Jesse Bradford Watrouse, born in Norwalk, Connecticut, is the son of actors Curtis Watrouse and Terry Porter, who have made numerous appearances in television commercials. Bradford's early start in the entertainment industry began at just eight months old, when he made his debut in a Q-Tip commercial.
As a child, Bradford started acting and modeling, and he has maintained a steady stream of work since the age of four. He graduated from Brien MacMahon High School in his hometown of Norwalk and later attended Columbia University to study film.
Bradford's film debut was in the 1984 movie Falling in Love, but it was his role in Steven Soderbergh's cult classic King of the Hill in 1993 that brought him to the attention of the public. He starred alongside Spalding Gray and Elizabeth McGovern in the film, which received rave reviews.
Following his success in King of the Hill, Bradford went on to appear in a number of other films, including Romeo + Juliet in 1996, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, Hackers in 1995, opposite Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie, and Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog in 1995.
For his performance in King of the Hill, Bradford was nominated for the CFCA's Most Promising Actor award and the Young Artist Award for Best Youth Actor Leading Role in a Motion Picture Drama. He was also nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Young Leading Actor in a Feature Film for his work in Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog.
