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DJ Qualls
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| DJ Qualls | |
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| Birth name | Donald Joseph Qualls |
| Born | June 10, 1978 Nashville, Tennessee |
| Other name(s) | D.J. Qualls |
| Years active | 1998 - Present |
Donald Joseph Qualls (born June 10, 1978) from Nashville, Tennessee, is an actor, better known as DJ Qualls.
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Qualls was raised in Manchester, Tennessee, as one of five children. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer, at age 14. After two years of surgery (including the removal of his spleen), chemotherapy, and radiation treatments, Qualls’s cancer went into remission, which lent him his famous thin stature. As a teenager, Qualls went to Camp Horizon, where he later volunteered as a counselor until his celebrity status made him a distraction.
He has since been an advocate for cancer research.
After graduating from Coffee County Central High School in 1992, Qualls enrolled in King's College London studying English language and literature. Returning to Tennessee three years later, he worked as a paralegal, and then, in 1997, he enrolled at Nashville's Belmont University. At a performance in a local theatre he was discovered by David LaChapelle and became a model for Prada and Calvin Klein.
He was an extra in the HBO movie Against the Wall in 1994. He got the small role of Jason in the television miniseries Mama Flora's Family (1998) while participating for free in Community Theater. After auditioning for a one-liner in Road Trip (2000) he was asked to come from the Atlanta office to meet producer Ivan Reitman in California. Qualls debuted in Road Trip as shy virgin Kyle Edwards. After the movie was released, Qualls was reportedly afraid people would think his personality was the same as that of the character he played in the movie.
He currently maintains a residence in or around the Chicago, Illinois, community of Lakeview, Chicago.
After Road Trip, Qualls increasingly worked as a model, working for Prada and with photographers David LaChapelle and Steve Klein. In Cherry Falls (2000), he played Wally, another virgin. In 2001 he played Neil Lawrence in Chasing Holden.
In 2002, he appeared as Archie in Comic Book Villains, as Josh in "My Student" an episode of Scrubs, Andrew in Big Trouble, Junior in Lone Star State of Mind, and Dizzy Gillespie Harrison in The New Guy. He played the part of “Rat”, a genius computer programmer that helps the US government keep a secret the cause of earth’s electromagnetic field’s deterioration in the sci-fi film, The Core.
His television work also includes Monk, Criminal Minds, Lost, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, CSI and My Name Is Earl. Qualls spewed a string of profanity when he was chastised for “ruining” the surprise aspect of a surprise party in an episode of Punk'd.
Qualls starred in the comedy Delta Farce with Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy, which was released on May 11, 2007.
Based on interviews with Conan O’Brien, DJ has stated that he lives a very frugal lifestyle and cherishes every penny he earns, in case he “loses a leg or an eye and never gets any work again”. He also loves to travel the world.
Qualls also played a cameo in Britney Spears’ music video, boys, and he was also in the I’m Just A Kid music video by Simple Plan.
- All About Steve (TBA)
- Pretzels & Pills (2007)
- Delta Farce (2007)
- My Name Is Earl (2007), episode “Blow” as Ray Ray
- I'm Reed Fish (2006)
- Hustle & Flow (2005)
- Monk (2005), episode “Mr. Monk and the Big Reward” as Rufus
- Lost (2005), episode “Everybody Hates Hugo” as Johnny
- Little Athens (2005)
- Segment (2004) Rookie Officer Ryan Reece
- The Core (2003)
- The New Guy (2002)
- Lone Star State of Mind (2002)
- Big Trouble (2002)
- Comic Book Villains (2002) (V)
- Scrubs (2001), episode “My Student” as Josh
- Chasing Holden (2001)
- Cherry Falls (2000)
- Road Trip (2000)
- Mama Flora's Family (1998) (TV)
- DJ Qualls at the Internet Movie Database
- Cinecon's DJ Qualls Interview By Jenny Halper
- A Conversation with DJ Qualls By Steve Head
- Tribute's Star Chat with DJ Qualls on The Core By Bonnie Laufer
- Tribute's Star Chat with DJ Qualls on The New Guy By Bonnie Laufer
- About's DJ Qualls Interview By Rebecca Murray and Fred Topel
- The Cinema Source's DJ Qualls Interview By Mark Plante