Childhood
Shawn Robert Ashmore was born one minute after his twin brother, Aaron on October 7, 1979, to parents Linda, a homemaker, and manager Rick. Living in Richmond, British Columbia, at the time the family relocated soon after and the boys spent the first decade of their lives in Edmonton, Alberta.
Early Career
Building on the success of his first venture into advertising, Shawn got his big break onto the small screen at 14 with the 1994 made-for-TV movie Guitarman. Although the flick earned him a prestigious Canadian Gemini Award nod, it wasn't until a few years later he realized he wanted to pursue acting full-time.
© Gilbert CarrasquilloWalking home after a particularly fun day of shooting on the set of TV film Promise The Moon the fledgling thesp decided he'd found his métier. "I realized I was never happier than on days like that," he said.
His goal decided upon, the young actor headed, along with Aaron, to Los Angeles where both brothers soon picked up roles in TV series. Then, having landed a small part in the 2000 blockbuster X-Men, the fledgling star got lucky.
Movies
The movie franchise expanded to include X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand - and with it so did his role of Bobby "Iceman" Drake, which gave the young Canadian international recognition. As well as the special relationship it has brought with his co-stars Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman "Everyone gets together and your character matures as you mature" The X-Men series also holds a special place in Shawn's heart for its connections to his homeland.
© Gary GershoffAs well as starring fellow Canadians Anna Paquin and Elliot Page, it features as a location for the last two installments. With offers flowing in after his outing in the action trilogy, Shawn was determined to avoid being typecast. "A lot of teen romance... movies were coming along after X-Men," he says. "But those aren't the kind of movies I'm really into. It's really a matter of trying to be a little picky and finding the things that you're really interested in." Instead, the actor signed up for Terry, the tale of late Canadian cross-country runner Terry Fox, which earned him a second Gemini acting nod. Other plaudits followed.
Shawn's love life
It was Shawn's role in the 2010 thriller Frozen that changed his life forever when he met his future wife Dana Wasdin. Dana is an assistant director known for her work on Sweet Home Alabama and (2002) The Joneses (2009) and, of course, Frozen (2010), which sparked her relationship with Shawn.
© Matt WinkelmeyerIn July 2012, Shawn and Dana tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at SmogShoppe on La Cienega Boulevard in LA. Five years after they said 'I do' Shawn and Dana proudly welcomed a baby boy named Oliver in 2017.
