Wholesome, young thespian Joseph Cross made his auspicious acting debut at age 11, starring opposite Diane Keaton in the made-for-TV movie "Northern Lights" (Disney Channel, 1997). He continued working steadily throughout the late-1990s and into the new millennium with appearances in a variety of film and television projects, including "Desperate Measures" (1998) and an episode of "Smallville" (The WB, 2001-06/The CW, 2006-2011) among them. All that changed when Cross landed the starring role in the film adaptation of Augusten Burroughs' best-selling memoir "Running with Scissors" (2006). Widely praised for his performance in the film, acting opposite the likes of Annette Bening and Jill Clayburgh, the actor went on to land roles in such highly-anticipated productions as director Clint Eastwood's World War II epic "Flags of Our Fathers" (2006) and the political biopic "Milk" (2008), starring Sean Penn. Interested more in challenging roles than big paydays, Cross continued to hone his skills in quirky, independent fare like the religious satire "Son of Morning" (2011) and the unconventional coming-of-age story "Art Machine" (2012). Remarkably focused and discerning for such a young artist, Cross was surprised and impressed as his burgeoning career moved into its next phase.