Biography
Jason Lee was born in Orange, California. He was raised in
nearby Huntington Beach, where he attended Ocean View High
School, although he did not graduate.
Jason Lee was a prominent professional skateboarder in the late
1980s and early 1990s. Notable tricks performed by Lee included
360 flips, kickflip backside tailslides, and curb cut launched
Japan airs. He was co-founder of Stereo Skateboards with Chris
Pastras in 1992; the company was revived by the pair in 2004
after having been defunct for several years.
Jason Lee was one of the first skateboarders to receive a pro
model shoe, produced by Airwalk. His part in the 1991 Blind
skateboards promotional video Video Days, shot by Spike Jonze,
remains influential to this day. Today, he is remembered as one
of the most influential and innovative street skaters of the
early '90s.
Intrigued by a few minor acting roles, including the Spike Jonze-directed
Sonic Youth music video for "100%" in 1992 and a small part in
Allison Anders' 1993 film Mi Vida Loca, Lee decided to leave
professional skating for a full-time acting career, surprising
the skateboarding world. His first major movie role was in Kevin
Smith's Mallrats which became a cult hit. He remained a close
friend of Smith and has appeared in most of the director's
works, including Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike
Back, Jersey Girl and Clerks II. Most consider Lee's acting
career to have truly launched with his Independent Spirit
Award-winning role in Chasing Amy as Banky Edwards, the
pseudohomophobic comic book artist and best friend for life to
Ben Affleck's character.
Jason Lee graduated to leading man roles in Stealing Harvard
(alongside Tom Green) as well as A Guy Thing (alongside Julia
Stiles). He has also appeared in minor roles in Enemy of the
State, and Vanilla Sky, and has supporting roles in Almost
Famous. Dreamcatcher, Big Trouble, and The Ballad of Jack and
Rose, and Mumford. He also voiced the schizophrenic (according
to the DVD Directors' Commentary) super villain Syndrome in the
animated movie The Incredibles and its DVD bonus video Jack-Jack
Attack. Lee reprised the role as a "robot copy" of Syndrome the
Disney on Ice play Disney Presents Pixar's The Incredibles in a
Magic Kingdom Adventure.
Jason Lee's 2005 NBC sitcom, My Name Is Earl, in which he stars
as Earl Hickey, a petty thief who finds karma and sets out to
put right all his wrongs from the past using a list he has
compiled of all the bad things he has ever done, debuted to
critical acclaim and impressive ratings on September 20, 2005.
It was quickly ordered for a full season—the first sitcom of the
season to do so. Several months later, it was also quickly
renewed for a second season. His performance on the show has
resulted in a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an
Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy as well as a
nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor in a
Comedy Series.
Lee and his fiancée Beth Riesgraf have a son named Pilot
Inspektor Riesgraf Lee (b. September 28, 2003); the
often-ridiculed name was inspired by the song "He's Simple, He's
Dumb, He's the Pilot" by the band Granddaddy.
Jason Lee is a Scientologist.
Film List
Other media
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