Raymond Lee (actor)
{{short description|American actor (born 1987)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Raymond Lee
| image = Raymond Lee by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Lee at the 2023 WonderCon
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|2|5}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 2009–present
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse = Stacy Kusumolkul Lee
| children = 2
}}
Raymond Lee (born February 5, 1987{{Cite web |last=Zungu |first=Akhona |date=2022-10-12 |title=Raymond Lee: More about the Lead Actor in 'Quantum Leap' |url=https://news.amomama.com/296044-who-is-raymond-lee-facts-lead-actor-quan.html |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=news.amomama.com |language=en}}) is an American actor known for his roles as Arlen Lee in the Prime Video series Mozart in the Jungle and Duc Bayer-Boatwright in the HBO series Here and Now. In 2021, Lee was a series regular on the AMC series Kevin Can F**k Himself.{{cite news |last=Framke |first=Caroline |date=June 7, 2021 |title='Kevin Can F**k Himself,' Starring Annie Murphy, Pulls off a Tricky Mix of Genres to Avenge the Sitcom Wife: TV Review |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/reviews/kevin-can-fuck-himself-review-annie-murphy-1234988232/ |work=Variety |access-date=July 15, 2021}} From 2022 to 2024, Lee starred in the sequel/revival of the NBC science fiction drama Quantum Leap.{{Cite web |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |date=March 4, 2022 |title='Quantum Leap': Raymond Lee To Headline NBC's Reboot Pilot |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/raymond-lee-star-quantum-leap-nbc-1234971138/ |website=Deadline |language=en-US |access-date=June 6, 2022}}
Early life and education
Lee was born in New York City{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Dino-Ray |date=2023-02-06 |title=Merienda With Raymond Lee: Taking A 'Quantum Leap' Into The Spotlight |url=https://thediasporatimes.com/2023/02/06/merienda-with-raymond-lee-taking-a-quantum-leap-into-the-spotlight/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=DIASPORA |language=en-US}} but moved to Los Angeles at a very young age. He is of South Korean descent.{{cite news |last1=Amatangelo |first1=Amy |title=Raymond Lee's Big Leap |url=https://www.emmys.com/news/mix/raymond-lee |work=emmys.com |date=13 September 2022}} Although he originally studied kinesiology in college, Lee switched his major to acting at California State University, Long Beach. He co-founded the Four Clowns acting troupe.{{cite news |last1=Hong |first1=Sharon |title=A Lesson in Acting |url=http://web.csulb.edu/sites/beachmag/2017/08/a-lesson-in-acting/ |work=Beach Magazine |date=Fall 2017 |archive-date=February 26, 2019 |access-date=January 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226070336/http://web.csulb.edu/sites/beachmag/2017/08/a-lesson-in-acting/ |url-status=dead }}
Career
His first major role was in the web series Ktown Cowboys where he appeared opposite Lanny Joon. He has appeared in minor roles in such television series as Scandal, Modern Family and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
In 2016, he starred in Qui Nguyen's Vietgone at Manhattan Theatre Club.{{cite news |last1=Chow|first1=Kate |date=October 14, 2016 |title='Vietgone': A Sex Comedy About Mom, Dad And Refugee Camps |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/10/14/497911789/vietgone-a-sex-comedy-about-mom-dad-and-refugee-camps |work=NPR |access-date=June 13, 2022}} He won a Theatre World Award for his off-Broadway debut as Quang Nguyen, a Vietnamese refugee to the United States.
