Thomas John Patrick Welling (born April 26, 1977) is an American actor, director, and former male fashion model, most famous for his continuing portrayal of
Clark Kent in the current television series
Smallville. His films include
Cheaper by the Dozen and
its sequel, and the 2005
remake of
The Fog.
Biography
Welling was born in
Putnam Valley, New York, the son of a now retired
General Motors executive father and a
homemaker mother. He has two older sisters, Rebecca and Jamie, and a younger brother, Mark, who is also an actor. His father's job required frequent relocation, and Welling's family moved from
Putnam Valley, New York to
Janesville, Wisconsin, then to
Hockessin, Delaware, until finally settling in
Okemos, Michigan early in his junior year of high school. Active in several team sports including
baseball and
basketball, Welling was also a third string
soccer goalkeeper. He graduated from
Okemos High School in 1995, and then worked in
construction while continuing to live with his parents..
