Lewis James Pullman Bio
Lewis James Pullman is an American actor born on January 29, 1993, in Los Angeles, California. He is the son of actor Bill Pullman and modern dancer Tamara Hurwitz. Pullman began his career with short films in 2013 before landing his feature film debut in The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017). He gained wider recognition for his performance in Bad Times at the El Royale (2018), which earned him a Saturn Award nomination. His career has since expanded to include roles in major studio films, streaming television series, and independent productions.
Early Life and Background
Pullman was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, to Bill Pullman and Tamara Hurwitz. His mother is of Russian Jewish descent. He grew up alongside his sister Maesa, who is a singer-songwriter, and his brother Jack, who works as a puppet-maker. Pullman attended Wildwood School in Los Angeles for his high school education.
In 2015, Pullman graduated from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina, with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. The college campus features a large working farm, and Pullman has spoken about working there during his college years, noting that he was on the tractor division and had considered a career in road crew work if acting did not work out for him.
Path to Acting
Outside of acting, Pullman is also a musician. He is the drummer for the indie pop rock band Atta Boy, which he formed with lead vocalist Eden Brolin in 2012. The band released its first album, Out of Sorts, that same year as a whimsical experiment. Their second album, Big Heart Manners, came out in 2020, and they released a third album, Crab Park, in 2022.
Pullman began his acting career with several short films starting in 2013, including The Tutor. He split his time between living in Los Angeles and Montana during this period. After graduating from college in 2015, he auditioned for Highston, a television series from Sacha Baron Cohen and Amazon Studios. He was cast in the lead role as a 19-year-old whose imaginary friends were real-life celebrities. The pilot episode, guest-starring Flea and Shaquille O’Neal, was well received by critics. However, the series was canceled in December 2017 after only one episode aired.
Lewis James Pullman Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Pullman made his feature film debut in 2017 with The Ballad of Lefty Brown, a Western starring his father Bill Pullman in the titular lead role. That same year, he also appeared in Arnold Schwarzenegger-led Aftermath, the British drama Lean on Pete, and the critically acclaimed film Battle of the Sexes, which also starred his father.
In 2018, Pullman had a leading role in the slasher film The Strangers: Prey at Night. The film was a box-office success, grossing $32.1 million against a $5 million production budget. That same year, he starred alongside Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, and Chris Hemsworth in Bad Times at the El Royale. Director Drew Goddard described the casting process as finding that magic fit when Pullman came in to audition.
Breakthrough (2019–Present)
Upon release, Bad Times at the El Royale received generally positive reviews from critics, and Pullman’s performance was singled out as a standout. Den of Geek called his work standout, and The Seattle Times noted that he shines as the troubled desk clerk who serves as the films moral conscience. For his performance, Pullman earned a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
In 2019, Pullman had a recurring role as Major Major Major Major in Catch-22, the George Clooney-led Hulu adaptation of the 1961 novel. He also starred in the thriller Them That Follow. In 2020, he had a small role in the indie film Pink Skies Ahead. In 2022, Pullman played Rhett Abbott in the Amazon Prime Video science fiction neo-western series Outer Range and portrayed Lieutenant Robert Bob Floyd in the Tom Cruise-led Top Gun: Maverick. Top Gun: Maverick wrapped filming in 2019 but was delayed several times before releasing in 2022. The film grossed over $1.4 billion in theaters and became Pullman is highest-grossing film to date.
Notable Works and Milestones
Also in 2022, Pullman played the romantic lead in Press Play. In 2023, he played a youth pastor in The Starling Girl, the president of a fraternity in The Line, and had a major role in William Friedkin final film The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. He also starred alongside Brie Larson in the Apple TV miniseries Lessons in Chemistry. That same year, Pullman appeared in the period drama miniseries that earned him nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries.
In 2024, Pullman starred in the crime thriller Skincare and the James Wan-produced horror film adaptation of Stephen King 1975 novel Salem’s Lot. In 2025, he portrayed Robert Reynolds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thunderbolts, gaining international recognition for his role as the character also known as Sentry. He is set to reprise the role in Avengers: Doomsday in 2026. Also in 2026, Pullman stars alongside Sally Field in Remarkably Bright Creatures, an adaptation of the bestselling novel by Shelby Van Pelt. He also stars with Maya Hawke in the surrealist romantic comedy Wishful Thinking, which premiered at SXSW.
Lewis James Pullman Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Lewis James Pullman has received multiple award nominations recognizing his performances. His breakthrough nomination came with the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for Bad Times at the El Royale. His most recent major nominations include the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries, both for his performance in Lessons in Chemistry.
Lewis James Pullman Awards Won
Based on available information, specific award wins for Lewis James Pullman have not been verified in the provided sources. He has received notable nominations for Saturn Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, and Critics’ Choice Television Awards, which demonstrate industry recognition for his work.
Lewis James Pullman Family
Lewis James Pullman is the son of Bill Pullman, a well-known American actor, and Tamara Hurwitz, a modern dancer. His father Bill Pullman has had an extensive career spanning several decades in film and television. His mother Tamara Hurwitz is of Russian Jewish descent. Pullman has two siblings: his sister Maesa is a singer-songwriter, and his brother Jack is a puppet-maker.
Personal Life
Between September 2020 and sometime before August 2023, Pullman was in a relationship with singer and actress Rainey Qualley. As of 2025, Pullman is in a relationship with model and actress Kaia Gerber. Pullman does not use social media, stating that he protects his personal life, mental health, and reduces digital stimuli by avoiding these platforms.
Pullman was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder at age 12. He has spoken openly about this diagnosis, which is part of his personal background that he has chosen to share publicly.