Ian Harding

Ian Harding was born on September 16, 1986, in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, into an American military family. His family later relocated to Virginia, where he developed an interest in theater, joining the drama club at Georgetown Preparatory School. He continued his education in performing arts, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. Harding’s career began with an appearance in the 2009 film ‘Adventureland’, followed by a role in ‘Love & Other Drugs’ in 2010.

His breakthrough came with the main role of Ezra Fitz in the Freeform mystery drama ‘Pretty Little Liars’, which aired from 2010 to 2017. This role garnered him seven Teen Choice Awards for Choice Summer TV Star and Choice TV Actor: Drama. Following ‘Pretty Little Liars’, Harding expanded his filmography with appearances in notable productions such as ‘Ford v Ferrari’ in 2019, where he played a Ford Executive, and the television series ‘Chicago Med’ in 2019 for 11 episodes. He also lent his voice to the animated series ‘Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts’ in 2020 and appeared in ‘Magnum P.I.’ in 2021 and ‘Long Slow Exhale’ in 2022. Recent projects include the TV movie ‘Ghosts of Christmas Always’ (2022) and the film ‘Our Little Secret’ (2024). Harding has also been involved in production, serving as an executive producer for the documentary ‘Feral’ (2021), and has published a collection of essays titled ‘Odd Birds’ in 2017, which explores his life and passion for birdwatching.

Beyond his acting work, Harding is actively involved with the Lupus Foundation of America, raising awareness and funds for lupus research and education. This advocacy is motivated by his mother’s more than 20-year experience living with lupus. He has demonstrated a versatile career trajectory spanning acting, production, and authorship, alongside his philanthropic efforts.