Skeet Ulrich

Early life

Bryan Ray Trout was born on January 20, 1970, in Lynchburg, Virginia. His mother, Carolyn Elaine Wax (), owns the special events marketing agency Sports Management Group, and his father is a restaurateur. He has an elder brother, Geoff. His first stepfather was D. K. Ulrich, a NASCAR driver and team owner, whom he considers his father. In 1990, his mother remarried, to Edward Lewis Wax. Ulrich's maternal uncle is retired NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd, and his maternal grandfather was Alvin Ray Rudd Sr., the president of Al Rudd Auto Parts.

Ulrich's father kidnapped him and his brother when he was six years old, and they spent the next three years moving from Florida to New York and then to Pennsylvania. They were reunited with their mother in North Carolina, where his father disappeared from his life.

The nickname "Skeet" originated from "Skeeter", a nickname he was given by his Little League coach because of his small stature and because he was fast as a mosquito. Along with his slight frame, he had poor health as a child, including numerous bouts with pneumonia; he underwent open-heart surgery to repair a defective ventricle. Ulrich graduated from Northwest Cabarrus High School in North Carolina. After enrolling at the University of North Carolina Wilmington to study marine biology, he switched to New York University, where he studied under playwright David Mamet.

Career

In his earliest screen appearances, Ulrich was an uncredited extra in films Weekend at Bernie's (1989) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). After joining the Atlantic Theater Company as an apprentice, Ulrich performed with the group, which got him noticed by director Stacy Cochran. She cast him in a CBS Schoolbreak Special. With her help, he also received his first notable role on screen in 1996 as the loutish boyfriend of Winona Ryder in Boys. That same year, he also appeared in Kevin Spacey's directorial debut Albino Alligator and The Craft alongside Robin Tunney and Neve Campbell. He was cast that same year to star alongside Campbell again in Wes Craven's slasher film Scream as Billy Loomis where, during production, he was accidentally stabbed in the area where he had open-heart surgery.

In 1997, he had a small role as an emotionally conflicted gay hustler in As Good as It Gets (along with fellow Scream actor Jamie Kennedy). He appeared in films like The Newton Boys (1998) and Chill Factor (1999). He starred as Juvenal, a young man with stigmata and healing powers in the Paul Schrader film Touch (1997), and he appeared in Ride with the Devil (1999), an American Civil War drama directed by Ang Lee. In 2000, he played computer hacker Kevin Mitnick in the film Takedown.

On television, Ulrich starred in the short-lived ABC series Miracles and appeared in TNT's multiple Emmy-nominated miniseries Into the West (2005 in the U.S., 2006 in the UK). Also in 2005, Ulrich acted with Keri Russell in the television film The Magic of Ordinary Days. He starred as Jake Green on the CBS post-apocalyptic drama Jericho, which premiered on September 20, 2006, and ended its run on March 25, 2008. The series was cancelled after its first season but was brought back due to fan outcry and support. Fans lobbied the studio, and the series was brought back for a shortened second season.

Ulrich is a recurring guest voice actor on the Adult Swim animated stop-motion sketch comedy series Robot Chicken. In sketches based on G.I. Joe, Ulrich voices the character Duke. Ulrich guest-starred in three episodes of CSI: NY as a complex and disturbed killer. From 2017 to 2021, he starred as Forsythe Pendleton Jones II, the father of Jughead Jones, in Riverdale on The CW, loosely based on the Archie comic book series.

Ulrich appeared as Brian David Mitchell in the 2017 Lifetime film I Am Elizabeth Smart, based on the 2002 abduction and captivity of Elizabeth Smart. He also played Brice Cobb in the 2017 horror movie Escape Room.

In 2022, Ulrich reprised his role as Billy Loomis in the fifth film in the series, also titled Scream. He did so again in 2023 in Scream VI. In 2024, he presented the award for Best Wide Release at the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.

In 2025, Ulrich reunited with Matthew Lillard in Five Nights at Freddy's 2.

Personal life

In 1997, Ulrich married English actress Georgina Cates, whom he met at an Academy Awards party. Their wedding was a small ceremony held on their farmland in Madison County, Virginia, with only the preacher as a guest. They have twins, a daughter and son, born in 2001. Ulrich and Cates separated in 2004 and filed for divorce in 2005, citing irreconcilable differences.

He married actress Amelia Jackson-Gray in 2012, and they divorced in 2015. In 2016, Ulrich became engaged to Brazilian model Rose Costa, but the couple split in 2017.

