Lee Thompson Young died at only 29 (Image: TNT)
Lee Thompson Young was a beloved actor who passed away at 29 in 2013.
Lee gained recognition for his performances in Disney Channel’s The Famous Jett Jackson and TNT’s Rizzoli and Isles.
The late actor showed great promise in Hollywood, successfully making the leap from child performer to adult roles. In August 2023, news organizations reported that Lee had died in what appeared to be a suicide.
At that time, his longtime manager Jonathan Baruch confirmed the tragic news and stated that Lee “was more than just a brilliant young actor, he was a wonderful and gentle soul who will be truly missed.” He also requested that the public respect the privacy of Lee’s family and friends.
According to NBC News, the Los Angeles County coroner’s autopsy report indicated that Lee had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Lee Thompson Young’s death marked a change in Hollywood (Image: WireImage for Fingerprint Communications)
The report additionally revealed the former Disney star had a history of bipolar disorder and depression and was taking lithium and quetiapine fumarate. Toxicology screenings revealed no presence of illicit substances in his system at the time of his death.
The late 29-year-old was last contacted on August 17 when he conversed with a friend. His friends asked authorities to conduct a “welfare check” after he didn’t show up for work on the TNT crime drama. Lee was found beside a couch on August 19.
Lee’s final acting credit was on Rizzoli and Isles, where he played Detective Barry Frost for 4 seasons (2010-2014).
Lee Thompson Young’s family still speak out in support of the star (Image: FilmMagic)
Since Lee’s death occurred during the production of season four, his character was written as being on vacation to account for his absence. By the fifth season’s premiere episode, Detective Frost meets his end in a car accident. Just a few episodes later, the show pays tribute to Lee’s character with a dedicated memorial ceremony.
In June 2014, Slate sat down with Rizzoli and Isles’ then-newly appointed showrunner, Jan Nash, to discuss how the production team chose to handle Lee’s death within the series.
“We had one simple principle, which was to make sure that we were honoring Lee and the character of Barry Frost. If the people who loved Lee chose to see it, they would feel that we were honoring his memory,” Jan explained.
Lee was born on February 1, 1984, in Columbia, South Carolina, to Velma Elaine Love and Tommy Scott Young. His passion for acting was ignited at the age of ten when he portrayed Martin Luther King in a stage production of A Night of Stars and Dreams.
In 1996, at the age of 12, he relocated to New York City with his mother to further pursue his acting ambitions, immediately securing representation with an agent.
In 1997, he landed his breakthrough role in The Famous Jett Jackson, which ran for three seasons from 1998 to 2001, later followed by a Disney Channel Original film in 2021. Lee also appeared in another DCOM production, Johnny Tsunami, in 1999.
Following his Disney career, Lee went on to star in a wide range of TV shows and films, including The Guardian (2002), South Beach (2006), Scrubs (2009), Flashforward (2009-2010), and Smallville (2006-2010). His filmography includes Friday Night Lights (2004), Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story (2004), Akeelah and the Bee (2006), and The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007).
Lee also lent his voice to animated projects, including The Proud Family (2004) and Xiaolin Showdown (2004-2005).
In 2005, Lee earned his degree in film production with honors from the University of Southern California‘s School of Cinematic Arts. During his time there, he co-wrote and co-starred in the short film Mano (2007).
In 2014, the Lee family spoke publicly about his death to WIS 10 for the first time. His mother revealed that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder during his late teens.
Lee had quite the career before his death (Image: Walt Disney)
“I noticed some periods of sadness and that stabilized quickly,” she added. “Some of a person’s inner life, you really don’t know.”
His sister, Tamu Lewis, also recalled that Young would occasionally call her saying “he was feeling a little sad again.” Tamu said, “It was always a quick recovery,” and described how Lee remained concerned about and protective of his family.
Velma said they were “stunned” upon learning of Lee’s death. “I guess that’s the question that everyone would ask. And we really don’t know those answers, and there’s really no way to know,” she continued.
In 2014, Lee’s family established the Lee Thompson Young Foundation, dedicated to eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health and to “promote mental health literacy” and well-being. “I do feel like having someone like Lee impacted by it and it being in the news and that sort,” Tamu said, “It sort of kind of makes it okay. People know that Lee wasn’t the only one. And for them to see everything he accomplished in the 29 years, it’s more than some people accomplish in their whole lives. He was able to do that with a mental illness and, yes, it ended tragically, but through that we’re inspired.”
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