Biography

Lee Thompson Young was born as the son of Velma Love and Tommy Scott Young. When he was in second grade his parents split up and he went to live with his mother. At age ten, he portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a play called "A Night of Stars and Dreams". That's when Lee decided he wanted to be an actor. After doing community theater for a while, he traveled to New York during the spring break of 1996 and got himself an agent. He moved to NY in June but it wasn't until next year that he got to audition for the part of Jett Jackson. Lee filmed the pilot. He found out in June 1998 from Disney that the show had been picked up.
- IMDb mini biography by: Sugarplum <cleo_2525@yahoo.com>

Lee Thompson Young's star quality has graced the stage, the small screen and the big screen from a very early age. Portraying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the production of "A Night Of Stars And Dreams" in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, at the mere age of 10, inspired him to pursue a career as an actor.

Young's professional career took off with his leading role on the Disney Channel television series The Famous Jett Jackson (1998). Lee can be seen in the hit TNT series Rizzoli & Isles (2010), playing "Detective Barry Frost", the partner of "Jane Rizzoli" (Angie Harmon). A passionate student of the craft of acting, Lee conducted extensive research with the Homicide Unit of the Boston Police Department in preparation for the role.

He is also widely recognized for his work co-starring in several films, including Friday Night Lights (2004) with Billy Bob Thornton, Akeelah and the Bee (2006) with Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne and Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story (2004) with Jamie Foxx.

In 2008, Young signed a talent development deal with ABC, which resulted in a critically-acclaimed seven-episode arc in the drama, Flashforward (2009). He also played important recurring roles on both the hit comedy, Scrubs (2001), and the fan favorite, Smallville (2001). He has appeared on numerous television series, including The Event (2010), The Guardian (2001), South Beach (2006) and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008). After working with directors Shawn Levy, James Marshall and Milan Cheylov at a young age, Lee became fascinated with the art, craft, and discipline of film-making. He attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts on a full academic scholarship, where he graduated with honors. He was an avid photographer who enjoyed traveling and immersing himself in the culture of the places he visited. He studied many different styles of martial arts throughout his life and trained in Wun Hop Kuen Do and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was very passionate about education and children, and a strong supporter of the Children's Defense Fund.
- IMDb mini biography by: Joans Public Relations

Tragically, Mr. Young took his own life on August 19, 2013, after years of struggle with bipolar disorder and clinical depression. His death was not detected until he failed to show for filming of an episode of Rizzoli & Isles, after which police were sent to his home to check on his welfare. Following his funeral, his family announced the formation of the Lee Thompson Young Foundation to help fight the stigma often associated with mental illness.
- IMDb mini biography by: javelin98