Mason Thames is an American actor who carried one of 2025’s biggest films on his shoulders. Cast as Hiccup in the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, the former ballet dancer followed his breakout in horror hit The Black Phone by stepping into one of the most beloved roles in family cinema — and delivering a blockbuster.
| Full Name | Mason Thames |
| Born | 10 July 2007, Dallas, Texas, USA |
| Age | 19 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Known For | Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon (2025); Finney Blake in The Black Phone |
| Net Worth (est.) | Around $1–2 million (estimates vary) |
Early Life and Ballet Training
Thames was born in Dallas, Texas, in July 2007. Before acting took over, his discipline was dance: he trained seriously in ballet from a young age and performed with a professional ballet company as one of its youngest members, touring productions that demanded the kind of physical control and stamina few children sustain. The stage experience fed naturally into acting, and after early television appearances — including a role in the Apple TV+ drama For All Mankind — he began auditioning for film leads while still barely a teenager.
The Black Phone Breakthrough
Thames’ breakthrough came with The Black Phone (2022), Scott Derrickson’s adaptation of Joe Hill’s story, in which he starred as Finney Blake, a boy abducted by Ethan Hawke’s masked killer who receives calls from the killer’s previous victims. Made for a modest budget, the film grossed more than $160 million worldwide, and critics singled out Thames — just 13 during filming — for carrying nearly every scene. It remains one of the defining child performances in modern horror.
The role’s success followed him: in October 2025 he returned as Finney in Black Phone 2, now playing the character as a teenager confronting the Grabber’s legacy — a rare chance for a young actor to grow up inside a horror franchise rather than be replaced by it. Thames has credited Derrickson and Hawke with teaching him professional habits on that first set, from hitting marks for effects shots to sustaining fear across weeks of night shoots, lessons he carried directly onto the far bigger stages of the Dragon films.
Becoming Hiccup: How to Train Your Dragon
In 2023 Thames won the role young actors everywhere coveted: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III in Universal’s live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, directed by Dean DeBlois, who had made the animated originals. Opposite Nico Parker as Astrid, Thames performed extensive stunt and flying-rig work. Released in June 2025, the film was a major global hit, grossing more than $600 million and launching Thames as the face of a franchise, with a sequel to the live-action series following the animated films’ path.
Monster Summer, Regretting You and Beyond
Around the blockbuster, Thames has chosen varied work: the family adventure Monster Summer (2024) alongside Mel Gibson, and the romantic drama Regretting You (2025), adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, in which he plays Miller Adams opposite Allison Williams and McKenna Grace. The mix — horror, fantasy franchise, literary romance — shows a young actor deliberately avoiding typecasting while his generation of performers sorts itself into leading men.
Mason Thames Net Worth
Thames’ net worth is commonly estimated at around $1–2 million, reflecting a hit horror film, a franchise blockbuster salary and a growing slate of studio roles before the age of 20. As ever with young stars, published figures are unofficial estimates based on his projects rather than disclosed contracts, and his earnings are expected to climb steeply with the Dragon franchise sequels.
Personal Life
Thames is based in Los Angeles but remains close to his Texas family, crediting his parents for managing a childhood split between ballet studios, film sets and as-normal-as-possible schooling. He has spoken about the surreal jump from fan of the animated Dragon films to leading the remake, and about wanting a long career built on range rather than a single franchise — even as that franchise defines his next few years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Mason Thames?
He was born on 10 July 2007, making him 19 years old in 2026.
Who does Mason Thames play in How to Train Your Dragon?
Hiccup, the young Viking who befriends the dragon Toothless, in the 2025 live-action remake.
What was Mason Thames’ first big movie?
The Black Phone (2022), in which he starred as Finney Blake opposite Ethan Hawke.
Was Mason Thames a dancer?
Yes — he trained in ballet as a child and performed with a professional ballet company before focusing on acting.
Related Biographies
Owen Cooper, Drew Starkey and Yerin Ha — more in our Actors & Actresses collection.
Sources
Net worth and salary figures are estimates based on publicly available sources and may change over time.
