Derek Theler was born on October 29, 1986, in Fort Collins, Colorado. He grew up participating in sports and athletics as a child. Theler attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where he completed a college degree in health and exercise science/pre-medical studies.
Derek Theler relocated to Los Angeles and leveraged his background in modeling to enter the entertainment industry. He soon began appearing in national commercials for major brands including Nike, Coke Zero, Kayak.com, Arby’s and Verizon. In 2009 he started booking small acting parts on television, landing guest roles in network sitcoms such as Cougar Town, The Middleand Beverly Hills 90210. These early gigs helped him gain on-set experience and set the foundation for future leading roles.
| Birthdate | Born October 29, 1986, in Fort Collins, Colorado. |
| Education | Studied health & exercise science at Colorado State University. |
| Early Career | Started through major commercials like Coke Zero and Nike. |
| First TV Roles | Appeared in Cougar Town, The Middle, and 90210. |
| Breakthrough Role | Rose to fame as Danny Wheeler in Baby Daddy. |
| Show Achievement | Baby Daddy ran 6 seasons with 100 episodes. |
| Film Work | Acted in Shark Killer and How Sarah Got Her Wings. |
| Award Nominations | Nominated for Teen Choice Awards in 2013 and 2016. |
| Recent Work | Seen in 68 Whiskey, Leverage: Redemption, and Disney projects. |
| Net Worth (2025) | Estimated at $3–4 million from acting and modeling. |
Theler’s first major break came in 2012 when he was cast as Danny Wheeler on the ABC Family sitcom Baby Daddy. He remained part of the show’s main ensemble for its entire run, which lasted through 2017. During this period he also took on larger projects: he co-starred in the action film Shark Killer(2015) and led the holiday drama How Sarah Got Her Wings(2015). He continued exploring different genres, for example, he starred in the family movie Secret Summer(2016) and appeared in comedic short videos like a Princess Rap Battle (2016). In 2017 he starred in the short film Brotherly Loveand guest-starred on the ABC sitcom American Housewifeas a quirky character nicknamed “the Pig Whisperer.”
By the time Baby Daddyconcluded, it had become one of Freeform’s longest-running original comedies, totaling 100 episodes over six seasons. The show’s success brought Theler industry recognition, for example, he was nominated for Teen Choice Awards (Choice TV: Breakout Star in 2013 and Choice TV: Liplock in 2016) for his work on the series.
Another major milestone was being cast as Craig Hollis / Mister Immortal in Marvel’s New Warriorsseries (2017), reflecting how he had transitioned into more action-oriented roles. These achievements illustrate Theler’s rise from commercials and minor roles into prominent television projects with significant impact.
In 2020 Theler co-starred on Paramount Network’s drama 68 Whiskeyas a tough Army medic nicknamed Sasquatch. He continued to appear on TV in the following years, including a guest spot on Leverage: Redemptionin 2022. More recently, in 2023 he took on roles in family-oriented programming: he played “Blue Granite” on the Disney Channel series The Villains of Valley Viewand co-starred as Bruno in Disney Channel’s holiday movie The Naughty Nine. These recent projects demonstrate Theler’s sustained presence in both dramatic and family entertainment genres.
As of 2025, Derek Theler’s net worth is estimated to be between $3 million and $4 million. These estimates come from online celebrity finance sites and have not been confirmed by major business outlets. Theler’s income comes largely from his career as an actor and model. He is best known for playing Danny Wheeler on the sitcom Baby Daddy. He has also appeared in national commercials (for example, a 2009 Coke Zero ad) and other media projects, which contribute to his earnings.