We hadn't heard of him either, but he's about to go global.

Jack Reynor is a 22-year-old actor from Co Wicklow who yesterday was confirmed as the star of the next Transformers movie.

Yes, that Transformers. So we've the next Shia LaBeouf on our hands? Apparently so...

"I just hired a great new actor for Transformers 4 to star against Mark Wahlberg," director Michael Bay wrote on his website yesterday.

Describing Reynor as "an Irish kid that came to America with 30 bucks in his pocket" Bay said the former Belvedere College student was "pretty ballsy" and "the real deal".

It's a massive break for any actor and set to cast Reynor into the stratosphere, if you'll pardon the pun.

Here at home he's most known for the role of Richard Karsen in Lenny Abrahmson's critically acclaimed 2012 film 'What Richard Did', based loosely on the tragic death of a Dublin teenager outside a nightclub in 2000.

However Reynor's apparently been making waves since heading Stateside and by catching the attention of Bay he's made sure we're going to be hearing a lot more of him.

Transformers 4 is currently in pre-production with a slated release date next year.

Bay rejected the notion of the latest instalment in the blockbuster series being a "reboot", saying the movie takes place exactly four years after events in the last Transformers.

"The story makes a very natural transition, and reason as to why we have a whole new cast," the director revealed.

"This Transformers will feel very different than the last three. We are embarking on a new trilogy.

The news also goes some way towards explaining the lack of activity on Reynor's Twitter feed.

Sorry for twitter radio silence! Have been super busy!!! — Jack Reynor (@jackreynor) December 27, 2012

You certainly have, young man. Kudos.

WATCH: Jack Reynor and Lenny Abrahamson interviewed at the Toronto International Film Festival (Source: YouTube/redcarpetdiary)