Justin Pierce

Justin Pierce
Born	Justin Charles Pierce March 21, 1975 London, England
Died	July 10, 2000 (aged 25) Paradise, Nevada
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actor, skateboarder
Years active	1995–2000
Known for	Kids
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Spouse(s)	Gina Rizzo (m. 1999–2000)

Justin Charles Pierce (March 21, 1975 – July 10, 2000) was a British actor and skateboarder who grew up in the US. He is best known for his roles as Casper in the 1995 film Kids and as Roach in the 2000 film Next Friday. On July 10, 2000, Pierce committed suicide in Las Vegas, Nevada.^[1]

Early life

Pierce was born in London, England to a Welsh mother and an Australian father, Pierce was brought up in the Marble Hill section of New York City. Pierce's mother and adoptive father divorced when he was 15.^[2]

After his parents' divorce, he began stealing cigarettes and food and skipping school in favor of skateboarding. Pierce soon quit school and moved out, staying in a "warren of rooms" in a basement of a building on 176th street, that was "teeming" with fellow skaters. Pierce was later arrested for the possession of marijuana and heroin under his pants in a police road search.^[2][3]

Career

While skateboarding in Washington Square Park, Pierce was discovered by film director Larry Clark, who cast him in his controversial 1995 film Kids.^[2] After the success of Kids, Pierce won an Independent Spirit Award for his portrayal of Casper, the profane and drug-addicted skateboarder friend of Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick), and relocated to Los Angeles.^[2]

He would go on to appear in the 1997 film A Brother's Kiss as the young Nick Chinlund. Pierce also appeared in television movies including 1997's First Time Felon, and the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. He also starred alongside Ice Cube and Mike Epps in the film Next Friday as Roach. Pierce's last on screen appearance was in the 2002 film Looking for Leonard, which was released after his death. The film was dedicated to his memory.

Personal life

In 1999, Pierce married stylist Gina Rizzo in Las Vegas, Nevada.^[2] He had two pit bull dogs, Isis and Mr. Jones.

Death

On July 10, 2000, Pierce was found hanging in his room at the Bellagio Hotel by hotel security. His death was determined to be a suicide.^[1][4][5] The following day, a Catholic memorial service for Pierce was held at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in Manhattan's Little Italy.^[2]

Filmography

	Year		Title	Role	Notes
	1995		Kids	Casper
	1996		Supreme Crew '96	Justin Pierce	Skateboarding: Promo video for Supreme New York
	1997		A Brother's Kiss	Young Lex
	1997		First Time Felon	Eddie	Television film
	1998		Wild Horses	Rookie	Alternative title: Lunch Time Special
	1998		Myth America
	1998		Freak Weather	Pizza Guy
	1998		Zoo York Mix Tape	Justin Pierce	Skateboarding
	1999		Too Pure	Leo
	1999		Out in Fifty	Freddy
	1999		Pigeonholed	Devon
	1999		The Big Tease	Skateboard Kid
	2000		This Is How the World Ends	Zombie	Television film
	2000		Next Friday	Roach
	2000		Malcolm in the Middle	Justin	2 episodes
	2000		King of the Jungle	Lil' Mafia
	2000		BlackMale	Luther Wright	Alternative title: Blackmail
	2002		Looking for Leonard	Chevy	Released posthumously

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Title of work	Result
1996	Independent Spirit Awards	Best Debut Performance	Kids	Won

References

1. "Justin Pierce, 25; Starred in 'Kids'". The New York Times. 2000-07-13.
2. Davis, Peter (October 1, 2000). "Justin Pierce: The Lost Boy". papermag.com. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
3. "‘Kids,’ Then and Now". New York Times. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
4. "Justin Pierce". Yahoo!. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
5. "Where Are They Now? The Cast of Kids". Unreality Magazine. Retrieved 22 September 2015.

External links

• Justin Pierce at the Internet Movie Database

Justin Pierce at Find a Grave