Nate Hartley, a former Lake Middle School student, has landed a lead role in the film Drillbit Taylor that was released on March 21.  

Hartley, born in 1992, plays the role of freakishly skinny Wade, one of three boys featured in the film.  He began his career in 1997, at the age of 5, by performing magic for his family and friends. After achieving local success at The Players’ Guild and Theatre 8:15, he moved to Hollywood at the age of 13 to pursue his dream of an acting career. He immediately began acting classes and was soon booked as a guest star on The Bernie Mac Show. 

“It’s a surprise this happened so fast,” said Hartley at a private screening hosted by Tinseltown. The event was arranged by his former English teacher at Lake, Barb Cockroft.

Hartley is a well-grounded kid who credits his parents for his sensibilities. "I am so thankful to my parents for the way they have raised me," he stated in a telephone interview. "When I look at my life from an outside perspective, what I have been able to achieve at such a young age is amazing. “

Hartley’s career moved forward when he became a recurring member of the Nickelodeon series Unfabulous.

Since moving to California in 2005, he has acted opposite John Malkovich in The Great Buck Howard and plays a “dorky” role in the yet-to-be-released film, Little Big Man.  
However, Hartley has ambitions beyond acting and his impressive resume. He enjoys directing and producing films and hopes to major in directing and special effects at UCLA.  His company, Prodigy Productions, is owned and operated by teenagers. He currently divides his time between California and Lake Township, where his dad still lives. Hartley is the son of Rei and Michele and the brother of Danielle, who attends college in Washington D.C.

Drillbit Taylor is a comedy about three young, high school freshmen who become the target of the school’s bully. They realize that because they are outcasts this treatment is likely to continue for a long time.

They decide that their only hope of survival for the next four years is to hire a bodyguard. With scant funds to accomplish their goal, they hire Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson), who answers their pleas for help via the Internet.

 Drillbit is a completely lovable fraud who bluffs his way into their hearts. He is able to instill in them some much-needed confidence and a few new skills while attending his “boot camp.” In the end, the three boys help Drillbit to become the hero that he had originally promoted himself to be. The film is rated PG-13.