Thomas "Tom" Everett Scott (born September 7, 1970)[1] is an American actor. His film work includes a starring role as drummer Guy Patterson in the film That Thing You Do!, the protagonist in An American Werewolf in Paris, and notable roles in Boiler Room, One True Thing, Dead Man on Campus, The Love Letter, Because I Said So, and La La Land.

In television, he is well known for his role as detective Russell Clarke in the television series Southland, Charles Garnett in Z Nation, and for his recurring roles as Eric Wyczenski in ER, Sam Landon in Beauty & the Beast, Kevin Duval in Scream, and William in Reign. He currently stars in the sitcom I'm Sorry.

Scott was born in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, the son of Cynthia "Cindy" (née Pierce), an insurance sales representative, and William Joseph "Bill" Scott (died 2007),[2] a civil engineer.[3][4][5] He graduated from Syracuse University in 1992, where he started out as a communications major, but eventually majored in drama.[6]

His first notable role was appearing for several seasons in the recurring role of Matthew on the television situation comedy Grace Under Fire. He played the title character's illegitimate son, whom she had placed for adoption. In 1996, Scott landed the role of Guy Patterson in the film That Thing You Do! He was almost passed over because of his resemblance to the film's director, actor Tom Hanks, but Hanks's wife, Rita Wilson, encouraged Hanks to cast Scott in the role.[7]

Scott has had several other notable roles; he was the lead in the films An American Werewolf in Paris and Dead Man on Campus, and co-starred with Kate Capshaw and Tom Selleck in The Love Letter. He starred in the cult film Boiler Room and made an uncredited cameo in Van Wilder. Scott also had a recurring role on the television series ER in 2002 and 2003 and has played numerous minor parts in other films and television shows such as Will & Grace and Sons of Anarchy. He co starred in the series Philly as a lawyer, partnering with Kim Delaney. The show was a critical success but suffered poor ratings and was cancelled after one season. He also starred in Saved, a medical drama series on TNT. He starred in the TV movie Surrender Dorothy. He appeared as one of Mandy Moore's character's boyfriends in the comedy Because I Said So,[8] and starred in a Broadway theatre comedy, The Little Dog Laughed, as closeted film star Mitchell Green, written by Douglas Carter Beane. He also appeared as Zip in an Off Broadway production of The Country Club, also written by Beane.[citation needed] He starred as Jack Cutting on the ABC's brief comedy drama series Cashmere Mafia (2008). In 2009, he appeared in four episodes of Law & Order playing the fictional Governor of New York, Don Shalvoy. He also played Detective Russell Clarke in the seven episodes of the first season of Southland, which was dropped by NBC and subsequently picked up by TNT. At the start of second season, he became a recurring character appearing in three of six episodes. In the third and fifth season of the series, he continued to appear in selected episodes.

Scott had supporting roles in other films such as Race to Witch Mountain, Tanner Hall, Mars Needs Moms, Parental Guidance, Enemies Closer, and Sister Cities. His former television roles include Sam Landon in Beauty and the Beast, Kevin Duval in Scream, Charles Garnett in Z Nation, and William in Reign. In 2016, he appeared in the film La La Land, in which he was cast by director Damien Chazelle. In 2017, he co-starred in the film Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, and is currently a series regular on the TruTV sitcom I'm Sorry, starring alongside Andrea Savage.[9]