Lucas York Black was born on November 29, 1982, in Decatur, Alabama, to Jan Keenum, an office worker, and Larry Black, a museum worker. Without any formal acting lessons, Lucas made his film debut at the tender age of 11 with a small part in the Kevin Costner film The War in 1994. This early role proved to be a stepping stone for his future career, as it helped him land his next job in the television series American Gothic in 1995.
When the series went to North Carolina to cast its primary roles, the casting team in Wilmington remembered Lucas and suggested him for the role of "Caleb Temple." Although the series did not last long, Lucas's film career continued to flourish. He went on to appear in the sleeper hit Sling Blade in 1996, followed by another dark film, Ghosts of Mississippi, also released in 1996.
Aside from his acting career, Lucas also pursued a career in modeling, working with Calvin Klein. He spent most of his spare time attending school and participating in sports. His hard work paid off when he landed a lead role in the independent film Crazy in Alabama in 1999. Lucas was selective about his film roles and turned down an opportunity to star in the movie adaptation of The Horse Whisperer in 1998 due to the request to alter his accent.
In 2000, Lucas was seen alongside Matt Damon in the film All the Pretty Horses. He graduated from Speake High School in 2001, where he had been an excellent student and also played football, basketball, and golf. Lucas is an avid bass fisherman and plans to study fish biology in the future. After a small break, he will next be seen alongside Hollywood stars Jude Law and Natalie Portman in the drama Cold Mountain, set to be released in 2003.
