Skeet Ulrich

**Skeet Ulrich** (pronounced *Ul-rich*; born **Bryan Ray Trout**; January 20, 1970) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in popular 1990s films, including Billy Loomis in *Scream*, Chris Hooker in *The Craft* and Vincent in *As Good As It Gets*. Since 2017, he has starred as FP Jones on The CW's *Riverdale*. 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.

## Early life

Bryan Ray Trout was born on January 20, 1970, 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. 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, including numerous bouts with pneumonia; he underwent open-heart surgery to repair a defective ventricle at the age of 10. Ulrich graduated from Northwest Cabarrus High School in North Carolina. After enrolling at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to study marine biology, he switched to New York University, where he was noticed by 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 appeared in *The Craft* opposite Robin Tunney and Neve Campbell. He was cast that same year to star alongside Campbell again in Wes Craven's hit slasher film *Scream*.

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 shorted 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. As of 2017, he stars as Forsythe Pendleton Jones II, the father of Jughead Jones, in *Riverdale* on The CW, loosely based on the *Archie* comic book series. On February 23, 2020, Ulrich announced that he would be leaving *Riverdale* ahead of its fifth season, making season four his last on the show.

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 as Brice in the 2017 horror movie *Escape Room*.

## 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 and their canine companions as guests. They have twins 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 November 2017.[*citation needed*]

He enjoys woodworking.

## Filmography

### Film

1982 The Babysitter Murders Shawn Shadowmend

1996 *The Craft Chris Hooker*

1996 *Last Dance Billy*

1996 *Boys Bud Valentine*

1996 *Albino Alligator Danny Boudreaux*

1996 *Scream Billy Loomis*

1997 *Touch Juvenal / Charlie Lawson*

1997 *As Good as It Gets Vincent*

1998 *The Newton Boys* Joe Newton

1999 *Chill Factor Tim Mason*

1999 *Ride with the Devil Jack Bull Chiles*

2000 *Track Down Kevin Mitnick*

2001 *Nobody's Baby Billy Raedeen*

2001 *Soul Assassin Kevin Burke*

2001 *Kevin of the North Kevin Manley*

2009 *For Sale by Owner Junior*

2009 *Armored Dobbs*

2014 *50 to 1 Chip Woolley*

2014 *The Girl on the Roof N/A Short film; director*

2017 *Austin Found Billy Fontaine*

2018 *Escape Room Brice*

2021 *Finch Sam Post-production*

TBA *Blood Post-production*

TBA *Supercell Roy*

### Television films

1989 Killjoy: The Beginning Kip Roosevelt/Killjoy

1998 *A Soldier's Sweetheart Mark Fossie*

2005 *The Magic of Ordinary Days Ray Singleton*

2009 *Back Richard Miles*

2010 *Gimme Shelter Billy Jost*

2013 *Anatomy of Violence Adrian Raines*

### Television

1994 *CBS Schoolbreak Special Vinnie DiFazio Episode: "Same Difference"*

2003 *Miracles Paul Callan 13 episodes*

2005 *Into the West Jethro Wheeler TV miniseries*

2006–2008 *Jericho Jake Green 29 episodes*

2007–2014 *Robot Chicken Various voices 9 episodes*

2009 *CSI: NY Hollis Eckhart 3 episodes*

2010 *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Det. Rex Winters Episode: "Behave"*

2010–2011 *Law & Order: LA Det. Rex Winters 14 episodes*

2015–2016 *Unforgettable Eddie Martin 2 episodes*

2017–2021 *Riverdale FP Jones Recurring role (season 1) Main role (seasons 2–5)*

2021 Bodyguard (American TV series) Detective Rex Ward Main Role

2020 *#FreeRayshawn Sgt. Mike Trout Main role*

## Awards and nominations

1982 Black Moon Awards Movie of the Year Award The Babysitter Murders Won with the cast

1997 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Best Supporting Actor *Scream Nominated*

2006 Character and Morality in Entertainment Awards N/A *The Magic of Ordinary Days Won*

2006 Western Heritage Awards *Into the West Television Feature Film Won*

2021 Black Moon Awards Drama of the Year Award Bodyguard (American TV series) *Won*