Lee Thompson Young

Biography

Lee Thompson Young was an American actor born to Velma Love and Tommy Scott Young. He developed an interest in acting at the age of ten when he portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King in a local play. Young's career began with his leading role in the Disney Channel series The Famous Jett Jackson, which premiered in 1998. He later appeared in the TNT series Rizzoli & Isles as Detective Barry Frost and co-starred in films such as Friday Night Lights, Akeelah and the Bee, and Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story. Young attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts on a full scholarship and graduated with honors. He was passionate about education, children, and mental health advocacy. Tragically, he passed away on August 19, 2013, after struggling with bipolar disorder and clinical depression. Following his death, his family established the Lee Thompson Young Foundation to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness.