5 Things to Know About My Friend Dahmer Breakout Star Ross Lynch

Ross Lynch plays serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, in the new movie.

Photo: Film Rise

Young people may know Ross Lynch as Austin Moon from Austin & Ally or Brady in Teen Beach Movie.

Now, the 21-year-old actor is widening his fan base by starring as cannibalistic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in the new movie, My Friend Dahmer, based on the graphic novel of the same name by Derf Backderf. In 1992, Dahmer was sentenced to 15 consecutive life sentences in prison for killing and mutilating 15 men and boys. A fellow inmate beat him to death in prison in 1994. The film is now out in select theaters.

For those unfamiliar with Lynch till now, here are five things to know about the breakout actor:

1. He’s a Disney star

In 2011, Lynch made his television debut on the Disney Channel original series Austin & Ally as musician Austin Moon. Lynch co-starred alongside actress, Laura Marano (Ally Moon), until the show ended in 2016. He also appeared in Disney Channel’s Teen Beach Movie and Teen Beach Movie 2 as Brady.

Gilles Mingasson/Disney Channel/Getty

The actor previously said he’d consider doing another project with Disney. “Disney has all of the biggest franchises at the moment, so absolutely. I would consider myself fortunate to work with them again,” Lynch told Just Jared Jr. last year.

2. He’s a musician

Lynch sang on all of the songs for the first Austin & Ally soundtrack, which included his first-ever single, “A Billion Hits.” He also recorded the majority of the show’s second soundtrack, as well as, contributed music for Teen Beach Movie.

3. He started a band with his family

Lynch started pop rock band, R5, with his brothers Riker and Rocky, his sister Rydel, and their family friend, Ellington Ratliff. In 2013, they released their debut album, Louder, and have since gone on to tour the world and create another record, Sometime Last Night, in 2015.

“They kind of featured us on Disney Channel a few times just cause like, if I’m on Disney Channel, they’re like yeah we might as well just put your music up here,” Lynch told Rolling Stone in an interview earlier this year about being on the series with R5.

RELATED VIDEO: Ross Lynch On Filming In Jeffrey Dahmer’s Childhood Home For Upcoming Movie ‘My Friend Dahmer’

4. He had no idea who Dahmer was

Lynch told Rolling Stone that when his agent asked him if he’d be interested in reading the script for My Friend Dahmer, he had “no idea” who the infamous serial killer was.

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5. He has famous cousins.

Lynch is related to Dancing with The Stars’ Derek and Julianne Hough. (He hasn’t competed on the series himself, but his brother Riker was a contestant in 2015.)

“Well we grew up in two different states, so that was kind of challenging, but we’re very close,” Lynch said of their relationship in a 2013 interview with Access Hollywood. “We have good times together.”

My Friend Dahmer is out now.