Early Life and Education
Born on September 16, 1987, in Encino, California, Daren Maxwell Kagasoff is the middle child of Elise, a designer, and Barry Kagasoff, a diamond merchant. He has an older brother, Justin, and a younger sister, Natalie. Kagasoff attended Montclair Preparatory High School, where he was an active member of the baseball team. After high school, he enrolled at San Francisco State University to study business management. However, during his time there, he realized his passion lay in acting, prompting him to return to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
Kagasoff’s acting career took a significant turn when he was cast as Ricky Underwood in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” Despite having limited acting experience, his audition impressed producer Brenda Hampton, who selected him for the role. The series, which tackled issues like teenage pregnancy and relationships, ran for five seasons from 2008 to 2013. Kagasoff’s performance earned him six Teen Choice Award nominations, winning the Choice Summer TV Star: Male award in 2009.
Subsequent Roles and Career Development
Following his success on “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” Kagasoff expanded his acting repertoire with roles in both film and television. In 2014, he starred as Trevor in the supernatural horror film “Ouija,” which, despite mixed reviews, was a box office success. He also appeared in the Fox series “Red Band Society” as Hunter Cole, a leukemia survivor dealing with cirrhosis, and had guest roles in shows like “Stalker” and “S.W.A.T.” In 2019, Kagasoff played Gabe Napolitano in the NBC drama “The Village.” More recently, he portrayed Bill Koenig in the 2022 Korean War drama “Devotion” and starred as Jay in the 2024 Hallmark Channel movie “Hanukkah on the Rocks.”
