James Wolk was born in Farmington Hills, Michigan, to Edie Elson, an art teacher, and Robert Wolk, a shoe store owner, who is of Jewish descent. As a teenager, he worked in his father's store and later graduated from North Farmington High School. Wolk then pursued his passion for acting and graduated from the University of Michigan drama school in 2007.
In his early career, James won the role of Brad Cohen in the CBS/Hallmark Hall of Fame's "Front of the Class", a story based on the book of the same name. He beautifully portrayed Brad, a gifted teacher who has been challenged with Tourette Syndrome from a young age but defied all odds to achieve his goals.
In 2009, Wolk landed the title role in the ABC pilot "Solving Charlie", directed by Gregory Hoblit. He played a young detective who, after his estranged father's passing, learns he has an 11-year-old half-brother named Charlie. His father's last wish was for Charlie to raise his younger brother.
James also played the lead role of Robert/Bob Taylor in the 2010 FOX pilot "Lone Star", directed by Marc Webb. He portrayed a con man who leads a double life with two wives in different Texas towns. The cast included Eloise Mumford and Adrianne Palicki as Bob's two wives, veteran actor David Keith as Bob's con-artist father, and Oscar winner Jon Voight as a powerful Texas oilman whose daughter is one of Bob's wives.
In addition to his television work, James appeared in the 2010 Disney feature film "You Again" alongside Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Odette Yustman, Sigourney Weaver, and Kristin Chenoweth.
Today, James Wolk resides in Los Angeles, where he continues to pursue his acting career.
