Miles Teller Bio
Miles Teller (born February 20, 1987) is an American actor known for a steady run of character-driven dramas and major studio features. He made his feature film debut in the independent drama Rabbit Hole (2010) and gained wider recognition with the coming-of-age film The Spectacular Now (2013) and the Divergent film trilogy (2014–2016). His breakthrough came with Whiplash (2014), which earned him critical acclaim and a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination.
Over the following decade, Teller moved between independent films and large-scale franchise pictures, including Fantastic Four (2015), War Dogs (2016), and the global hit Top Gun: Maverick (2022). He has continued to expand his range on television and in producing, earning an Emmy nomination for his work on The Gorge (2025).
Early Life and Background
Miles Teller was born on February 20, 1987, in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. His mother, Merry Teller, works as a real estate agent, and his father, Michael Teller, is a nuclear power plant engineer. He has two older sisters, Erin and Dana. His paternal grandfather was of Russian Jewish descent, and his broader ancestry includes English, Irish, and African-American roots.
Teller spent his early years in Pennsylvania and Delaware before his family relocated to Citrus County, Florida, when he was twelve years old. Growing up, he was an active member of his high school drama club, serving as its president, and he learned several instruments, including the alto saxophone, drums, piano, and guitar. He also played baseball and briefly considered pursuing it professionally.
He graduated from Lecanto High School in Lecanto, Florida. Later, he enrolled at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and screen acting with Stonestreet Studios. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama in 2009.
Path to Acting
Teller appeared in a series of short films between 2004 and 2010 while training at Tisch. After graduating in 2009, he auditioned for the independent drama Rabbit Hole (2010) and was personally selected for the role by Nicole Kidman, marking his major film debut. He had previously starred in his high school’s stage production of Footloose, which led to a small role in the 2011 film remake of the same name.
He built early momentum with supporting parts in the comedy 21 & Over (2013) and the romantic drama The Spectacular Now (2013), the latter co-starring Shailene Woodley. These performances helped position him for higher-profile projects and connected him with directors and producers working at the top of the independent film world.
Miles Teller Career
Early Career (2004–2013)
Teller’s first years in the industry were spent balancing short film work with auditions in New York. His feature debut in Rabbit Hole (2010) opened the door to larger casts and more prominent roles, and his stage experience helped him move comfortably between television, film, and live performance settings.
His starring turn in The Spectacular Now (2013) introduced him to wider audiences and drew strong reviews for the natural, easy quality of his performance. The film became a stepping stone to studio work and established him as a reliable lead for both independent and mainstream projects.
Breakthrough (2014–2016)
Teller’s breakthrough arrived with Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash (2014), in which he played a driven young drummer under the tutelage of an abusive jazz instructor played by J. K. Simmons. The role earned him nominations for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Actor, the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, and the BAFTA Rising Star Award. Despite the film’s success, Teller later shared that after taxes he earned only about $8,000 for the role.
That same year, he joined the Divergent film series as Peter Hayes, appearing in Divergent (2014), Insurgent (2015), and Allegiant (2016). He also took on the superhero role of Mister Fantastic in the reboot Fantastic Four (2015) and portrayed real-life arms dealer David Packouz in the biographical film War Dogs (2016). For Bleed for This (2016), in which he played boxer Vinny Paz, he trained for five months to prepare for the physical demands of the role.
In 2017, Teller starred in two more biographical dramas, Only the Brave and Thank You for Your Service, further cementing his reputation for tackling real-world stories. He also began transitioning toward more selective projects that mixed independent sensibilities with wider commercial reach.
Mainstream Resurgence (2019–2025)
On television, Teller starred in the Amazon Prime Video crime drama Too Old to Die Young (2019), the Paramount+ miniseries The Offer (2022), in which he portrayed producer Albert S. Ruddy during the making of The Godfather, and the Apple TV+ film The Gorge (2025). His producing work on The Gorge led to a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Television Movie.
He experienced a major career resurgence with Top Gun: Maverick (2022), in which he played Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw, known as Rooster. Initially hesitant to take the role, he was persuaded to accept it by Tom Cruise, who assured him he was the right fit. The film became a worldwide box-office hit, and Teller publicly discussed pitching a follow-up focused on his character, sometimes referenced as Top Gun: Rooster.
Notable Works and Milestones
Teller’s signature works include Whiplash, Top Gun: Maverick, and the Divergent trilogy, which together span independent drama, franchise filmmaking, and blockbuster action. His career is marked by critical recognition for Whiplash, mainstream success with Top Gun: Maverick, and steady work across film, television, and producing. He has also expanded into business ventures, becoming an early investor in The Finnish Long Drink, a company that was acquired in a deal valued at more than $325 million in April 2026.
Miles Teller Award Nominations
Miles Teller has received several notable award nominations across his career, spanning independent film, mainstream cinema, and television. His earliest major recognition came with the BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination for Whiplash (2014), along with Gotham Independent Film Award and Satellite Award nominations for the same performance. He later earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Television Movie as a producer on The Gorge (2025).
Miles Teller Awards Won
Verified record of major award wins for Miles Teller is limited in the available sources, and specific trophies are not itemized in the verified inputs. As a result, individual wins are not listed here to avoid speculation.
Miles Teller Family
Miles Teller is the son of Michael Teller, a nuclear power plant engineer, and Merry Teller, a real estate agent. He has two older sisters, Erin and Dana. His paternal grandfather was of Russian Jewish descent, and his family background also includes English, Irish, and African-American heritage.
Personal Life
Teller became engaged to model Keleigh Sperry at the Molori Safari Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa, on August 20, 2017. The couple married on September 1, 2019, in Maui, Hawaii. In 2025, their home was destroyed by the Palisades Fire, after which Teller visited his alma mater, Lecanto High School, where the school later named its theater the Miles Teller Theatre in his honor.
