Meet Charles Melton, the breakout star of May December: the Riverdale actor is tipped for an Oscar nod for starring opposite Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore in the twisty Netflix film
- Melton may well become an Academy Award contender for his breakout performance alongside Hollywood stars Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore in Todd Haynes’ critically acclaimed drama movie May December
- The 32-year-old heartthrob played college football at Kansas State Uni, walked dogs in LA, modelled for Dolce & Gabbana, appeared in Glee and American Horror Story – and he’s super proud of his Korean roots
A few months ago, you’d be forgiven for not knowing the name Charles Melton – but as 2023 draws to a close, the young actor is the star to know, and gaining a steady Oscar buzz for his role in the unsettling new Netflix film, May December.
The film follows an actor (Natalie Portman) who shadows a couple who were at the centre of a fictional child-rape scandal 20 years earlier. Melton plays Joe Yoo, who was 13 when he started his relationship with 36-year-old Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore). Now as an adult, Joe and Gracie just want to move on with their lives and raise their three children.
This is not Melton’s first major role. The 32-year-old actor first gained popularity when he starred on The CW teen drama Riverdale and made his feature film debut in the 2019 film The Sun Is Also a Star.
Here are 13 facts that you may not know about Melton.
Charles Melton used to be a dog walker
Melton has said in numerous interviews that he used to walk dogs to make money after moving to Los Angeles for an acting career. He told the Los Angeles Times that he became a top-rated employee on a dog-walking app called Wag and walked over 300 dogs in two months.
In an Actually Me GQ YouTube video that was published in 2020, Melton said that he still had the app and customers still send him requests to walk their dogs. “It boosts my morale sometimes on lonely days,” Melton added. “I’ll have like five notifications on my phone all from like dog requests, that’s it. Not my mum, nothing.”
Melton is the eldest of three children
