While his familiar face, curly red hair and freckles may give the impression that actor Shawn Hatosy is a grown up former child star, he didn't appear on the scene until 1995, in an episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street". Shot in his native Maryland, the NBC series marked an impressive debut for the novice actor, who played a lead suspect accused of killing his grandparents. A bit part in "Home for the Holidays" (1995) followed, and after a move to New York, Hatosy was featured in a 1996 episode of NBC's "Law & Order". That same year, the young actor appeared in the films "No Way Home" starring Tim Roth, and had a turn in the teen drama "All Over Me".
More significant film appearances followed, starting with a featured role in the hit comedy "In & Out" (1997). Hatosy played Jack, a student whose favorite teacher Mr. Brackett (Kevin Kline) is 'outed' on an Academy Awards telecast. The actor capably and endearingly handled the role of a young man conflicted over his feelings towards Mr. Brackett's sexuality and his admiration and respect for the teacher. Next Hatosy co-starred in the sci-fi thriller "The Faculty" (1998). One of the more impressive entrants in the teen horror genre resurgence, this Robert Rodriguez-Kevin Williamson feature starred the young actor as Stan, a discontented football star who wants to try life as an academic. Standing is his way is none other than an impending alien takeover in the form of possessed faculty members and zoned out fellow students. In order to fight the invasion, Stan, an initial unbeliever, represents the jock contingent in a "Breakfast Club"-like collection of students (the nerd, the misfit loner, the new girl, the shallow princess and the cool rebel genius) to try and save the world, in the process falling for Stokley (Clea DuVall), a sarcastic, sci-fi obsessed, black-clad loner presumed to be a lesbian. Hatosy's characterization of Stan was fully three-dimensional, and his scenes with DuVall were particularly well-played. 1999 saw the young actor take a starring role in the feature "Outside Providence", a Michael Corrente film based on writer-director Peter Farrelly's semi-autobiographical novel. Hatosy starred as Tim Dunphy, a free-wheeling seventeen-year-old who is sent by his father (Alec Baldwin) to a prestigious prep school to clean up his act. That same year, he had featured roles in the films "Anywhere But Here" (as Natalie Portman's boyfriend) and "The Joyriders".