Lee Thompson Young


Lee Thompson Young was an American actor who began his career as a teenager, playing the titular character on the Disney Channel television series The Famous Jett Jackson. As an adult, major roles included playing Chris Comer in the movie Friday Night Lights and Boston police detective Barry Frost on the TNT police drama series Rizzoli & Isles.

Early life

Young was born in Columbia, South Carolina, the son of Velma Elaine and Tommy Scott Young. He was in the second grade when his parents' marriage ended, and he went to live with his mother. At age ten, he portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. in a play called A Night of Stars and Dreams by Dwight Woods at the Phillis Wheatley Repertory Theater of Greenville, South Carolina. It was then that Young decided he wanted to become an actor.

Career

Young moved to New York City in June 1996, but it was not until the next year that he auditioned for the part of Jett Jackson in The Famous Jett Jackson. He filmed the pilot and found out in June 1998 that the Disney Channel had picked up the show; it would go on to become a Disney Channel Original Movie in June 2001. Young also starred in Johnny Tsunami, another Disney Channel Original Movie, as Sam Sterling. Although the movie was successful, he did not reprise the role in the sequel, Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board, which was taken over by Jonathan McDaniel.
In 2002, one year after the cancellation of The Famous Jett Jackson, Young had guest spots in the CBS series The Guardian. He also had a part in the movie Friday Night Lights, portraying Chris Comer. He then portrayed Charles Becnel in the Jamie Foxx movie Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story. Lee appeared on UPN's TV drama series South Beach, and he portrayed Victor Stone in a fifth-season episode of the television series Smallville, in 2006; he reprised the character in the Season Six episode "Justice", and in the Season Nine finale "Salvation".
Young appeared in the feature film Akeelah and the Bee, playing Akeelah's brother Devon. He played National Guard rookie Delmar in The Hills Have Eyes 2. In 2009, Young played a cocky surgical intern in the hit comedy show Scrubs. It is revealed that his character had been overweight during childhood. The character becomes involved in a romance with one of the medical interns.
Young played the role of Al Gough, an FBI agent, in the ABC television drama FlashForward. He was written off the show in episode 7, when his character committed suicide to prevent the death of an innocent civilian.
He made an appearance on the Fox drama The Good Guys as the brother and business partner of an arms dealer. His last acting role was playing Barry Frost, partner of Jane Rizzoli on the TNT drama ''Rizzoli & Isles.''

Personal life

Young graduated with honors from the University of Southern California, where he majored in cinematic arts and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Young enjoyed writing and wrote the screenplay for the 2007 short film Mano.

Death

On August 19, 2013, Young failed to show up to film an episode of Rizzoli & Isles. Police were called to do a wellbeing check on him at his Los Angeles apartment, where he was found dead. His manager stated that the 29-year-old actor had died by suicide. Police confirmed the cause of death as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Young had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, for which he had been taking medication, and had been suffering from depression before his death.
After funeral services at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Young was interred at Lakeview Memorial Garden in York, South Carolina. A memorial service was held on the Paramount Studios lot.
Young's family later launched the Lee Thompson Young Foundation in an effort to help remove the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998–2001'Jett Jackson / SilverstoneLead role
1999Johnny TsunamiSam SterlingTV Movie
2001Jett Jackson: The MovieJett Jackson / SilverstoneTV Movie
2002PhillySteven HicksEpisode: "There's No Business Like No Business"
2002'Levi Mooney5 episodes
2003Jake 2.0Prince Malik NamirEpisode: "The Prince and the Revolution"
2003The JerseyHimselfEpisode: "Origins: Part 2"
2004Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams StoryCharles BecnelTV Movie
2004'Teen Bebe Episode: "Twins to Tweens"
2004–2005Xiaolin ShowdownJermaine 2 episodes
2005Kevin HillLeviEpisode: "Homeland Insecurity"
2006South BeachAlex Bauer5 episodes
2006–2007;
2010		SmallvilleVictor Stone/Cyborg3 episodes
2008Five Year PlanMutabiTV Movie
2008Terminator: The Sarah Connor ChroniclesAgent StewartEpisode: "Heavy Metal"
2009ScrubsDerek3 episodes
2009Lincoln HeightsJulianEpisode: "Bully for You"
2009–2010FlashForwardAl Gough8 episodes
2010'Eric WilliamsEpisode: "Small Rooms"
2010Corporal Bell2 episodes
2010–2014Rizzoli & IslesDet. Barry FrostMain role
2012CSI: NYKelvin MooreEpisode: "Unwrapped"

Accolades