Kendall Schmidt

Kendall Schmidt
Born	Kendall Francis Schmidt November 2, 1990 (age 35)
Occupation	Singer, actor
Years Active	2002-present
Genres	Pop Rock Bubblegum Rock Dance Bubblegum Pop & R&B
Labels	Nickelodeon Columbia Bought The Rights
Character	Kendall Knight
Associations	Big Time Rush Big Time Movie

Kendall Francis Schmidt (born November 2, 1990) is an American actor and member of the band Big Time Rush. He is best known for his role as Kendall Knight on the Nickelodeon show Big Time Rush.

Early Life

Kendall Schmidt was born on November 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas, to Kathy and Kent Schmidt. Schmidt has two older brothers, Kenneth Schmidt and Kevin Schmidt (who are also actors). When he was 10 years old, his family moved from Kansas to California.

Acting Career

1996-2001: Early Acting Career

He began his acting career at age five, appearing in a Chex commercial. When he was nine years old, he was one of two actors who were hired to be Haley Joel Osment's stand-in and body double (they shared the same agent) in the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence. He celebrated his birthday on set, and Steven Spielberg and the cast surprised him with a birthday cake decorated with Star Wars figures.

2001-2008: Recurring Roles

In 2001, Schmidt landed recurring roles on General Hospital, Titus, Raising Dad, Gilmore Girls, and CSI: Miami. He guest-starred on a variety of TV shows & films, including ER, MADtv, Easy A, Getaway, The Frozen Ground, Frasier, Phil of the Future, Without a Trace, and Ghost Whisperer. On the big screen, he has appeared in Minority Report and According to Spencer.

2009-2014: Big Time Rush

In 2007, Nickelodeon started holding auditions for a new sitcom/band called Big Time Rush. Schmidt was the last one cast (James Maslow had gotten the part two years after sending in his audition tape, followed by Logan Henderson and Carlos PenaVega). Nickelodeon had originally given the role to Curt Hansen, but he was dropped due to lack of chemistry. After Schmidt was recommended by Henderson (who had already met him at a party), he replaced Hansen.

Schmidt's character is Kendall Knight, a 16-year-old hockey player from Minnesota. He is the calm and relaxed "leader" of Big Time Rush.

The show premiered to a record-breaking 6.8 million viewers, making it the highest-rated premiere for a live-action series in Nickelodeon history. The show would last for 4 seasons spanning over 74 episodes. It would also have a television movie, Big Time Movie, released on March 10, 2012, to 13.1 million viewers in the U.S. alone.

Schmidt and his bandmates would also guest star in other Nickelodeon shows, such as How to Rock and Marvin Marvin.

2014-Present: Post BTR

From 2016-18, Schmidt appeared in School of Rock as a recurring character, Justin. In 2017, he appeared in the web series, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margot, as Ryan. The series also starred Carlie Casey, who played Mercedes Griffin in Big Time Rush.

Music Career

Personal Music

Schmidt sang the theme song, "All That Really Matters", for the web show Poor Paul (which also starred his brother, Kevin Schmidt). Several other songs by Schmidt are featured in the series but were never recorded, such as "Memories and Melodies", "Say What You May", and "Techno."

Schmidt also has a series of covers on YouTube under the username "K3ndallSchmidt", including a cover of John Mayer's "Edge of Desire" with castmate Logan Henderson.

Heffron Drive

Main Article: Heffron Drive

In 2008, Kendall Schmidt and his best friend, Dustin Belt, formed the band Heffron Drive. The name refers to the street on which they met and lived in Burbank, California.

Heffron Drive is an Alternative/Pop/Techno band. They have many songs featured on Myspace, at Myspace.com/HeffronDrive and on PureVolume.com/HeffronDrive. Some of the top rated songs are "Quiet Please" and "Love Letter."

After Schmidt joined Big Time Rush, Heffron Drive went on hiatus until 2013.

On October 17, 2013, it was announced that Heffron Drive would be going on a winter tour. It started in Houston on November 23, and ended on December 22 in Los Angeles. The band released their first album, Happy Mistakes, on September 9, 2014. They released three more singles: "Living Room" (January 11, 2017), "Mad At The World" (January 19, 2018), and "Separate Lives" (March 9, 2018).

Big Time Rush

For main article, see Big Time Rush.

2009-2014

Big Time Rush's debut album, BTR, was released on October 11, 2010. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200. Later, it was certified Gold for selling 500,000 copies in the U.S. The album included songs such as "Boyfriend", "Any Kind of Guy", "City Is Ours", "Halfway There", "Famous", and "Stuck".

