For a certain generation, his face is immediately recognisable.
Chris Klein was part of the cast of 1999 gross-out comedy American Pie, starring some of the hottest young things in Hollywood at the time.
He played Oz, a lacrosse star who unexpectedly falls for Heather (Mena Suvari), a member of the school choir.
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Klein was also responsible for delivering the line “like warm apple pie”, which sparks one of the movie’s more… memorable scenes.
Though he returned for other instalments in the American Pie series, the actor wasn’t invited to star in 2003’s American Wedding, a move that baffled him.
“I sure wish that they had invited me to play Oz at the wedding,” he admitted in a 2012 interview.
“Unfortunately, that was a creative decision made way above my pay grade.
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“A lot of people assume [I decided not to do it]. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.”
Klein did, however, return for the following movie American Reunion in 2012.
His roles in American Pie, Election, Here On Earth and Say It Isn’t So propelled Klein to heartthrob status.
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So, you can imagine the frenzy when he began dating another icon of the Y2K era, Katie Holmes.
It’s believed the two actors got together in early 2000, and they announced their engagement in 2003.
“We were like the prom king and queen,” Klein told People magazine of their time together.
“We had a similar upbringing and we were going through the same experience [in Hollywood].”
In another interview, he recalled, “We were kids, man … It was late ’90s, young Hollywood, and we were having a good time.”
Cute a couple as they were, Holmes and Klein announced their split in 2005.
When the Dawson’s Creek actress’ relationship with Tom Cruise was revealed weeks later, there was speculation she had left Klein for the Mission: Impossible star.
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However, Klein dismissed the claims: “Her being with Tom has nothing to do with her and I discontinuing our relationship.”
Klein went on to marry travel agent Laina Rose Thyfault in 2014. The couple have welcomed two children.
The actor continued to appear in TV shows and movies, including We Were Soldiers , Just Friends and American Dreamz.
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Klein has also endured some personal battles during his time in the spotlight.
He was arrested twice for drink driving, in 2005 and 2010, and checked in for an alcohol addiction program later in 2010.
“Living with addiction is not living, it’s existing and barely hanging on,” he told The Daily Beast in a 2017 interview.
“I was sick and tired of feeling that way and I didn’t know how to not feel that way, so I got help.”
Klein is still gracing our screens; his most recent credits have been the TV shows The Flash and Sweet Magnolias.
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The star portrayed Bill Townsend in Netflix’s hit series Sweet Magnolias, though his character was tragically killed in the last season.
According to his IMDb page, he is currently involved in Fear Street: Prom Queen, the fourth instalment of the supernatural horror franchise from R.L. Stine’s 1992 book series.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline on 1800 250 015 or call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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