James Preston

James Preston is an American actor and model born on June 30, 1988, in Casper, Wyoming. He gained widespread recognition for his starring role as Lukas Ford in the ABC supernatural television series The Gates, as well as for portraying cinematic legend James Dean in the biographical drama film Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean.

Preston launched his career in the entertainment and fashion industries during the mid-2000s. In 2008, he achieved a major modeling milestone when he was selected for a spring national print campaign for Abercrombie & Fitch, photographed by renowned fashion photographer Bruce Weber. That visibility helped establish his presence as a commercial model and facilitated his transition into screen acting. Soon after, he began securing television appearances on network series such as The Forgotten and Make It or Break It.

In 2010, Preston landed his break-out television role as werewolf character Lukas Ford in the ABC prime-time series The Gates. His performance brought him to national audience attention. Two years later, he starred in the 2012 feature film Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean, which explored the pre-stardom years of James Dean. His performance in the biographical indie film attracted notice for its focused portrayal of the early life of the cinema icon.

Throughout his career, Preston has maintained a presence across both television and digital media formats. He has made guest appearances on established network dramas such as CSI: NY and Blue Bloods. Preston also joined the cast of the long-running digital drama series The Bay, portraying the character Nick Myers, while continuing to participate in television movies, feature films, and commercial projects across the American entertainment landscape.