Jacob Wayne Young was born in Renton, Washington, to parents Michael and Rhonda, who were later divorced. He was raised alongside his siblings Michael, Tiffany, and Charity. Young's childhood was split between Washington and Oregon, where he developed a passion for acting through high-school musicals.
At the age of 18, Young landed his first major role as Eric Forrester Jr., also known as Rick, on the popular daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful in 1997. His portrayal of the character quickly gained popularity, and he formed a notable on-screen couple with Adrienne Frantz's Amber Moore. Despite earning a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1999 and showcasing his singing talents on the show, Young decided to leave the series in 1999 to explore other opportunities.
In 2000, Young secured the role of Lucky, the son of Luke and Laura Spencer, on General Hospital. His performance earned him the 2002 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor. Young left General Hospital in 2003 to pursue other projects.
Surprisingly, Young returned to daytime television just six months later, taking over the role of JR Chandler on All My Children in 2003. This role led him to make his Broadway debut in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" from May to August 2006, playing the character of Lumiére. Young had previously released his debut album, "Jacob Young," in 2001.
For his work on All My Children, Young received two further Daytime Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2009. He remained with the show until its cancellation in 2011, also making appearances on sister-show One Life to Live during a highly-rated baby switch storyline.
After All My Children's cancellation, Young was quickly snapped up by The Bold and the Beautiful, where he once again played the role of Rick Forrester. In 2012, he also made a one-day visit to The Young and the Restless.
Young is married to his long-time girlfriend, Christen Steward, a model, since May 2007. The couple has two children together.
