Like most of his
Beverly Hills, 90210 costars, this blue-eyed pretty boy has struggled to break free of his seminal teen-idol role. Yet over the years he's managed to put a dent in his good-guy image with a string of diverse roles and a highly publicized crackup. Born in Canada, Priestley started out as a child model and was just a teen when he started guest-starring on TV series. Still, he was just a no-name actor when
90210 turned him into an instant (if unthreatening) sex symbol. During his eight years on the show, he branched out into directing and producing, and attempted to parlay his small-screen success into big-screen fame with middling results, although his sly turn playing a dumbed-down version of himself in the indie
Love and Death on Long Island was well received. After
90210 he continued to appear in films while simultaneously launching a career as a race-car driver, which ended when he crashed his vehicle into a wall in 2002. Although he has landed supporting roles on a number of series (
Tru Calling,
Love Monkey), he has yet to recapture his glory days.
Jason Priestley Fast Facts:
- Began modeling and acting in commercials as a child.
- First major role was in 1989 as a regular on the short-lived sitcom Sister Kate; cast on Beverly Hills, 90210 shortly after that series was canceled.
- Made his London stage debut in the play Side Man in 2000.
- Set the superboat lap speed record of 147.4 mph in 2001.
- In 2002, he crashed his race car into a wall at approximately 180 mph during a practice run at Kentucky Speedway, suffering a fractured spine, broken nose and concussion. He ended up spending three months in a hospital.
- In 2005, he was number 11 on TV Guide's list of TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols.
- Welcomed his second child, a son, with wife Naomi Lowde on July 9, 2009.
- Jason Priestley Relationships:
- Ashlee Peterson - Ex-wife
- Ava Veronica Priestley - Daughter
- Justine Priestley - Sister
- Lorne Priestley - Father
- Naomi Lowde-Priestley - Wife
- Sharon Kirk - Mother
- Jason Priestley Awards:
- 1993 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama - Nominee
- 1995 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama - Nominee
