Derek Mears
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1972-04-29
    • Born Place: Bakersfield, California, USA

Derek Mears

Derek Mears is an American actor and stuntman, born on April 29, 1972, in Bakersfield, California. Standing at 6'5", he has carved out a successful career, often specializing in roles that require an imposing physical presence, heavy makeup, and a strong stunt background, primarily in the horror and science-fiction genres. Mears is most widely recognized for portraying the iconic slasher villain Jason Voorhees in the 2009 reboot of Friday the 13th. His notable filmography also includes roles in The Hills Have Eyes 2, playing a Classic Predator in Predators, a "Master-at-Arms" in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and appearing in Alita: Battle Angel. On television, he starred as the title character in the DC Universe series Swamp Thing. Before his breakthrough as an actor, Mears gained experience as both a stuntman and an improv comedian, performing with ComedySportz in Bakersfield and later in Los Angeles.

Person History