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In a story worthy of a movie itself, Chris Klein was discovered in high school in Omaha, Nebraska, by director Alexander Payne. Payne was casting for his cult film Election. A natural talent, Klein won the role of Paul Metzler and charmed audiences as the polite student presidential candidate, opposite Reese Witherspoon. This role catapulted him into fame and scored him his next breakout role as Chris "Oz€ Ostreicher in American Pie and its highly successful sequel American Pie 2. It was for this role that Klein was nominated for the Chicago Film Critics Association's Most Promising Actor Award, as well as for two Teen Choice Awards.

Klein went on to star in the teen hit Here on Earth, with Leelee Sobieski, which nabbed him the Young Hollywood Award for Superstar of Tomorrow—Male. His career continued to flourish with roles in blockbuster films such as We Were Soldiers and Just Friends, which showcased his range for both drama and comedy. His other notable film credits include John McTiernan's Rollerball; 20th Century Fox's comedy Say It Isn't So, opposite Heather Graham, which was produced by the Farrelly brothers; and the independent film The United States of Leland, with Kevin Spacey, Ryan Gosling and Don Cheadle. His movies have grossed more than $900 million at the box office.

Klein has continued his work on the small screen as well, with guest roles on the television shows Welcome to the Captain, The Good Guys and Franklin & Bash, and he had a multi-episode arc on the FX comedy Wilfred, in which he worked alongside his Day Zero co-star Elijah Wood. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California, with his German shepherd, Chief.