Welling has said that he did not like modeling and that he was not good at it because it was all on the outside or from an external point of view. In 2000, Welling appeared in Angela Via's music video 'Picture Perfect' where he played Vía's love interest. There he modeled for Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Calvin Klein while pursuing an acting career. Welling modeled for Louisa Modeling Agency until 2000, when he relocated to Los Angeles. Originally a construction worker, Welling was discovered in 1998 at a party in Nantucket by casting director Jennifer Starr who was there finding fresh faces for a Tommy Hilfiger campaign and suggested he try modeling. Welling is one of four children, with two older sisters, Rebecca and Jamie, and a younger brother, Mark Welling, who is also an actor. Welling played baseball and soccer, but his favorite sport is basketball. Welling attended Okemos High School in Okemos, Michigan, where he started acting in plays, but then switched to sports. His family moved frequently, making stops in Wisconsin, Delaware, and Michigan.
Welling was born in Putnam Valley, New York.
