Driver was born in San Diego, California, and moved to the town of Mishawaka, Indiana, where he was raised, when he was seven years old.[5] His mother, Nancy (Needham) Wright, is a paralegal, and his father lives in Arkansas.[3][6][7] His stepfather is a Baptist minister; Driver had a religious ubringing, and sang in choir at church.[8][9] He attended Mishawaka High School, where he graduated in 2001. He appeared in several high school plays and was an accomplished singer in the school's choir.[2]\r A few months after the events of 9/11, Driver joined the United States Marine Corps. He served for two and a half years, and two months before being deployed to Iraq, he injured his sternum in a biking accident, then further injured himself during a training exercise, and was medically discharged. After leaving the Marines, Driver attended the University of Indianapolis for a year before transferring to Juilliard to study drama.\r Following his graduation from Juilliard in 2009, Driver began acting in New York City, appearing in both Broadway and off-Broadway productions, while occasionally working as a busboy and waiter.[10]\r He runs a non-profit organization, Arts in the Armed Forces, which stages performances for military personnel.[10]\r Driver considers John Cassavetes to be the model for the type of creative life he would like to emulate.[10]