If you love high-octane fight scenes and breathtaking stunts in your favorite movies then what Ryan Potter brings to the table is right up your alley. But the Japanese American is more than just about flying kicks and three-punch combos. He is an excellent actor who is still very much in the early days of his acting career.
Starting out his acting career in 2011, he debuted as Mike Fukanaga in Nickelodeon’s action-drama series Supah Ninjas. Since then, the actor has recorded some other memorable roles, voicing Hiro Hamada in 2014’s Big Hero 6, and playing Garfield Logan in the series Titans, starting in 2018. Ryan is truly multitalented. Here’s everything we know about the actor, director, producer, stuntman, and photographer.
Ryan Potter Bio (Age and Ethnicity)
The actor was born on September 12, 1995, in Portland, Oregon. Besides the fact that he spent the first seven years of his life in Tokyo, there isn’t much else that is known about that period in his life. Ryan is of American and Japanese heritage.
Like many kids his age, the actor had many interests, consequently dabbling in a lot during his growing years. His hobbies included skateboarding, playing the drums, baseball, among others. But the interest Potter took the most serious was his martial arts passion. He started training in White Tiger Kung fu as an eight-year-old and continued with it throughout his teenage years.
Sometime in 2010, Ryan Potter was in a Kung fu class when he was given a leaflet announcing Nickelodeon’s search for teenagers to take up roles in their new martial-arts-themed series. A few days later, he decided to try out for a role in the series. He ended up being cast as Mike Fukanaga, a lead role in the series.
Although this was his first acting role, it was enough to bring him recognition as a Nickelodeon star. He showed up on the cover of many teen magazines as well as in a few other Nickelodeon programs like Figure It Out and Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play. In 2012, he also made a two-episode appearance as the best friend of the lead character on Fred: The Show.
In 2014, Ryan Potter got his first voicing role. He voiced the protagonist character, Hiro Hamada, on Big Hero 6. He would go on to voice the character on its inspired series Big Hero 6: The Series starting in 2017. He also was Hiro on the video games Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2014), Disney Infinity 3.0 (2015), and Kingdom Hearts III (2019).
In 2016, he made a two-episode appearance on The XD’s Lab Rats: Elite Force, playing the character Riker. Two years later, he was Jo in the romance film Running for Grace. In the same year, Ryan Potter started work as Garfield Logan, also known as “Beast Boy” on Warner Bros’ live-action series, Titans.
The actor also takes the time to do his part in making the world better and more livable. In 2011, he founded the nonprofit organization Toy Box of Hope. The charity is focused on kids living in homeless shelters and in transitional situations in the Los Angeles area. Every holiday, Toy Box of Hope aims to deliver toys to these kids as well as other living essentials such as jackets and beddings. The actor believes it is a way to keep their hope alive and to let them know that people care.
Who Are His Parents?
Thanks to his parents, Potter has Japanese, American, and Jewish ancestry. Although his father’s name is unknown, the actor was born to an American-Jewish mother known as Jordanna Potter-Lew.
He lived with his parents during his time in Japan but upon his return to the United States, he was raised by his mother. Ryan Potter originally spoke Japanese but has since lost most of it upon his return to American soil. His mother, Jordanna, is married to James Lew. Potter must admire his stepfather, one of the reasons being that James is a revered stunt legend in Hollywood, an occupation the actor obviously has a passion for.
Is He Gay?
There are a few pointers that stoke the fire of the rumor that Ryan Potter is gay. For one, his first acting role saw him team up with the legendary actor, George Takei. The openly gay actor played Ryan Potter’s grandfather on Supah Ninjas.
The more important factor is the fact that Potter is a proponent of same-sex marriage and a supporter of the LGBT community. During California’s 2012 “No H8” campaign, Potter joined other celebrities to voice his support for same-sex marriage. He was just 16 years old at the time.
Many believed this was proof that he is gay. However, Ryan Potter, by all indications is as straight as they come. Over the years, he has been rumored to be dating a number of ladies including Stephanie LeBlanc, Sydney Park, Gracie Dzienny, and American vlogger Bethany Mota.
Ryan Potter Height
The boy from Oregon has a lot going for him: looks, charm, skills, among other things. However, his height does play a crucial role too. Ryan isn’t that tall, standing not too far below 6 feet. The actor has a height of about 5 feet 6 inches (173 cm).