In November 2010, it was announced that a Christmas special of Big Time Rush would debut later that month. On November 30, 2010, they released the Christmas EP Holiday Bundle, with two songs: "Beautiful Christmas" and "All I Want for Christmas is You" (originally performed by Mariah Carey). On February 15, 2011, "Boyfriend" was released as the band's first official single to mainstream US radio. It peaked at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their most successful song to date.

Just after Nickelodeon renewed the series for a third season, the group announced they were recording their second studio album, Elevate. It was released on November 21, 2011 and debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200, selling over 70,000 copies in its first week. It ended up selling more copies than their previous album. The first single, "Music Sounds Better with U", was released on November 1, 2011.

Their third album, 24/Seven, was released on June 11, 2013 and led many critics to draw comparisons between the band's third album and NSYNC's fourth album Celebrity. The band went on hiatus in early 2014.

2020-Present

In 2020, Big Time Rush reunited virtually: Once to share a positive message with their fans, and again to sing an acoustic version of "Worldwide." On July 19, 2021, the group announced a comeback show in December 2021. Since then, the group has released new music and embarked on several tours.

Discography

Main articles: Big Time Rush discography and Heffron Drive discography

Albums appearances

Year	Title	Other artist(s)	Album
2015	"Night Like This"	Hilary Duff	Breathe In. Breathe Out.

Writing credits

Year	Title	Artist(s)	Album	Notes
2012	"Music Sounds Better with U"	Big Time Rush	Elevate	Written
	"Cover Girl"
	"Love Me, Love Me"
	"Superstar"
	"You're Not Alone"
2013	"24/Seven"	Big Time Rush	24/Seven	Written
	"Get Up"
	"Crazy for U"
	"We Are"
	"Confetti Falling"
	"Love Me Again"
	"Just Getting Started"
	"Untouchable"
2014	"Happy Mistakes"	Heffron Drive	Happy Mistakes	Writer, producer, executive producer
	"Parallel"
	"One Way Ticket"
	"Division of the Heart"
	"Had to Be Panama"
	"Nicotine"
	"Art of Moving On"
	"Passing Time"
	"Could You Be Home"
	"That's What Makes You Mine"
	"Everything Has Changed"
	"3 2 1"	Shinee	I'm Your Boy	Writer

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	According to Spencer	Chad
2010	Easy A	Himself
2012	Big Time Movie	Kendall Knight	Television film
2013	Getaway	Jake
2013	The Frozen Ground	Riley McKessie
2015	Janoskians: Untold and Untrue	Himself

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	Raising Dad	Noah	Episode: "For Mature Audiences Only"
2001	Gilmore Girls	Peter	Episodes: "Nick & Nora/Sid & Nancy" and "Application Anxiety"
2002	Frasier	Young Frasier	Episode: "Rooms with a View"
2004	ER	Damian	Episode: "Shifts Happen"
2004	Phil of the Future	Jake	Episode: "Get Ready to Go-Go"
2004	CSI: Miami	Dominic Abeyta	Episodes: "Legal" and Hell Night"
2009	Ghost Whisperer	Jeff	Episode: "Slow Burn"
2009	Without a Trace	Shay Hanson	Episode: "True"
2009–2013	Big Time Rush	Kendall Knight	Lead role
2011	Hand aufs Herz	Himself	Episode: "August 11, 2011"
2012	How to Rock	Himself	Episode: "How to Rock: An Election"
2013	Marvin Marvin	Himself	Episode: "Big Time Marvin"
2014	Hell's Kitchen	Himself	Episode: "15 Chefs Compete"
2015	The Penguins of Madagascar	Beaver Kendall (voice)	Episode: "Tunnel of Love"
2016–2018	School of Rock	Justin of Night Lizard	Recurring role; 4 episodes

Web

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2017	Are You There, God? It's Me, Margot	Ryan	Main role

Personal Life

Schmidt got engaged to his girlfriend of seven years, Mica von Turkovich, on June 30, 2022. They got married in the fall of 2023 and announced that they were expecting their first child on November 23, 2023.

Biography

Born in Wichita, Kansas, Schmidt was raised in nearby Andover and grew up as the youngest of three brothers. After watching his two brothers travel back and forth to Los Angeles, Schmidt decided he also wanted to be an actor. While it began as “something fun to do", Schmidt quickly became passionate about pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. “My first acting memory is starring in a Chex cereal commercial with my brothers. Even though we went to the audition separately, we were cast to play brothers,” he recalls.

When he was 10 years old, his family moved from Kansas to California. He and his mother spent about six months out of every year in California. Schmidt is represented by AKA Talent and Protégé Entertainment (his personally founded label is TOLBooth).

In addition to acting, Schmidt’s other love is music. He is inspired by Incubus, his all-time favorite band, and Taking Back Sunday. Another source of inspiration is his family. “My whole family has given me the drive to succeed,” he said. “My brothers mean the world to me. They keep me grounded and offer a different perspective when I need advice.”

