Joel David Moore

Born on September 25, 1977, in Portland, Oregon, Joel David Moore pursued his education at Mt. Hood Community College and later earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Southern Oregon University in 2001. Prior to his move to Los Angeles in 2000, he performed for two summers at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and appeared in a video titled ‘Drug Wars, The High Times’ in 1999. His early career in Los Angeles included appearances in national television commercials for brands such as eBay, Cingular Wireless, and Best Buy, as well as an international campaign for Siemens’ XELIBRI phones, which received a Lion Award.

Moore gained initial recognition for his acting through roles in films like “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” (2004), playing Owen Dittman, “Grandma’s Boy” (2006) as J.P., and “Art School Confidential” (2006) as Bardo. His filmography continued to expand with a lead role in the independent slasher film “Hatchet” (2006). A significant turning point in his acting career came with his casting as Dr. Norm Spellman in James Cameron’s highly successful “Avatar” (2009), a role he reprised in the sequels “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022) and the upcoming “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (2025).

In addition to his acting, Moore has developed a career as a director and producer. He made his directorial debut with the psychological thriller “Spiral” (2007), which he also co-wrote and co-starred in. His other directorial projects include the drama “Youth in Oregon” (2016), a remake of “Hide and Seek” (2021), and the psycho-drama “Some Other Woman” (2023). In 2019, he co-founded Balcony 9, a production studio focused on developing film and television projects. The company has since been involved in productions such as the indie thriller “Immaculate Room” (2022) and the western drama “Desperation Road” (2023). Moore has also contributed with guest roles on television series, including 16 episodes as Colin Fisher on “Bones” (2008–2017) and a main role as Lucas Wahl in “Forever” (2014–2015).