Jason Lee

BIRTHDATE: April 25, 1970
BIRTHPLACE: California
MARITAL STATUS: Separated from actress Carmen Lee
WHY HE DESERVES HIS BIG BREAK:
Kids, the next time your mother starts bitching about what you plan to do with your wayward life, you tell her about Jason Lee. He's one of the few success stories about where skateboarding and dropping out of high school can get you.

Born in Southern California, Lee joined the local skateboarding circuit at age 13. By age 18, he dropped out of high school and was skating as a professional, patenting his own moves, founding a skaters' supply and clothing business, and even having a style of Airwalk sneakers designed just for him. He appeared in numerous music videos for such groups as Sonic Youth and Redd Kross, but his real acting debut was a small role 1993's Mi Vida Loca. Two years later, he was cast as uber-slacker Brodie Bruce in Kevin Smith's second film, Mallrats, reportedly on his first audition. Though the movie was a failure with both critics and audiences alike, Lee's performance as a fast-talking comic book fiend was praised as the high point of the film.

Kevin Smith cast Lee again in his third movie, Chasing Amy, the hysterical, touching comedy-drama about a man (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a beautiful lesbian. Lee played Banky, Affleck's best friend, who just can't fathom the idea of losing his closest pal to a girl. He especially can't fathom the idea of losing his best pal to a lesbian--"Since you like chicks, right, do you just look at yourself naked in the mirror all the time?" He won an Independent Spirit Award for his performance. Since then, Lee has been a staple in all of Kevin Smith's films, playing the demon Azrael in Dogma (1999) and reprising both his Brodie and Banky roles in the upcoming Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Jason Lee has also won critical acclaim for his performances as an eccentric millionaire in Mumford, and as the lead singer of the fictitious 70's rock group Stillwater in Almost Famous. Despite his propensity for playing sarcastic, know-it-all jerks, Lee is reportedly one of the funniest, kindest young actors in the business. So invite him to your next party.

FILMOGRAPHY
Films highlighted in yellow present Jason at his best

Fletch Won (2003)--Irwin 'Fletch' Fletcher
Dreamcatcher (2002)--Joe 'Beaver' Clarendon
A Guy Thing (2002)--Paul
Jersey Girl (2002)--????
The Promise (2002)--John
Big Trouble (2002)--Puggy
Vanilla Sky (2001)--Brian Shelby
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)--Brodie Bruce/Banky Edwards
Heartbreakers (2001)--Jack Withrowe
Almost Famous (2000)--Jeff Bebe
Mumford (1999)--Skip Skipperton
Dogma (1999)--Azrael
Enemy of the State (1998)--Daniel Leon Zavitz
American Cuisine (1998)--Loren
Kissing a Fool (1998)--Jay Murphy
A Better Place (1997)--Dennis Pepper
Weapons of Mass Distraction (TV Movie--1997)--Phillip Messenger
Chasing Amy (1997)--Banky Edwards
"Perversions of Science" (1997)--Spaceman #2 (TV guest appearance)
Drawing Flies (1996)--Donner
Mallrats (1995)--Brodie Bruce
Mi Vida Loca (1993)--Teenage Drug Customer