Jason Priestley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jason Priestley
Priestley in 2012
Born	Jason Bradford Priestley (1969-08-28) August 28, 1969 (age 55) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Citizenship	Canada United States
Occupation	Actor television director
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Ashlee Petersen ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2000)​ Naomi Lowde ​ ​ (m. 2005)​
Children	2

Jason Priestley is a famous actor and director from Canada and the United States. He was born on August 28, 1969. Many people know him best for playing Brandon Walsh in the popular TV show Beverly Hills, 90210. He was on that show from 1990 to 1998, and again in 2000.

Jason Priestley also starred as Richard "Fitz" Fitzpatrick in Call Me Fitz (2010–2013). Later, he played Matt Shade in the Canadian series Private Eyes (2016–2021).

Early Life

Jason Bradford Priestley was born in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His mother, Sharon Kirk, was an actress and acting coach. Jason went to Argyle Secondary School in North Vancouver.

He has an older sister named Justine Priestley, who is also an actress. He also has two step-siblings, Karin and Kristi. In 2007, Jason became a citizen of the United States.

Career Highlights

Jason Priestley started his acting career in TV commercials. He then appeared in TV shows like Airwolf and 21 Jump Street in the late 1980s. He also had a role in the sitcom Sister Kate in 1989. In this show, he played Todd, one of the foster children looked after by Sister Kate.

Priestley with Shannen Doherty in 1991. They starred together in Beverly Hills, 90210.

In 1990, Jason got a big role as Brandon Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210. This show became a huge hit around the world. It made Jason a very popular teen idol. He was even nominated for two Golden Globes for his acting on the show.

Besides acting, Jason also directed 15 episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210. He stayed on the show until 1998. After that, he continued to work as an executive producer until the show ended in 2000.

Jason Priestley joined the cast of Tru Calling from 2004 to 2005. He also appeared in the show Love Monkey in 2006. His other TV work includes What I Like About You. He also made a guest appearance on Without a Trace in 2006.

Jason has acted in several movies. A notable role was in the 1997 film Love and Death on Long Island. In this movie, he played a teen idol who wanted to be taken seriously as an actor. He also directed episodes for other TV shows like 7th Heaven and The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

In 2007, Jason returned to TV in the show Side Order of Life. He also guest-starred on My Name Is Earl in 2008. He played Blake, Earl's more successful cousin. Jason also directed an episode of 90210 when Tori Spelling returned to the show.

In 2009, he directed and helped produce a web series called The Lake. He also appeared in the TV mini-series The Day of the Triffids. This show was based on a famous book about a post-apocalyptic world.

Jason directed his former co-star Luke Perry in the movie Goodnight for Justice in 2011. He also appeared in the music video for "Boys" by Britney Spears. From 2010 to 2013, Jason starred in the HBO Canada show Call Me Fitz.

In 2011, Jason joined the cast of the sci-fi show Haven. He had a recurring role and also directed two episodes. His first feature film as a director was Cas & Dylan in 2013. This comedy starred Richard Dreyfuss and Tatiana Maslany.

In 2015, Jason starred with Gael García Bernal in the comedy Zoom. This movie was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival. In 2016, Jason began starring in the TV series Private Eyes. He played Matt Shade, a former hockey player who becomes a private detective.

In August 2016, Jason Priestley was honored with a spot on Canada's Walk of Fame. He was also nominated for an award for best lead actor in a comedy series for his role in Call Me Fitz.

Personal Life

Jason Priestley with his wife Naomi Lowde-Priestley in 2012.

Jason Priestley married make-up artist Ashlee Peterson in 1999. They divorced about a year later. On May 14, 2005, Jason married Naomi Lowde, who is also a make-up artist.

Jason and Naomi have two children. Their daughter, Ava Veronica, was born in 2007. Their son, Dashiell Orson, was born in 2009. Jason shared on a TV show in 2007 that he had become an American citizen.

Jason's sister, Justine, is an actress. She appeared in a few episodes of Melrose Place, which was a spin-off show from 90210. In 2013, the restaurant chain Tim Hortons even created a special doughnut named "The Priestley" in his honor.

In 2014, Jason Priestley published his autobiography. It was called Jason Priestley: A Memoir.

Motorsports

One of Jason Priestley's favorite hobbies is race-car driving. In the 1990s, he raced a Toyota Celica All-Trac in the SCCA Pro Rally Series. He also worked as a commentator for TV coverage of IndyCar racing.

In 1996, he started circuit racing. He drove Ford Mustangs in different competitions. In 1999, he took part in the first Gumball 3000 rally, driving a Lotus Esprit V-8. Sadly, on August 11, 2002, he was seriously injured. His Indy Pro Series car crashed into a wall at nearly 180 miles per hour at the Kentucky Speedway.

In 2008, it was announced that Jason would become a part-owner of a new IndyCar Series team. The team was called Rubicon Race Team. They planned to enter a car in the 2008 Indianapolis 500 race. Jason was excited to be back in the racing world after his accident. However, their car had problems and did not qualify for the race.

Jason was also one of the owners of the FAZZT Race Team. This team competed in the IndyCar Series in 2010 with Canadian racer Alex Tagliani. The team's car was later bought by Sam Schmidt Motorsports. In 2011, the driver Dan Wheldon took over for a race. Tragically, Wheldon was killed in a crash at the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship race in Las Vegas.

Promotional Activity for Barenaked Ladies

Jason Priestley is a big fan of the band Barenaked Ladies. He went to many of their concerts in California in the 1990s. He eventually met the band members. He wanted to help them become more famous in America.

He offered to direct the music video for their song "The Old Apartment." He also used his fame to help get the video played on American TV stations. He even invited the band to perform on an episode of 90210 at a fictional place called "Peach Pit After Dark." The band's lead singer, Ed Robertson, says that Jason was very important in helping them become successful in the United States.

Jason's last big contribution to the band was directing a documentary about their success in 1999. It was called Barenaked in America. He wanted to show how much fun he had traveling with the band on their tour bus.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

As a Director

Awards and Nominations

Jason Priestley has been recognized for his work in television.

Golden Globe Awards

• In 1993, he was nominated for "Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series (Drama)" for Beverly Hills, 90210.
• He received another nomination in 1995 for the same award, also for Beverly Hills, 90210.

Young Artist Awards

• In 1990, he was nominated for "Best Young Actor Supporting Role in a Television Series" for his role in Sister Kate.

Gemini Awards

• In 2003, he was nominated for "Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series" for The True Meaning of Christmas Specials. He shared this nomination with his co-stars.

See also

In Spanish: Jason Priestley para niños

• List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards