About
Jason PriestleyBiography
Jason Priestley continues to be one of the most versatile talents in Hollywood both in front of and behind the camera.
He will costar with Marisa Coughlin in the upcoming Lifetime series “A Side Order of Life” written by Margaret Nagel and produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen.
He is also directing a 6 part reality series for CMT called “The Road Hammers.” Shot in Nashville, the show follows a country band in its quest to break into the ultra competitive world of country music.
Priestley just completed work on “Don’t Cry Now,” a film he directed for the Lifetime Network starring Leslie Hope and Cameron Bancroft. Priestley also co-starred with Lou Diamond Phillips in the sci-fi film “Termination Point” for Insight Films and he directed the pilot “Subs” for f/x, a single camera comedy show focused on a group of dysfunctional substitute teachers.
Other projects included: “Masters of Horror,” co-starring Elliot Gould and directed by Joe Dante, “Luna: Spirit of the Whale,” co-starring Adam Beach and Graham Greene, and “Shades of Black: The Conrad Black Story” alongside Albert Schultz and Jason Schombing, as well as the mini-series “Above and Beyond,” and “Everest.”
Priestley co-starred in the series “Love Monkey” for CBS and Sony Pictures Television opposite Thomas Cavanagh, Lorenz Tate and Judy Greer.
Priestley was seen in the FOX sci-fi drama “Tru Calling” opposite Eliza Dushku. After making a memorable guest appearance as Jack Harper, a forensic attendant harboring a dark secret, Priestley signed on as a full-time cast member.
In 2005, Priestley starred in, “Colditz” filmed in the United Kingdom and Czech Republic. The series centered around soldiers held captive at a maximum security POW camp in Germany during WWII. Priestley played a Canadian soldier and starred opposite Damian Lewis and Tom Hardy.
In his native Canada, Priestley starred in the CTV drama “Sleep Murder” and the comedy “National Lampoon’s Going the Distance.”
Priestley appeared in the ABC Family Channel’s romantic comedy “I Want to Marry Ryan Banks.” The film, directed by Sheldon Larry and scripted by Chad Hodge also starred Emma Caulfield and Bradley Cooper.
Priestley starred on the big-screen in “Die, Mommie, Die!” which premiered to great acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize Award. This black comedy is a tongue-in-cheek homage to ‘women’s pictures’ of the 1960s. The film stars Charles Busch as a female fallen pop diva who plots to kill her much hated husband after he discovers she has been having an affair with a tennis pro/gigolo/failed actor played by Priestley. The film, from first time director Mark Rucker and writer Charles Busch, also stars Frances Conroy, Philip Baker Hall and Natasha Lyonne. The Sundance Film Series, a new division of The Sundance Channel released the film on October 31st, 2004.
Priestley’s additional completed film works include: “The Fourth Angel,” directed by John Irvin and produced by Peter Simpson and Alan Scott. Priestley co-starred opposite Jeremy Irons, Forest Whitaker and Charlotte Rampling.
In 2000, Priestley starred in the London production of Warren Leight’s Tony Award winning play “Side Man,” directed by Michael Mayer, alongside the original Broadway cast.
Priestley directed and produced the critically acclaimed documentary titled “Barenaked in America” for the Canadian rock band, The Barenaked Ladies. The documentary premiered at the 2000 Toronto Film Festival and The Slamdance Film Festival. The Shooting Gallery released it later that year.
Priestley’s additional directing credits include episodes of “The Outer Limits,” “7th Heaven,” “Gross Pointe,” “Spin City,” and “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” which he also co-starred. Additionally, Priestley directed music videos for The Barenaked Ladies and Gob. The video for “The Old Apartment” garnered a Best Director nomination at the 1996 Canadian Music Video Awards.
Priestley received critical acclaim in the independent feature film “Love and Death on Long Island” starring opposite John Hurt. A co-production of imX (Canada) and Skyline Films (UK), the film was presented at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. From director Richard Kwietniowski, the film received a Pierrot Award, the European’s Critics’ Prize given out for the first time at Cannes and the 1998 New York Film Critics’ Circle Award for Best First Film.
His other film credits include the Sundance favorite “Cherish,” VH1’s original movie “Warning: Parental Advisory,” “Eye of the Beholder,” “The Boy Who Could Fly,” “No Where to Run,” “Calendar Girl” (produced by Penny Marshall) and the western drama “Tombstone.”
Priestley made an undeniable mark with his portrayal of Brandon Walsh for eight seasons on FOX Television’s hit series “Beverly Hills 90210,” a role for which he earned two Golden Globe nominations. He made his directorial debut on the show in 1993, and produced and directed numerous episodes.
A native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Priestley appeared in Canadian television commercials and starred in his first telefilm by the age of eight. He currently resides in Los Angeles.
