junior U. S. Masters Championship twice. Nichols came to prominence in the film The Day After Tomorrow and gained further recognition as arrogant tennis star, Jake Hammond, in the romantic comedy, Wimbledon, starring Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany. Despite his athletic background, Nichols still had to undergo rigorous training, including a month with 1987 Wimbledon champion, Pat Cash, in order to prepare for his role. Prior to John from Cincinnati, Nichols was a regular on the sci-fi series, Surface.
John Monad, played by Austin Nichols on John from Cincinnati, is a mysterious character whose past and origin are uncertain. For the moment, he has made Cincinnati his home and follows Butchie Yost as his surfing student. Constantly rambling phrases and passages, John’s arrival on Imperial Beach has brought along a host of intriguing miracles.
(Photo courtesy of HBO)