How new 'Star Wars' star Adam Driver went from a former Marine to the Hollywood A-list

Adam Driver is a commanding presence, both on the screen and off of it.

The 32-year-old actor stands at 6'3", but it's his background that makes him really stand out.

Driver is a former marine turned Juilliard-trained actor with Midwest charm and an intense discipline that shines through in his performances.

He got his start acting in Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and slowly began the transition to TV and film roles. His portrayal of the sometimes-obnoxious boyfriend to Lena Dunham's also sometimes-obnoxious Hannah in HBO's "Girls" put Driver on the Hollywood map.

While he's taken on roles in major films ranging rom Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" to the Coen brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis," none compares to the hype surrounding his casting as the newest villain in the "Star Wars" universe, Kylo Ren, a Darth Vader enthusiast in "The Force Awakens."

And that military background and classical training are what gave Driver the "ferocity" for the role, according to director J.J. Abrams.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" comes out Friday, but before you catch him as the evil Kylo Ren, get to know the actor below: