Born on March 14, 1979, Chris Frederick Klein spent his childhood in Hinsdale, Illinois, before moving with family to Nebraska at age 13. His father is Fred Klein, an engineer, and his mother is Terese Klein, a school teacher. Chris’ older sister is Debbie (born in 1978) and Tim is his younger brother, who is three years his junior.

As a child, Chris had his first onstage experience by singing “This Little Light of Mine” in a community theater at the Sheraton Convention Center in Chicago. He was educated at the Millard West High School and was named “Most Likely To Be Famous” by his high school peers. As for acting, he took part in a school play titled “West Side Story,” in which he was cast as Tony. Chris could also handle himself on the football field and did double duty as quarterback and linebacker for his school team. At age 16, he joined the school’s male beauty pageant contest and was crowned Mr. Millard West. It was also in high school that Chris got his first opportunity to begin his film career. Upon graduation, he majored in Dramatic Arts at the Texas Christian University, but later dropped out of college to pursue acting more professionally.

Off screen, Chris is a devout Christian. His hobbies include outdoors activities, playing video games, as well as reading. His favorite books are Slaughterhouse-Five, The Sun Also Rises, and The Hobbit, among others.

American actor Chris Klein is well-known for portraying class-president candidate Paul Metzler in the dark comedy Election (1999) and as likable high-school jock Chris “Oz” Ostreicher in the popular teenage sex comedy American Pie (1999), in which he received a Chicago Film Critics Association nomination.

Recipient of the Young Hollywood Award for Superstar of Tomorrow (2001), Klein keeps on trying to impress audiences by playing roles in such movies as the romance Here on Earth (2000), the comedy Say It Isn’t So (2001), the action Rollerball (2002), the war-themed film We Were Soldier (2002) and the drama The United States of Leland (2003).

Recently starring in Pat Holden’s comedy The Long Weekend (2005) and costarring in the mainstream comedy Just Friends (2005), Klein is set to take on roles in the forthcoming action-thriller Expats (2005), Jason Wiles’ drama Lenexa, 1 Mile (2006), director Paul Weitz‘ American Comedy (2006) and The Valley of Light (2006, TV).

Off screen, Klein is a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He was arrested for drunk driving in February 2005 and was fined $1,800 and ordered to perform 150 hours of community service three months later.

“I look back on Katie and my time with her with a great fondness. The opportunities that we had to be together, to be in love and grow together, are something that I will always cherish, and I know she will too.” Chris Klein on his relationship with Katie Holmes

As for his romantic life, brown-haired and handsome Klein is known for his five-year relationship with actress Katie Holmes, who is now engaged to superstar Tom Cruise. Klein proposed to his longtime girlfriend Holmes in 2004, but they called off the engagement early 2005. Shortly after the break up, she began a new romance with Cruise.

“Her being with Tom has nothing to do with her and I discontinuing our relationship.” Chris Klein