Arlen Escarpeta

ARLEN ESCARPETA appeared in several independent features: Scott Leberecht's "Midnight Son"; Will Canon's "Brotherhood"; and "Privileged," from Jonah Salander. Prior to that, he starred in Marcus Nispel's re-imagining of "Friday the 13th" and in Preston Whitmore's drama "Dough Boys."

In 2005, Escarpeta earned critical acclaim for his breakout film role as an honor student caught with a handgun at school in the independent drama "American Gun." The film, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, also starred Forest Whitaker, Marcia Gay Harden and Donald Sutherland. The following year, he co-starred with Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox in McG's true-life drama "We Are Marshall," about the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed Marshall University's football team.

Escarpeta also acted in David Wain's comedy "The Ten," which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, and in Carl Franklin's courtroom thriller "High Crimes," starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd.

Escarpeta first gained attention on the small screen when he starred in the NBC series "American Dreams." He played Sam Walker, a young black man dealing with the changing times of the turbulent `60s. His television work also includes guest roles on such series as "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Without a Trace," "Cold Case," "Judging Amy," "ER," "The Shield," "Boomtown" and "Boston Public."

©2011 New Line Cinema (Warner Bros.)