Luke Benward

Early Life and Family Background

Luke Aaron Benward was born on May 12, 1995, in Franklin, Tennessee. He hails from a family deeply rooted in the entertainment industry. His father, Aaron Benward, is a singer in the country duo Blue County, and his mother, Kenda Benward (née Wilkerson), is a part-time actress, model, and acting coach. His grandfather, Jeoffrey Benward, is a Contemporary Christian music artist. Luke has two younger sisters. 

Acting Career Beginnings

Luke began his acting career at the age of five, appearing as David Moore in the film "We Were Soldiers" (2002). He gained prominence with his lead role as Billy Forrester in "How to Eat Fried Worms" (2006), which earned him a Young Artist Award for Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film. His early work also includes roles in "Because of Winn-Dixie" (2005) as Stevie Dewberry and "Mostly Ghostly" (2008) as Nicky. 

Disney Channel and Teen Roles

Luke became a familiar face on the Disney Channel, starring as Charlie Tuttle in "Minutemen" (2008), Ryan Dean in "Girl vs. Monster" (2012), and Will Cloud in "Cloud 9" (2014). He also had a recurring role as Beau Landry, Teddy's boyfriend, in the fourth season of "Good Luck Charlie" (2013). Additionally, he played Dillon Sanders in the "Pretty Little Liars" spin-off "Ravenswood" (2013–14). 

Transition to Mature Roles

As he matured, Luke took on more diverse roles. He portrayed Bo Larson in the Netflix film "Dumplin'" (2018), Jack Strong in "Life of the Party" (2018), and Micah in "Playing God" (2021). He also appeared in "Wildcat" (2021) as Luke White and starred in the short film "Boys" (2021), which he directed. 

Music Endeavors

In addition to acting, Luke pursued music. He released a five-song EP titled "Let Your Love Out" on January 5, 2009, under iShine Records. He also performed "Cloud 9" with Dove Cameron for the Disney Channel Original Movie of the same name. 

Personal Life

Luke has been in a relationship with actress Ariel Winter since late 2019. The couple transitioned from longtime friends to romantic partners and have collaborated professionally, co-starring in the thriller "Don't Log Off," which Luke also produced. They share a life together, raising six dogs and supporting each other's careers.