Jake Thomas brought added cachet with him during the past school year.
"It's a little weird when you are going to high school and working on the side," said Thomas, 16. "Of course, it's going to be a little weirder when you are working in broadcast television."
Thomas co-stars as Jason Stickler in the Disney Channel sitcom "Cory in the House." When he isn't busy with his Hollywood career, Thomas has started attending public school in Knoxville, Tenn.
His big break was playing Hilary Duff's brother when she starred in the series "Lizzie McGuire." He also co-starred in Steven Spielberg's "A.I."
For most of his life, Thomas and his parents lived in Southern California, where Thomas divided his time between acting and getting an education.
After his parents decided to leave the bustle of Hollywood for the slower pace of Tennessee, they opted to enroll Thomas in a public school. Thomas said that he didn't mind, but that fitting in was important.
People are also reading…
Until then, Thomas had primarily been educated by tutors or in the Los Angeles-area school system, where a child actor is not such a novelty. In Tennessee, though, he knew he'd stand out.
On one of his first days at his Knoxville school, a student approached him and said, " 'Hey, I hear that Jake Thomas kid is here from 'Lizzie McGuire.' Have you seen him yet?' " Thomas recalled.
Thomas found it amusing but intimidating, too.
"I didn't know anyone," he said.
So he did what any other kid his age would do. He joined a club — the school's improvisational team. "I have some cool friends now, and they make it a little better," he said.
Thomas said that his grades are "good," but that studying can be "difficult" when he's also working. He also encounters the occasional fan.
"When people recognize me from 'Lizzie McGuire' or whatever, (I know) those are the people who make me who I am," Thomas said. "If they recognize me, that's a good thing. It keeps me employed."
His profile remains high with "Cory." The show debuted to solid numbers in the spring and continues to perform well during its freshman season.
Of his character, Thomas said, "He can be a troublemaker," but Thomas is glad to have a breakout part in a hit series.
When he isn't working or going to school, Thomas likes to play guitar, video games and "chill," he said.
"In real life," he said, "I'm just a laid-back guy."
