Why Finney From The Black Phone Looks So Familiar

Prior to hitting theaters in the early days of 2021, "The Black Phone" had been tabbed as one of the year's most anticipated films by horror movie lovers. That's largely because it was directed by Scott Derrickson, who made a name for himself on the genre scene after helming low-key hits like 2005's "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," and 2012's "Sinister," with the latter earning legendary status after a recent scientific study deemed it the scariest movie ever made.

"The Black Phone" likely won't be matching that storied accomplishment anytime soon. But the film still more than satisfied Derrickson's fans, many of whom were eager for his return to horror after helming the MCU's first "Doctor Strange" film. "The Black Phone" also found Derrickson re-teaming with his "Sinister" star, Ethan Hawke, who plays a demented child killer dubbed The Grabber. Fortunes mercifully change for The Grabber when he abducts Finney Blake, a good-natured kid who manages to outwit his murderous captor with a little help from some supernatural allies.

And yes, the actor who plays Finney in "The Black Phone" may have looked a bit familiar to some viewers. His name is Mason Thames, and he's the very definition of a "rising star" in Hollywood circles. Here's where you might've seen him before.

Given his age, and his "rising star" status, one might assume Mason Thames hasn't yet established a lengthy resume as an actor. And while that assumption is correct, with "The Black Phone" being just his fourth screen credit, Thames has already starred in some impressive roles. One of these roles came as part of one of the more celebrated offerings from Apple TV+.

Thames made three appearances in Apple TV+'s lauded alt-history space race sage, "For All Mankind." In "For All Mankind," Thames plays Danny Stevens, the son of NASA's moon-bound astronaut Gordo Stevens, and eventual astronaut Tracy Stevens (Sarah Jones). Despite both of his parents heroically sacrificing their lives on a mission, Danny would eventually follow them into the space program, and become a main player in the "For All Mankind" narratives through Seasons 2 and 3, with Casey W. Johnson stepping into the role as the character ages.

Still, the seeds of the character are sown by Thames during his appearances in Season 1. Despite the general lack of screen time, the young actor manages to imbue the pre-teen Danny with a savvy mix of warmth, angst, pathos, and piercing intellect.

Mason Thames booked a starring role in "The Black Phone" as his first legit "For All Mankind" follow-up. And the film is rightfully serving as a breakout project for the talented young actor. As it happens, the same year "The Black Phone" helped put Thames on the path to stardom, he also booked a three-episode arc on one of The CW's recent hits, "Walker."

A reboot of the hit 1990s Chuck Norris series "Walker, Texas Ranger," the series hit the network with "Supernatural" alum Jared Padalecki in the title role of Cordell Walker, the legendary lawman. And Thames played the teenaged version of Walker when he joined the series' cast in its second season. He did so via a trio of flashback scenes depicting young Cordell's forbidden tryst with the girl next door, Denise Davidson (Lila Jean Gonzalez).

That tryst results in a tense, Hatfield & McCoys-style turmoil between the families after it essentially leads to a tragic loss for the Davidsons. Despite their limited time on screen, watching Thames and Gonzalez locked in the throes of young love is genuinely heartwarming, largely because the two actors bring so much warmth and genuine youthful exuberance to the mix.