Ryan Cooley

Last updated
Ryan Cooley
Ryan Cooley 2007.jpg
Cooley in 2007
Born
Ryan Hadison Cooley

(1988-05-18) May 18, 1988 (age 36)
Alma mater University of Toronto
Occupation(s) Actor, consultant
Years active1998–2015

Ryan Hadison Cooley (born May 18, 1988) is a Canadian [1] consultant and former actor. He is best known for his role as James Tiberius "J.T." Yorke on Degrassi: The Next Generation which he starred in from 2001 until 2007.

Contents

He is currently the Vice President of Konrad Group, a digitial agency that creates apps and products. [2]

Career

Prior to joining the Degrassi cast, he had a two-year run as Pleskit, the alien lead in the television series I Was a Sixth Grade Alien . Cooley's other television credits include the series, Are You Afraid of the Dark? , Queer as Folk , Lexx: The Series and Life with Derek . He has also appeared in the features Sachsenhausen 1944, Toy Men, Disney Channel film The Color of Friendship , the Animal Planet film Cybermutt and CBC television film Happy Christmas Miss King alongside his Degrassi co-star Lauren Collins. [2]

In 2001, Cooley began appearing on Degrassi: The Next Generation as a regular character in the first season of the show and continued until his character's death in 2007, the show’s sixth season. [3] [4] In 2002, Cooley was nominated for a Young Artist Award (LA) for Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series for the show.

Cooley has also appeared in the 2007 film The Tracey Fragments with Elliot Page. [a] [5]

In 2012, Cooley guest starred in a YouTube miniseries Millie and Midge, in episodes 2 and 4 as Parker.

Cooley was to appear in former co-star Drake's 2018 music video for the single "I'm Upset," however he declined due to believing it was a scam. The video was set around a Degrassi reunion. [6]

Personal life

Following his departure from Degrassi, Cooley took a break from acting and attended the University of Toronto where he studied theatre. [7] [4]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998AfterJohnathan MadisonShort film
Happy Christmas, Miss King Daniel KingTelevision film
2000 The Color of Friendship BillyTelevision film
2003 Cybermutt NinoTelevision film
2005God's GoodnessMikeShort film
2007 The Tracey Fragments David Goldberg

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999Real Kids, Real AdventuresBud TooleEpisode: "Amy to the Rescue: The Amy Toole Story"
1999–2001 I Was a Sixth Grade Alien PleskitMain role
2000 Are You Afraid of the Dark? Waif Kid3 episodes
2001 Queer as Folk Hank CameronSupporting role
2001 Lexx Digby3 episodes
2001–2007 Degrassi: The Next Generation J.T. Yorke Main cast
2005 Life with Derek FrankEpisode: "The Poxfather"
2010 The Dating Guy Booyah's sonVoice, episode: "Weekend at Booyah's"
2012 Lost Girl Website OwnerEpisode: "Midnight Lamp"
2013–2015 Oh No! It's an Alien Invasion LouisVoice, main cast
2014 BeyWarriors: BeyRaiderz Task LandauVoice, main cast

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2002 Young Artist Awards Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) Degrassi: The Next Generation Won [8]
Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series - Leading Young ActorNominated [8]
2003Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama)Nominated [9]
2005Outstanding Young Performers in a TV SeriesNominated [10]
2006Best Young Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama)Nominated [11]

Notes

  1. Credited as Ellen Page

Related Research Articles

<i>Degrassi: The Next Generation</i> Canadian teen drama television series (2001–2015)

Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series created by Yan Moore and Linda Schuyler. It is the fourth series in the Degrassi franchise and a revival of Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. It premiered on CTV on October 14, 2001 and concluded on August 2, 2015 on MTV Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Collins</span> Canadian actress (born 1986)

Lauren Felice Collins is a Canadian actress, best known for portraying Paige Michalchuk on Degrassi: The Next Generation. She has also had supporting roles in the films Take the Lead (2006) and Charlie Bartlett (2007). In 2013, she appeared in multiple episodes of the sketch comedy Kroll Show, as well as a recurring guest role in the fourth season of the FX series The Strain (2017).

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Mastroianni</span> Canadian actor

Pasquale Mastroianni, known professionally as Pat Mastroianni, is a Canadian actor who is best known for his role as Joey Jeremiah in the Degrassi television franchise, playing the role as a student in Degrassi Junior High (1987–89) and Degrassi High (1989–91), and reprising the role as an adult on Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–06). In 1988, he received a Gemini Award for Degrassi Junior High.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stefan Brogren</span> Canadian actor and director (born 1972)

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James Tiberius "J.T." Yorke is a fictional character from the Canadian teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He was portrayed by Ryan Cooley. He debuted in the first episode of the series and appeared throughout its first six seasons. His role throughout Degrassi: The Next Generation primarily concerns his friendship with Toby Issacs, his relationship with Liberty Van Zandt, and his later brief relationship with Mia Jones. In the show's fifth season, Liberty becomes pregnant after the two become sexually active, with Liberty ultimately deciding to put the baby up for adoption. He then begins to date Mia by the sixth season, but has second thoughts about Liberty. Before he is able to rekindle his relationship with Liberty, he is stabbed to death by Drake Lempkey, a student from rival school Lakehurst, puncturing his aorta and killing him. His death causes tensions between Degrassi and Lakehurst, which are exacerbated by the latter's students being moved to Degrassi in the seventh season.

<i>Degrassi: The Next Generation</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of Degrassi: The Next Generation, a Canadian serial teen drama television series, commenced airing in Canada on 14 October 2001 and concluded on 3 March 2002, consisting of fifteen episodes. The series introduces a group of seventh and eighth grade school children, and follows their lives as they deal with some of the challenges and issues teenagers face such as online predators, body image, dysfunctional families, sex, puberty, rumours, peer pressure, stress, and drug use.

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References

  1. "Ryan Cooley - Overview". Allmovie . Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  2. 1 2 Fuentes, Tamara (2018-06-15). "This Is What the "Degrassi: The Next Generation" Cast Looks Like Now". Seventeen. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  3. Sunderland, Mitchell (2017-04-26). "Viagra, Murder, and Other Problems Teens Only Faced on Degrassi". Vice. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  4. 1 2 "Exclusive Interview: Degrassi's Ryan Cooley Talks About the Death of J.T." The TV Addict. 2007-01-18. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  5. Ness, Caro (12 Nov 2008). "The Tracey Fragments (2007) Movie Review from Eye for Film". www.eyeforfilm.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  6. Agard, Chancellor (14 June 2018). "Drake addresses why J.T. wasn't in his 'Degrassi' reunion video for 'I'm Upset'". EW.com. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  7. Zhu, Danielle (17 Feb 2023). "'Degrassi' cast: Where are they now?". EW.com. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  8. 1 2 "Young Artist Awards (2002)". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  9. "Young Artist Awards (2003)". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  10. "Young Artist Awards (2005)". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  11. "Young Artist Awards (2006)". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-04-08.