About Ian

Ian James Schexnaider was born and raised in Houston, Texas and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

Performing onstage from the age of 4, Ian spent his transformative years cutting his teeth in the vibrant Houston theatre community. He graduated with B. F. A. in Acting & Directing from Sam Houston State University and moved to Los Angeles in August 2018.

On his first audition in LA, he was cast in the ensemble of South Pacific at the Rubicon Theatre and made his Los Angeles theatre debut that fall. The following year, Ian was nominated for Best Leading Actor and won the award for Best Breakthrough at the 2019 HoustonPress Theatre Awards for his acclaimed run as Ethan Kane in Stages Theatre’s production of “Sex with Strangers” directed by Seth Gordon. He sits on the Selection Committee for the Young Playwrights Festival at the Blank Theatre in Hollywood. Ian is currently developing his first original feature film.

During the Covid-19 Pandemic he performed live with Netflix and SecretCinema on The Stranger Things Drive Into Experience in Downtown Los Angeles on a 10 month run in the role of Billy Hargrove.

Ian made his international Feature Film debut in a lead role in Paradies(2023), which filmed in Belize, on BET+ which won Best Independent Film(Hollywood) and Best Director (Dale Stelly) at the 2023 HAPA Awards. He has since appeared in The Contract(2024) on ALLBLK, A Demon’s Revenge(2025) on BET+, and one in post production.

In TV has had a day player role in Buried in the Backyard on the Oxygen Network, and worked on sets of the Once Upon A Time in Hollywood Sequel Written by Quentin Tarantino and Directed by David Fincher, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Winning Time, Griselda, The Offer, Hunters, Extremely Wicked Shocking Evil and Vile, Hollywood, and Daisy Jones and the Six.

In addition to acting Ian is also a writer, singer, and multiinstrumentalist playing both piano and guitar. Ian maintains a freelance career in production having collaborated on campaigns with Universal Studios, Apple, Versace, Mercedes-Benz, HBO, Karol G, Travis Scott, SZA, Uber, New Era, GAP, Chase, Hulu, Square, On Running, P!nk, Hyundai, and others.

When he’s not on the go Ian enjoys peanut butter, running, and being in his plant dad era. He has 21 children and counting…