In 2022 he became the lead of Quantum Leap, the sequel to the cult classic 90's series. Lee was a fan of the original series.{{cite press release |title=Everything You Need to Know About Raymond Lee From Quantum Leap |first1=Megan |last1=Lasher |first2=Tayi |last2=Sanusi |date=2023-11-01 |orig-date=2022-09-22 |publisher=NBC |url=https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-raymond-lee-from-quantum-leap-meet-the-actor |access-date=2023-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221233817/https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/who-is-raymond-lee-from-quantum-leap-meet-the-actor |archive-date=2024-02-21 |url-status=live}} After the show was cancelled in 2024, he thanked fans and called it 'the role of a lifetime'.https://bleedingcool.com/tv/quantum-leap-star-raymond-lee-responds-to-nbc-canceling-series/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
Personal life
Lee is married to Stacy Kusumolkul Lee; after working with Syrian refugees in 2016, she and a friend co-founded a charity called Dignity not Despair.{{cite web |title=Dignity not Despair {{!}} What We Do |website=dignitynotdespair.org |url=https://www.dignitynotdespair.org/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201163455/https://www.dignitynotdespair.org/ |archive-date=2023-12-01 |url-status=live}} {{As of|2023|October}}, the couple have two toddlers, a daughter and a son.{{cite press release |title=Quantum Leap's Raymond Lee Shared the Sweetest Pic from His Family Hike |first=Elizabeth |last=Logan |date=2023-10-13 |publisher=NBC |url=https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/raymond-lee-quantum-leap-family-photo |access-date=2024-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209060430/https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/raymond-lee-quantum-leap-family-photo |archive-date=2023-12-09 |url-status=live}}
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2009
| Penance | College Party Guy 2 | |
| 2011
| Typhoon 360 | Tian | |
| 2012
| Businessman | |
| rowspan="2" | 2013
| Nick | |
| A Leading Man
| Kelvin Kim | |
| 2018
| Fanny Price | Mr. Rushworth | |
| rowspan="4" | 2022
| Officer Gomez | |
| Top Gun: Maverick
| Lt. Logan "Yale" Lee | |
| trying
|Danny |
| The Unknown Country
| Isaac | |
| 2024
| Isaac | |
| TBA
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"|Fanny Price {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}} |Mr. Rushworth |short film, post-production |
= Television =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2012
| College Dude | Episode: "The Stamp Tramp" |
| rowspan="5" | 2013
| Wonton Wok Delivery Person | Episode: "Bake-Off" |
| Hart of Dixie
| Andrew | Episode: "Why Don't We Get Drunk?" |
| Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous
| Henderson | Episode: "Zach Stone Is Gonna Get Wild" |
| Sam & Cat
| Fitch | Episode: "#TextingCompetition" |
| It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
| Cashier | Episode: "The Gang Saves the Day" |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Jessie | Clifford | Episode: "Driving Miss Crazy" |
| Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn
| Ray | Episode: "Mall in the Family" |
| rowspan="3" | 2016
| Alan | Episode: "I Don't Know How She Does It" |
| Scandal
| Nelson Parker | 2 episodes |
| Mozart in the Jungle
| Arlen Lee | 4 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2018
| Duc Bayer-Boatwright | Main cast |
| Magnum P.I.
| James Chen | Episode: "Six Paintings, One Frame" |
| 2019
| Jin | Recurring role |
| 2021
| Sam | Main cast |
| 2021–2022
| Keefus / Jeff | Recurring role |
| 2022–2024
| Dr. Ben Song | Main cast |
= Theatre =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Venue |
|---|
| 2013
| Hannah and the Dread Gazebo | | East West Players |
| rowspan="2" | 2016
| Office Hour | Dennis | South Coast Repertory |
| Tokyo Fish Story
| Nobu | Old Globe Theatre |
| 2017
| Vietgone | Quang Nguyen | Manhattan Theatre Club |
Awards
- 2011 Top of Fringe Award, Best World Premiere Award and Best Physical Theater Award at the Hollywood Fringe Festival
- 2017 Theatre World Award for Vietgone{{cite web|title=2016–2017 Theatre World Award Recipients|url=http://www.theatreworldawards.org/current-recipients.html|publisher=Theatre World Awards|accessdate=January 9, 2017|archive-date=August 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822114249/http://www.theatreworldawards.org/current-recipients.html|url-status=dead}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Raymond}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male actors of Korean descent
Category:American actors of Korean descent
Category:American people of South Korean descent
Category:Male actors from New York City
Category:Male actors from Los Angeles
Category:California State University, Long Beach alumni