Katherine Moennig preferred climbing trees and skateboarding to playing with tea sets as a tomboy growing up in Philadelphia, PA. Hence, she relishes the chance to make her television debut as the elusive Jake Pratt in "Young Americans," a girl masquerading as a boy at the all-male Rawley Academy.

The daughter of a Broadway dancer mother and a violin maker father, Moennig was primed to perform at an early age. She first stepped on stage at 10 years old in a Children's Theatre Workshop production of "Winnie the Pooh" and opted to expand the experience by writing and directing an improvised version of "Pooh" with a friend. The duo performed their original production at Philadelphia's Free Library.

She continued doing school productions before moving to New York and entering the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Within two months of graduation, she landed an apprenticeship at the prestigious Williamstown Theatre Festival and acquired a wealth of experience working behind the scenes. This year, during a second stint at Williamstown, she appeared in a production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It."

Moennig recently spent Thanksgiving in Toronto, having won a central role in a music video for the Canadian band "Our Lady Peace" just prior to landing her first television series with "Young Americans."

In her leisure time, the young actress enjoys sleeping late, spending time with friends and walking around New York City.

Marking his network series debut with "Young Americans," Ian Somerhalder comes to The WB from the world of modeling.

The son of a massage therapist and a building contractor, Somerhalder was born and raised in the small southern town of Covington, LA. Boating, swimming, fishing and training horses filled much of his recreational time growing up, as did the school drama club and performing with the local theater group. With his mother's encouragement, at age 10 he began a modeling career that took him to New York each summer.

By junior high, he opted to put modeling on the back burner and focus more on sports and school. A few years later, when the opportunity to model in Europe arose, Somerhalder grabbed it, embarking on an enriching path of work, travel and study that took him to cities including Paris, Milan and London.

At 17, he began studying acting in New York, and by 19 had committed himself to the craft, working with preeminent acting coach William Esper. His fate was sealed while working as an extra in a club scene in the feature film "Black & White." A talent manager visiting a client on the set spotted Somerhalder's amazing look in a crowd scene of 400 and immediately signed him for representation.

Happy to be anchored in New York, Somerhalder spends much of his time studying acting, writing and practicing yoga. His recreational interests include water and snow skiing and horseback riding.