Charles Melton Age, Wife, Net Worth & Biography

Charles Melton is 35 years old. The American actor, born in Juneau, Alaska, on January 4, 1991, is married to director Camille Summers-Valli and is best known for playing Reggie Mantle in Riverdale, Daniel Bae in The Sun Is Also a Star and Joe Yoo in May December (2023). A former fashion model who became a Golden Globe-nominated actor, Melton has moved from teen television to prestige film — and in 2026 he earned two Emmy nominations for the second season of Beef.

Charles Melton Quick Facts

Full Name	Charles Michael Melton
Date of Birth	January 4, 1991
Age	35 years old
Birthplace	Juneau, Alaska, U.S.
Wife	Camille Summers-Valli
Children	1
Occupation	Actor
Net Worth	Approx. $7 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2026)
Known For	Riverdale; May December; Warfare

Who Is Charles Melton?

Charles Melton is an American actor who first became known as Reggie Mantle, the high-school jock, in the CW teen drama Riverdale (2017–2023). He went on to lead the romantic drama The Sun Is Also a Star (2019), becoming the first Korean-American and Asian-American actor to headline a teen romance from a major Hollywood studio. His breakthrough as a serious actor came in Todd Haynes’ May December (2023), in which he played Joe Yoo, a man whose marriage to an older woman began when he was a teenager — a performance that won him Best Supporting Actor awards from the Gotham Awards, the National Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Circle, and earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

Melton began his career as a fashion model, working for brands including Dolce & Gabbana, Kenneth Cole and MAC, before moving into acting. In 2025 he appeared in Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s war film Warfare, and in 2026 he produced and starred in the second season of Netflix’s Beef, earning two Primetime Emmy nominations. Like his Warfare co-star Kit Connor, Melton is a young actor who has moved from genre work to prestige drama — and, like Joe Locke, he has balanced television stardom with stage and film roles.

Charles Melton’s Early Life & Background

Charles Michael Melton was born on January 4, 1991, in Juneau, Alaska, to Sukyong Melton and Phil Melton. His father is American, of English ancestry, and his mother is a Korean immigrant who moved to the United States with Charles’s father in 1990. He is the eldest of three children, with two younger sisters, Patricia and Tammy — Tammy works with him as his producing partner. Because his father worked for the military, the family moved frequently, and they lived in Pyeongtaek, in South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province, for about five years before settling in Manhattan, Kansas.

Melton graduated from Manhattan High School in 2009 and attended Kansas State University, where he played defensive back on the football team under head coach Bill Snyder. He dropped out at the age of twenty to pursue acting and moved to Los Angeles in 2012, where he worked as a dog walker on the Wag app while auditioning. He began working as a fashion model, appearing in campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Kenneth Cole and MAC, and his first acting roles came in guest spots on Glee (2014) and American Horror Story: Hotel (2015–2016).

Charles Melton’s Career

Melton’s breakthrough came in 2017, when he was cast as Reggie Mantle in the second season of the CW teen drama Riverdale, taking over the role from Ross Butler. He became a series regular from the third season and played the character until the series ended in 2023. In 2019 he starred as Daniel Bae in The Sun Is Also a Star, the film adaptation of Nicola Yoon’s novel, opposite Yara Shahidi. He was the first Korean-American and Asian-American actor to lead a teen romance film from a major Hollywood studio, and he was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for the role.

His most acclaimed performance came in Todd Haynes’ May December (2023), in which he played Joe Yoo, a man in his thirties whose marriage to Gracie Atherton-Yoo, played by Julianne Moore, began when he was a teenager. The performance won him Best Supporting Actor awards from the Gotham Awards, the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Chicago Film Critics Association and the London Film Critics’ Circle, and earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, along with nominations from the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Independent Spirit Awards.

In 2025, Melton appeared as Jake in Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s war film Warfare, which won a British Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Performance. In 2026 he produced and starred as Austin Davis, a personal trainer, in the second season of Netflix’s Beef, opposite Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Cailee Spaeny and Youn Yuh-jung, earning two Primetime Emmy nominations — for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and Outstanding Supporting Actor. He also starred in the thriller Her Private Hell (2026) with Sophie Thatcher and Havana Rose Liu, and in August 2026 it was announced that he was in final negotiations to play Kakashi Hatake in the live-action Naruto film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. He is a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics International.

Facts About Charles Melton

• He was the first Korean-American and Asian-American actor to lead a teen romance film from a major Hollywood studio.
• He played defensive back on the Kansas State University football team under head coach Bill Snyder.
• He worked as a dog walker on the Wag app while auditioning in Los Angeles.
• He won Best Supporting Actor awards from the Gotham Awards, the National Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Circle for May December.
• He is a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics International.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Charles Melton?

Charles Melton is 35 years old. He was born on January 4, 1991, in Juneau, Alaska, U.S.

Who is Charles Melton’s wife?

Charles Melton’s wife is Camille Summers-Valli, a director. They married in 2026.

What is Charles Melton’s net worth?

Charles Melton’s net worth is approximately $7 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth (2026).

What is Charles Melton best known for?

Charles Melton is best known for playing Reggie Mantle in Riverdale, Daniel Bae in The Sun Is Also a Star and Joe Yoo in May December.

Does Charles Melton have children?

Yes. Charles Melton has one daughter, born in March 2026.

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