Skeet Ulrich

Skeet Ulrich (/ˈʌlrɪtʃ/; born Bryan Ray Trout on January 20, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in popular 1990s films, including Billy Loomis in Scream (1996), Chris Hooker in The Craft (1996), and Vincent Lopiano in As Good as It Gets (1997). From 2017 to 2021, he starred as Forsythe Pendleton "F.P." Jones II on The CW's Riverdale. He reprised his Scream role in the sequels Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023). His other television roles include Johnston Jacob "Jake" Green Jr. in the television series Jericho, and LAPD Detective Rex Winters, a Marine veteran from the Law & Order franchise.

Skeet Ulrich
Ulrich at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2024
Born	Bryan Ray Trout (1970-01-20) January 20, 1970 (age 55) Lynchburg, Virginia U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1989–present
Spouses	Georgina Cates ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 2005)​ Amelia Jackson-Gray ​ ​ (m. 2012; div. 2015)​
Children	2

Early life

Bryan Ray Trout was born on January 20, 1970,^[1] in Lynchburg, Virginia. His mother, Carolyn Elaine Wax (née Rudd), owns the special events marketing agency Sports Management Group, and his father is a restaurateur.^{[citation needed]} He has an elder brother, Geoff.^[2] His first stepfather was D. K. Ulrich, a NASCAR driver and team owner, whom he considers his father.^[3] In 1990, his mother remarried, to Edward Lewis Wax.^[4][5] Ulrich's maternal uncle is retired NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd,^[2] and his maternal grandfather was Alvin Ray Rudd Sr., the president of Al Rudd Auto Parts.^[6]

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.^[7]

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.^[7] 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.^[7] 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.^[2]

Career

In his earliest screen appearances, Ulrich was an uncredited extra in films Weekend at Bernie's (1989) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990).^{[citation needed]} 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 hit slasher film Scream as Billy Loomis where, during production, he was accidentally stabbed in the area where he had open-heart surgery.^[8]

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).^[9] 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.^[10] 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.^[11]

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.^[12] He also played Brice Cobb in the 2017 horror movie Escape Room.^[13]

In 2022, Ulrich reprises his role as Billy Loomis in the fifth film in the series, also titled Scream.^[14] He did so again in 2023 in Scream VI.^[15] In 2024, he presented the award for Best Wide Release at the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.^[16]

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.^[17] Ulrich and Cates separated in 2004 and filed for divorce in 2005, citing irreconcilable differences.^[18]

He married actress Amelia Jackson-Gray in 2012, and they divorced in 2015.^[19] In 2016, Ulrich became engaged to Brazilian model Rose Costa,^[20] but the couple split in 2017.^[21]

He enjoys woodworking^[7] and gardening.

Filmography

Film

List of films and roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
1989	Weekend at Bernie's	Extra	Uncredited	[22]
1990	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles	Thug		[22][23]
1996	The Craft	Chris Hooker
	Last Dance	Billy Liggett
	Boys	Bud Valentine
	Albino Alligator	Danny Boudreaux
	Scream	Billy Loomis
1997	Touch	Juvenal / Charlie Lawson
	As Good as It Gets	Vincent Lopiano
1998	The Newton Boys	Joe Newton
1999	Chill Factor	Tim Mason
	Ride with the Devil	Jack Bull Chiles
2000	Scream 3	Billy Loomis	Voice; archival audio from Scream (uncredited)
	Track Down/Takedown	Kevin Mitnick		[22][23]
2001	Nobody's Baby	Billy Raedeen
	Soul Assassin	Kevin Burke
	Kevin of the North	Kevin Manley
2005	The Magic of Ordinary Days	Ray Singleton
2009	For Sale by Owner	Junior		[23]
	Armored	Dobbs		[22][23]
2014	50 to 1	Chip Woolley
	The Girl on the Roof	—	Short film; director
2017	Austin Found	Billy Fontaine		[22]
2018	Escape Room	Brice Cobb		[24]
2022	Scream	Billy Loomis		[14]
2023	Blood	Patrick		[22][25]
	Scream VI	Billy Loomis	Cameo	[15]
	Supercell	Roy Cameron		[22]
TBA	Devoted †	TBA	Post-production	[26]
	Salvation †	TBA		[27]
	Street Smart †	TBA		[28]

Key

†	Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
1994	CBS Schoolbreak Special	Vinnie DiFazio	Episode: "Same Difference"
1998	A Soldier's Sweetheart	Mark Fossie	Television film	[22]
2003	Miracles	Paul Callan	13 episodes
2005	The Magic of Ordinary Days	Ray Singleton	Television film
	Into the West	Jethro Wheeler	TV miniseries
2006–2008	Jericho	Jake Green	29 episodes
2007–2021	Robot Chicken	Various voices	10 episodes	[29]
2009	Back	Richard Miles	Television film
	CSI: NY	Hollis Eckhart	3 episodes	[22]
2010	Gimme Shelter	Billy Jost	Television film
	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Det. Rex Winters	Episode: "Behave"	[22]
2010–2011	Law & Order: LA		14 episodes
2013	Anatomy of Violence	Adrian Raines	Television film
2015–2016	Unforgettable	Eddie Martin	2 episodes	[22]
2017	I Am Elizabeth Smart	Brian David Mitchell	Television film	[22][23]
2017–2021	Riverdale	Forsythe Pendleton "F.P." Jones II	64 episodes Recurring role (season 1) Main role (seasons 2–5)	[22]
2020	#FreeRayshawn	Sgt. Mike Trout	Main role
2024	Parish	Colin Broussard	6 episodes Main role	[22][30]

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
2024	Mortal Kombat 1	Billy Loomis / Ghostface	"Khaos Reigns" downloadable content, Likeness only	[31]
	The Texas Chain Saw Massacre	Wyatt Dunn	Downloadable content Voice	[32][33]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
1997	Fangoria Chainsaw Awards	Best Supporting Actor	Scream	Nominated
	Saturn Awards			Nominated
2006	Character and Morality in Entertainment Awards	—	The Magic of Ordinary Days	Won
	Western Heritage Awards	Television Feature Film	Into the West	Won
2014	Williamsburg Independent Film Festival	Best Breakout Director	The Girl on the Roof	Won