The young actor Mason Thames received much recognition for his scene-stealing portrayal in the suspense film The Black Phone, which also starred award-winning actor Ethan Hawke and the promising Madeleine McGraw.
Mason Thames rocked a stylish black polka-dot button-up shirt at the M3GAN premiere on December 7, 2022 (Credit: Ovidiu Hrubaru / Shutterstock)
At the tender age of 17, Mason Thames has already established himself as a budding artist to watch. Born on July 10, 2007, he will turn 18 on July 10, 2025. Here is a rundown of the young star’s background in case you want to get to know him better.
Mason Thames’ Career-Defining Role in The Black Phone
In 2021, he appeared in the Universal film The Black Phone, playing Finney Blake, a timid but brilliant 13-year-old kid imprisoned in a sealed basement by a vicious, disguised killer portrayed by four-time Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke.
After a wall phone started ringing for no apparent reason, Finney learned that he was being haunted by the killer’s former victims, all of whom were determined to protect him from the same fate they suffered at the hands of the killer.
Mason Thames made his breakthrough in the coming-of-age supernatural horror film The Black Phone with Ethan Hawke (Credit: Universal Pictures)
In the Scott Derrickson-directed retro-horror picture set in the 1970s, the actor displayed a remarkable blend of fragility, energy, and determination.
An interview with The Hollywood Reporter detailed his success in landing the part in “The Black Phone.”
He said, “It was when the pandemic first hit, so this was my first Zoom audition. It was quite weird, and we had bad Wi-Fi. I’d say a line, and it would take a few seconds for them to say something back. It got a bit awkward. Eventually, I got a callback.”
Mason Thames as Finney Blake answers a mysterious call in the suspenseful thriller The Black Phone (Credit: Universal Pictures)
When asked about his experience filming a horror movie, he said, “It’s so much fun,” and it didn’t scare him at all.
He also commended Hawke’s performance and said, “And Ethan’s performance is so great, so my inner self was kind of smiling at it. One time, Scott had to literally look at me and say, ‘Mason, stop smiling.'”
Mason Thames had a few previous appearances in cinema before The Black Phone, but this is his first significant role in a full-length film. Because of the part, Thames advanced in his career.
Mason Thames commended Ethan Hawke’s performance in The Black Phone as The Grabber, a psychotic child kidnapper and serial killer (Credit: Universal Pictures)
What’s on the Horizon for Mason Thames? Upcoming Roles and Projects
The Dallas native began acting at 11, although his enthusiasm for performing developed at a young age while pursuing ballet. After being chosen to dance with a professional ballet company, he traveled the world for four years as the youngest member.
Mason Thames’ acting debut was in 2019 when he appeared on the small screen as Danny Stevens in multiple episodes of the AppleTV+ original series For All Mankind.
Additionally, he got the part of Robbie Knievel, the brave son of the famed stuntman, in the Netflix limited series “Evel” opposite Milo Ventimiglia from This Is Us and Gilmore Girls. Sadly, production was halted in 2020 because of the epidemic.
Mason Thames made his acting debut as Danny Stevens in the AppleTV+ series For All Mankind in 2019 (Credit: DFree / Shutterstock)
In 2021, the budding actor was chosen to work alongside Jared Padalecki in season two of the CW drama “Walker.” In flashback scenes, Thames portrayed a younger version of Padalecki’s character, Cordell Walker.
Thames is now starring in the 2024 adventure family comedy horror Monster Summer alongside two-time Oscar Award winner Mel Gibson and Lorraine Bracco. In this highly anticipated coming-of-age adventure, Noah Reed (played by Thames) teams up with a private eye (played by Gibson) to uncover a mystery in Martha’s Vineyard.
The film, directed by David Henrie, premiered at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles on September 24, 2024, and was released by Pastime Pictures in the U.S. on October 4, 2024.
Mason Thames showcasing his casual red carpet style at the opening night celebration of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 5, 2024, in Universal City, California (Credit: Dave Starbuck / Future Image / Cover Images)
The Artists Road/Spyglass movie Incoming, a 2024 American teen comedy written and directed by Dave Chernin and John Chernin in their feature-length debut, stars Mason Thames and Bobby Cannavale. Thames plays Benji, one of four freshmen navigating the challenges of puberty and their first weeks of high school. The film was released on Netflix on August 23, 2024, and follows the humorous misadventures of Benji and his friends Eddie, Connor, and Koosh as they tackle their first high school event.
Mason Thames will star in How to Train Your Dragon, a live-action adaptation of the beloved 2010 animated film, in 2025.
Directed by Dean DeBlois, who also worked on the original trilogy, this action-fantasy film will see Thames take on a key role alongside Nico Parker and Gerard Butler, with Butler reprising his role as Stoick the Vast. The film, shot in Belfast, is scheduled for release by Universal Pictures on June 13, 2025.
Behind the Scenes: Mason Thames’ Close Bond with Madeleine McGraw
Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw, who played brother and sister Finney and Gwen, respectively, provided the film’s emotional core in “The Black Phone.”
After Finney was kidnapped and imprisoned in the Grabber’s basement, the two were separated, yet their deep link remained significant even when they were physically apart.
Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw share an emotional moment as siblings in The Black Phone, bringing depth to their on-screen bond (Credit: Universal Pictures)
While portraying the starring role in a significant film for the first time may be daunting, Thames asserted he had all the help required to make the most of his chance.
He told Collider, “I think most of that’s coming from, of course, Maddie. She’s so incredible, and everybody on that cast and crew is super nice. It kind of felt like I was joining a brand new family. Everybody was super incredible.”
In a conversation with Screenrant, the two young artists discussed their experience getting to know each other before shooting.
Mason said, “Well, we didn’t get to hang out very much because it was at the height of COVID when we were filming it, sadly. But whenever we could, in between takes or after we were done filming and stuff, we eat some dinner and stuff. But we got along great.”
Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw have developed a friendship on the set of The Black Phone (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)
As for McGraw, “I loved working with Mason because in between takes, we’d goof around and stuff like that. So I think that we got along so well, it was amazing because it really showed in the movie.”
The two rising Hollywood stars became good friends after working together on a horror film since they frequently appear in each other’s Instagram posts.
On the first day of the year, Mason posted Instagram photos with his friends, including Madeleine McGraw, with the caption, “NYE!! Thank you and Happy New Year!! There is nothing better than celebrating 2022 with them!! I am forever grateful for 2022! I can’t wait for 2023!!”
The 14-year-old actress also expressed her friendship with the young actor through an IG video post, captioned “@masonthamesofficial, thank you for being such a great friend! I love you so much! #theblackphone.”
Mason Thames’s popularity is on the rise. He has a growing fan base online. As of October 2024, his Instagram account had 1.6 million followers, and his TikTok profile had 2.1 million followers and over 6.2 million likes.
With a strong work ethic and dedication to honing his craft, Mason Thames will become a household name in the coming years.
His recent performances have been critically acclaimed and garnered attention from audiences and industry professionals. He has a bright future, and we can’t wait to see what he does next!
Mason Thames looks sharp in an all-black ensemble, pairing a sleek blazer with layered accessories (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)