Billy Unger may have only arrived in Hollywood six years ago, but he's already one of the biggest rising stars around. First he landed his debut professional gig in the Nicolas Cage movie "National Treasure: Book of Secrets." Then came the starring turn on the Disney XD series "Lab Rats." And next, Unger will take on the lead role in the action movie "The Lost Medallion: The Adventures of Billy Stone." Here are five things you need to know about the hot young actor.
He'd Love to Have a Super Power
Unger plays Chase, a teen with super human powers on "Lab Rats." He confessed that if he could have any otherworldly ability he'd pick teleportation "so I could be anywhere at any point in time. That one would come in hand pretty well. You wouldn't need to fly. You wouldn't need a car. You wouldn't need to walk actually… You're there."
He's Inspired by Tom Cruise
While he cites Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt among his many acting influences, no one has had more impact on his career than Tom Cruise. Unger explained how he has drawn inspiration from the "Rock of Ages" star. The 16-year-old acknowledged, "He has a huge influence on the way I approach characters, the way that I embody characters, the way that I read scripts and the way that I prepare for a filming day."
Unger cited a specific example, "On 'Lab Rats,' I read the script probably three or four times before we ever even do a table read because I want to be completely prepared. And I want to know exactly which beats I have to hit and where I need to make something comical. Some lines need a little more than others do just to get the point across, to get the joke to be funny. And that's actually something that I learned after having read an article about Tom Cruise."
He's Coming to a Movie Theater Near You
'Lab Rats' fans will be happy to hear that Unger is headed to the big screen. He's already filmed "The Lost Medallion: The Adventures of Billy Stone," which he describes as "Indiana Jones, but for teens."
He's Got a Musical Side
Like many Disney stars, Unger is multi-talented. And the classic rock devotee may finally be ready to show fans his musical side. In fact he recently started a band with 'Kickin' It' star Leo Howard. In a recent exclusive interview, Unger revealed, "I play guitar… I like to say that I'm pretty good but it takes someone else to tell you that you're really good."
The band has been writing some original material and brushing up on cover songs by Van Halen, Guns N' Roses, Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith. Unger said he hopes they'll play their first gig before the end of the year.
He's Passionate About the Arts
Unger's not just an actor and musician, he has other artistic talents as well. "Before I ever had the idea of becoming an actor, or ever picking up a guitar or listening to classic rock or anything like that, I was an artist. I used to draw and paint all the time. So I've always been very artistic and I always will be. So art in general - music, acting, performing, painting, drawing, everything, I'm very passionate about it."
Watch "Lab Rats" on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. EST/6:30 Central on Disney XD. And follow Billy on Twitter.
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