Lee Thompson Young, former Disney star, dead at 29

Lee Thompson Young, former Disney star, dead at 29

Lee Thompson Young

Lee Thompson Young (February 1, 1984 – August 19, 2013) was an American actor. He was known for his teenage role as the title character on the Disney Channel television series The Famous Jett Jackson and as Chris Comer in the movie Friday Night Lights. His last starring role was portraying Boston police detective Barry Frost on the TNT police drama series Rizzoli & Isles.
Young was born in Columbia, South Carolina, the son of Velma (né Love) 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 in a play called A Night of Stars and Dreams by Dwight Woods, and the Phillis Wheatley Repertory Theater of Greenville, South Carolina. It was then that Lee decided he wanted to become an actor. After doing community theater for a while, he traveled to New York during the spring breakof 1996 and secured an agent.

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 from The Disney Channel that the show had been picked up. It later went on to become a Disney movie in June 2001. In 1999, Young starred in Johnny Tsunami, another Disney Channel original movie, as Sam Sterling (a major character). The movie was successful, but he did not reprise the role in the sequel, Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board.

Lee Thompson Young

After the cancellation of The Famous Jett Jackson, Young had guest spots in CBS's The Guardian. He had a part in the movie Friday Night Lights portraying Chris Comer and a part in the Jamie Foxx movie Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story. Lee appeared on UPN's TV drama South Beach. He portrayed Victor Stone (known in DC Comics as Cyborg) in a fifth season episode of the television series Smallville in 2006. He reprised his character in the Season Six episode "Justice", which aired on January 18, 2007, and again in the Season Nine finale "Salvation", which aired on May 14, 2010.

Young appeared in the feature film Akeelah and the Bee, playing Akeelah's brother Devon. He played National Guard rookie, Delmar, inThe Hills Have Eyes 2.

In 2009, Young played a cocky surgical intern in the hit comedy show, Scrubs. It is revealed that his character was an overweight child. 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 new ABC Television Drama Flash Forward. He was written off the show in episode 7, when his character committed suicide to prevent the death of an innocent civilian. He lastly played Barry Frost, partner of Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) on the TNT drama Rizzoli & Isles, and made an appearance on the Fox drama The Good Guys as the brother and business partner of an arms dealer.

Young also starred in the Sugababes video for their 2009 single "About a Girl".

Lee Thompson Young

Lee Thompson Young, former Disney star, dead at 29

On August 19, 2013, Young failed to show up for filming an episode of Rizzoli & Isles. Police were called to check on him at his Los Angeles apartment, where he was found dead. His manager then confirmed the actor took his own life and said, "It is with great sadness that I announce that Lee Thompson Young tragically took his own life this morning ... Lee was more than just a brilliant young actor, he was a wonderful and gentle soul who will be truly missed." Police at this time have not yet released an official cause of death. Young was 29 years old.