Lanky, dark-haired Montreal native Jay Baruchel made his acting debut in the early 1990s as a recurring guest on the children's horror series "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" (Nickelodeon). In 1996, he landed a regular role as Thomas John Thompson on the YTV series "My Hometown", which chronicled the daily activities and adventures of the thirteen-year-old. Proving he could carry a series, Baruchel was cast as the host of "Popular Mechanics for Kids", a syndicated educational program that covered topics relating to science and technology. Baruchel left in 1998, but soon reemerged on the big
