Austin Nichols (born April 24, 1980) is an American actor. Raised in Austin, Texas, he moved to Los Angeles after high school and graduated from University of Southern California in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English .
He is most notable for his roles as J.D. in the film The Day After Tomorrow and Jake Hammond in Wimbledon opposite Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany. Other roles include the James Gartner picture "Glory Road" starring a.o. Josh Lucas and The Utopian Society directed by John P. Aguirre. His newest project is The House of Usher based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe and directed by Australian director Hayley Cloake.
In April 2006 Austin signed a rare `holding` deal with the HBO Network.[1]
Austin has also been a competitive water skier, representing the U.S. Junior Water Ski Team in the Pan-American Championships in 1997.
Nichols is rumored to be dating fellow actor Jake Gyllenhaal after a series of photos showing the two men very affectionate to each other at several LA Laker games. Rumour has it that Gyllenhaal took a ring from Brokeback Mountain wardrobe and gave it to Austin Nichols. Internet experts point out the exact same ring Randy Quaid is wearing in the film is the same one Gyllenhaal gave to his beau Austin Nichols. Also, internet fans have proven that Gyllenhaal and Nichols wear the same orange cycling sweatshirt.
However, according to NY Daily News recently April 15th 2006 both actors PR teams claim they are friends.Popular websites such as IMDB.COM, D Listed, Perez Hilton, Pop Sugar, Waiting For Toothy Tile, and many others fans seem convinced Gyllenhaal and Nichols are gay. The reason being in March 2006 E online Gossip columnist Ted Cassablanca basically outed the two as a couple. Cassablanca stated that Toothy Tile was a young male star nominated for an Oscar this year with a less famous actor boyfriend. It is important to note that Gyllenhaal and Nichols are males and given the prejudice against homosexuals in America it would be highly unlikely they would come out if they were a couple.Currently internet writers are noticing that Nichols PR team is trying to link him to fellow actor Sophia Bush since both share the same agency. Even though Bush has been on record that she is neither dating Gyllenhaal or Nichols. Also Bush is currently trying to divorce fellow One Tree Hill star Chad Michael Murray.Internet gossips claim that the PR team of Nichols now wants to distance him from Gyllenhaal.