Jacob Tremblay is all grown up. The child actor, who found stardom as Jack in the Oscar-nominated film Room, is now 19 and stars in Netflix's newest thriller, Unabomber.
Jacob portrays a young Ted Kaczynski, a Harvard prodigy who spent nearly two decades terrorizing the United States through a mail-bombing campaign that killed 3 people and injured 23 more.
Alongside the child star, Russell Crowe, Shailene Woodley, and Alexander Ludwig appear in the film, which premiered on the streamer on Friday, September 25. While the more tenured actors have taken on tough roles, it's Jacob who really transformed for Unabomber.
© Philippe Bosse/NetflixInside Jacob Tremblay's transformation into the Unabomber
The Netflix thriller tells the true story of Ted Kaczynski and his transformation from 16-year-old Harvard prodigy into the infamous Unabomber. As a young Ted is subjected to controversial psychological experiments by Professor Henry Murray, his troubled past resurfaces decades later when his manhunt, led by FBI agent Joanne Miller, brings to light the chilling consequences of ambition and isolation.
Some fans may not understand the casting of Jacob as the terrorist. And the actor understands it. "That's the interesting part: I think me, as well as many other people, just wouldn't see me as that kind of character," Jacob told Entertainment Weekly in August 2026.
© Philippe Bosse/NetflixHe went on: "So I think right off the bat, that's something that drew me to this role. [It's] out of my comfort zone, but also just completely out of the ordinary and something I'd never really done before, a character I've never played. And exploring a whole new world, really."
Why Jacob Tremblay can relate to the Unabomber's story
When Jacob was just eight years old, he starred alongside Brie Larson in Room, a film about a kidnapped woman who raises her son inside a single room. The child star worked with adults, became the youngest nominee for a Screen Actors Guild Award, and was often thought of as wise beyond his years.
"Ted's the complete opposite of me, and his life experiences are as well, except I could definitely relate to the fact that he was put in a very adult setting at a very young age," the actor explained. "Working as a child, I had to talk to a lot of adults all the time."
© Philippe Bosse/Netflix ©2026Unlike the troubled character he portrayed, Jacob's experiences were "very different from Ted's."
"I was surrounded by amazing people who took really good care of me," he told the publication. "So it's sad, thinking and seeing the flip of that and what that could have been if I didn't have such amazing people in my life."
What is next for Jacob Tremblay?
The 19-year-old graduated from high school in British Columbia, Canada in 2024 and decided to pursue his acting career instead of heading to college. And he has big aspirations for his life. After starring in Unabomber, Jacob hopes Hollywood will take him more seriously.
© George Kraychyk"There was a time when people genuinely didn't know I had grown up," he said, adding: "I would still get offers for roles for an 8-year-old for a while. And I was like, 2014 was almost 10 years ago."