He enjoys woodworking.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. Rose, Mike. (January 20, 2023). "Today's famous birthdays list for January 20, 2023 includes celebrities Questlove, Rainn Wilson".
2. "Skeet Ulrich".
3. Hoban, Phoebe. (March 16, 1997). "An Actor Building a Career as Not-Johnny-Depp". [[The New York Times]].
4. "Skeet Ulrich". [[E! Online]].
5. (December 9, 1990). "Ms. Rudd Is Wed To Edward Wax". [[The New York Times]].
6. "Alvin R. Rudd Sr., Chesapeake". [[The Virginian-Pilot]].
7. Wallace, Amy. (October 1, 2010). "Talking Shop With Skeet Ulrich". [[Los Angeles (magazine).
8. Maroney, Padraic. (2021). "It All Began With A Scream". BearManor Media.
9. Henley, Ken W.. (January 11, 2011). ""Scream", "The Craft" Actor Skeet Ulrich To Make Convention Debut at Texas Frightmare Weekend!".
10. Molloy, Tim. (August 5, 2009). "Exclusive: Skeet Ulrich Joins CSI: NY for Killer Arc". [[TV Guide]].
11. Ramos, Dino-Ray. (February 23, 2020). "Skeet Ulrich And Marisol Nichols To Depart 'Riverdale' After Four Seasons".
12. Spelling, Ian. (2017-11-10). "Playing this felon was tough for Skeet Ulrich".
13. (2016-05-14). "Cannes: Skeet Ulrich Returns to Horror in 'Escape Room'".
14. Romanchick, Shane. (2022-01-18). "'Scream' Bloody Set Image Features Killer Cameo From the Past".
15. Longeretta, Emily. (March 13, 2023). "'Scream VI' Team Breaks Down Every Killer Twist: Stu's Future, Neve Campbell's Absence and the Return of [Spoiler]".
16. Dunn, Jack. (September 26, 2024). "2024 Fangoria Magazine Chainsaw Awards Sets Oct. 13 Premiere Date (EXCLUSIVE)".
17. "The Art And Making Of Five Nights At Freddy's 1 And 2 Book By Scott Cawthon".
18. (August 30, 2017). "Skeet Ulrich Is Trying to Kill Me With His Dad Comments on Insta". [[Cosmopolitan (magazine).
19. (June 23, 2005). "Skeet To Divorce".
20. Thompson, Eliza. (2021-04-30). "How Skeet Ulrich Really Feels About His Split From Lucy Hale".
21. Greco, Patti. (October 17, 2017). "Skeet Ulrich Went From '90s Heartthrob to Struggling TV Actor. Now He's Back.".
22. Crabtree, Erin. (February 27, 2021). "Heating Up! Skeet Ulrich Flirts With Lucy Hale After PDA Pics".
23. "Skeet Ulrich List of Movies and TV Shows".
24. "Skeet Ulrich".
25. Squires, John. (May 8, 2018). "[Trailer] 'Escape Room,' Skeet Ulrich's Return to Horror, Now Available Through Redbox".
26. Squires, John. (April 15, 2022). "Skeet Ulrich Stars Alongside Michelle Monaghan in 'Session 9' Director's 'Blood'".
27. Grobar, Matt. (2021-11-23). "''Salvation'': Skeet Ulrich Boards Thriller From Director Mackenzie Munro".
28. DiVincenzo, Alex. (January 28, 2025). "Skeet Ulrich, Mena Suvari, Elizabeth Marvel, & Lin Shaye to Star in ‘Devoted’".
29. Cordero, Rosy. (March 14, 2025). "Skeet Ulrich, Paris Jackson, Marcia Gay Harden & Virginia Madsen Among 7 Rounding Out Cast Of Catherine Hardwicke’s ‘Street Smart’".
30. Gajewski, Ryan. (October 23, 2025). "Skeet Ulrich, Alicia Witt, Pete Holmes to Star in Nostalgic Horror-Comedy ‘The Big Kill’ (Exclusive)".
31. "Skeet Ulrich (visual voices guide)".
32. Andreeva, Nellie. (August 2, 2022). "'The Driver': Skeet Ulrich Joins Giancarlo Esposito In AMC Series".
33. Troughton, James. (November 19, 2024). "We Finally Know Which Ghostface Killer Is Behind The Mask In Mortal Kombat 1".
34. Squires, John. (December 6, 2024). "Bill Moseley and Skeet Ulrich Joining ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ Game! [Trailer]".
35. Cooper, Dalton. (December 7, 2024). "December 12 Will Be a Big Day for Texas Chain Saw Massacre Fans".