Schmidt was drawn to his role in Big Time Rush by the music. “Acting comes naturally to me, but I think I am best at music.” said Schmidt. “If I could combine both loves, then I am successful.” Schmidt identifies with his character, who suddenly finds himself thrust into the limelight, trying to get a handle on being part of a music group.

When he is not focusing on his music and acting, Schmidt likes hanging out with his friends or being outdoors. He enjoys hiking, rock climbing, surfing, and skateboarding.

Trivia

• Kendall is the youngest member in Big Time Rush.
• Kendall and Logan met at a party before Big Time Rush.
• He loves animals.
• Kendall has 2 older brothers, Kenneth and Kevin.
• Kent (father), Kathy (mother), Kendall, Kenneth, and Kevin all start with a K.
• He shares his middle name with his grandmother (Francis).
• Date of Birth: November 2, 1990
• Place of Birth: Wichita, Kansas
• Height: 5’11"
• Favorite Colors: Green and Silver
• Favorite TV show: Family Guy
• Favorite Food: Cobb salad and pizza
• Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate chip cookie dough
• Favorite Flower: Sunflower
• Favorite Book: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• In school: Was a procrastinator
• Favorite Animal: Python or Boa Constrictor
• Favorite Band: Incubus & Taking Back Sunday
• Favorite Sports: Football, Swimming, Soccer
• Favorite Football Team: Kansas City Chiefs
• Favorite Cereal: Lucky Charms
• Favorite Superhero: Spider Man
• Nicknames: Bigman, Kendizzle, Kendahlia, K-Dog
• Favorite Number: 111
• Favorite Penguin in Penguins of Madagascar: Rico
• Kendall has a band with his friend, Dustin Belt, called Heffron Drive
• Kendall has guest starred and produced songs for the web series "Poor Paul"
• Kendall had a pet pig named Yuma
• Kendall's first date was with Lucy Hale, when he was 13 years old.
• Kendall was the first BTR member to get tattoos. He has 8. Kendall said that all his tattoos "means that he's a nice guy."
  • Scorpion - He got it when he was 19 and it means his Zodiac Sign. It's located on his left shoulder.
  • Peace sign - It's Kendall's first tattoo and he got it when he was 18. It is in the middle of his back.
  • Heart - Is Kendall's third tattoo and is located on his left upper arm.
  • Sugar skull - It represents Mexico’s annual All Soul’s Day, which falls on November 2. Coincidentally, that also happens to be his birthday. Also includes wheat and sunflowers to represent his Kansas upbringing. Additionally, the tattoo has the number 111 inscribed in it which is his Lucky number. The tattoo also includes a guitar and guitar pick as an homage to his love for music. The rose represents Kendall's grandmother, Grandma Rose. The tattoo artist was Chris Garcia from Las Vega, Nevada.
  • Grandma Boots & Grandpa's Belt - are a pair of tattoos located on Kendall's left upper hand right above his heart tattoo. It represents his grandparents.
  • Sissy - This tattoo represents Kendall's dog, Sissy. The tattoo is located under the Scorpio tattoo.
  • Hand Band - This tattoo represents the Rushers and the amount of hand bands Kendall has received through the years. Kendall got the tattoo the same day Big Time Dreams aired.
• In an interview with Total Girl Philippines, James Maslow said that Kendall is a shopaholic.
• His celebrity crushes are Angelina Jolie and Zooey Deschanel.
• His worst habit is biting his nails.
• Before he got the part on Big Time Rush, his character was named "Donavan."
• He started acting when he was 6 years old.
• He enjoys songwriting, skateboarding, and surfing.
• He used to have two dogs, one cat, a bird, a turtle, and a python.
• His favorite Big Time Rush character is James Diamond.
• According to Kenneth Schmidt: Kendall is a very caring person. When he was younger, he worked at a pet shop and took care of animals after school. He is very fun to hang out with and extremely funny. He will also be the first to tell you that he is a “pretty laid-back dude.” In other words, he likes to relax and just “go with the flow.”
• He shares his birthday with co-star Katelyn Tarver, albeit one year younger.
• He was the last BTR member to be cast, replacing Curt Hansen.

External Links

• Kendall Schmidt's Twitter
• Kendall Schmidt's YouTube
• Kendall Schmidt's TikTok
• Kendall Schmidt's Instagram
• Kendall Schmidt's Spotify
• Kendall Schmidt's Apple Music
• Kendall Schmidt's Deezer
• Kendall Schmidt's Store: kendallschmidt.spreadshirt.com

Gallery

Big Time Rush Wiki has images related to Kendall Schmidt.