At just 16 years old, Javon Walton is a triple threat. Experienced in boxing, gymnastics and acting, he is already a household name, seemingly coming out of nowhere. Walton comes from a family of professional athletes, and he wasted no time getting involved in the family business. Getting into sports and making a name for himself before the age of ten, he then wanted to step into the world of acting. It was no shock that success shortly followed.
He spent a couple of years in the acting business, taking small roles in commercials. He suddenly appeared in the hit HBO series Euphoria and the world fell in love with his character, a child drug-dealing assistant. His role in Euphoria took the world by storm, and everyone loved his character, Ashtray. And now everyone wants to know: who is the sudden sensation and where did he come from?
8 Javon Walton Says He Was Inspired By Boxing From A Young Age
Walton's father is popular boxing coach DJ Walton, the founder of the performance-based brand, Onward Athletics. Javon Walton started getting in boxing young, working and training with his father from the age of 3. He said in an interview with Men's Health that he started watching boxing from the age of 2 and takes a lot of inspiration from legends like Manny Pacquiao, Mike Tyson and Julio César Chávez. All of whom are not only famous boxers, but also have experience as actors. It's no surprise Walton wanted to follow in their footsteps.
7 He Was A Young Boxing Champ
He began training at a professional level as a child, both with his father and other boxing professionals. By the time he was just 8 years old he was a Junior Olympics contender in the sport, then by 11, he was already a state champion in boxing and gymnastics. To achieve so much at a young age he was training hard every single day. Walton claims his day-to-day life is heavily focused on training.
6 He Starred In A Commercial With The Rock
Around 2016, at 11 years old, Javon Walton was ready to break into acting. His first appearance was when he was featured in the Under Armor campaign "Will Finds A Way" commercial amongst other talented athletes, including Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He was credited in the commercial with the quote "At age 11, Javon Wanna Walton is already a state champion in both boxing and gymnastics. What he’ll accomplish before adulthood is anyone’s guess, but the one certainty is that this isn’t the last we’ll see of him." They couldn't have been more right.
5 Discovered On The Steve Harvey Show?
Later that same year, Walton appeared on Steve Harvey's talk show with his father. In the appearance the 11-year-old ran through a typical training session. Something that was so typical to him was incredibly intense to all the audience. After a couple of minutes of boxing with his dad, he did a handstand on the host's desk and dismounted into a back-flip in the middle of his conversation with Harvey. The move received a standing ovation.
4 The Euphoria Casting Director Loved Him
Amazed by the Steve Harvey interview, casting director Jennifer Venditti reached out to Walton's dad to ask if his son would audition for Euphoria. From that first sight, she knew that Walton was the perfect fit for Ashtray. Naturally, he was perfect for the role of the protective, weird and lovable younger brother of Fezco, and he scored his big break in acting.
3 Euphoria Was His Big Break Into Acting
Success came right to him! Ever since landing Euphoria the actor has laded a ton of more roles. He modeled for a Dick's Sporting Goods campaign alongside New York Yankee, Alex Rodriguez. He also landed roles in Amazon Prime TV show Utopia and in the 2021 movie The Addams Family 2 as Pugsley Addams.
2 More Roles To Come
He's been a pretty busy guy! It was confirmed that Walton was cast alongside Sylvester Stallone in the thriller Samaritan, which is set for a summer 2022 release. He also is in the new season of The Umbrella Academy. He was particularly excited about this role, he told in an interview with Esquire: "My character though, people aren't going to be expecting that. People will think I'm going to be part of the other academy and all this other stuff. But it's something that people aren't really expecting."
1 A Future Olympian?
Boxing will always be his first love. Walton is still hard at work, training everyday in hopes of being in the 2024 Olympics for Boxing and Gymnastics. We certainly haven't seen the last of him yet!
