Nicholas Downs grew up in the small Midwest town of Bondurant, Iowa as the second youngest of ten brothers and sisters. Whether vying for the morning shower or the last piece of cornbread, competition was an every day occurrence. Nicholas had to fight to be heard.

By high school, Nicholas found acting as a way to create a voice of his own. His English teacher, Mrs. Sandoval, helped him by guiding him in to the fine arts.

With guidance from director Arthur Allan Seidelman , who cast him in his first feature film, Nicholas ventured to Los Angeles to start his career. He found an agent and a manager and soon started building a foundation of work. After booking independent films, commercials, and some small parts on television, he soon started landing more prominent roles in major motion pictures, including Pearl Harbor, The Girl Next Door, Constantine, The Holiday, and The Awakening of Spring.

Nicholas has used the experience he has found as an actor to start producing and writing his own projects. Most recently he has partnered up with Jerome E. Scott, Jim Murphy, Andrea Alseri, Micah Stuart and Corey Juarez of Illumination Pictures' and has just completed Anderson's Cross, their first joint venture.

Nicholas recently guest starred on the critically acclaimed television show, Cold Case.

Nicholas is already at work on Illumination Pictures' next project, Prep School. As with Anderson's Cross, Nicholas will not only produce but will also have a lead acting role.