Skeet Ulrich
A 90s screen heartthrob who defined teen horror angst, then quietly built a durable career returning to the roles that first made him famous.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American actor·Birthday: January 20·Generation X
Biography
Skeet Ulrich, with his piercing blue eyes and trademark smirk, became an instant emblem of 90s cinema as the duplicitous Billy Loomis in Wes Craven's 'Scream.' That role, alongside parts in 'The Craft' and 'As Good as It Gets,' cemented him as a go-to for charming, often troubled young men. After the initial blaze of fame, he navigated a steadier path, headlining the cult TV series 'Jericho' about a post-apocalyptic town, which garnered a fiercely loyal fanbase. His career took a full-circle turn decades later when he joined the Archie-comics-gone-noir series 'Riverdale' as the brooding FP Jones, introducing him to a new generation. In a meta twist for the horror genre he helped revitalize, he returned to the 'Scream' franchise in 2022, reprising his original role and bridging the gap between the classic films and their modern legacy sequels. Ulrich's story is one of enduring screen presence, proving that a defining early role can become a lasting part of an actor's tapestry.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Skeet was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Skeet Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Skeet's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played the iconic villain Billy Loomis in Wes Craven's 'Scream,' a film that redefined the horror genre in the 1990s.
- Starred as FP Jones on the hit CW series 'Riverdale' for four seasons, becoming a fan-favorite character.
- Led the cast of the CBS drama 'Jericho,' a show whose cancellation prompted fans to send tons of nuts to the network in protest.
- Reprised his role as Billy Loomis in the 2022 sequel 'Scream,' connecting the original film to the new storyline.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Skeet' came from his father, who called him that after a speedboat character in a novel.
He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys fly-fishing.
He studied at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts alongside other notable actors.
He turned down the role of Leonardo DiCaprio's character in 'Titanic.'
“I'm drawn to characters who live in the gray areas, not the black and white.”
