Justin Charles Pierce (March 21, 1975 – July 10, 2000) was an actor and skateboarder. Born in London and raised in New York City, Pierce had a troubled childhood and pursued skateboarding. His breakthrough came with the controversial coming of age drama film Kids (1995), which won him the Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. He then starred in the independent film A Brother's Kiss (1997) and the stoner comedy film Next Friday (2000). His final film, Looking for Leonard (2002), was released posthumously.
As a skateboarder, Pierce was a member of the original Zoo York and Supreme teams. He married stylist Gina Rizzo in 1999. He died by suicide on July 10, 2000.
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Early life
Pierce was born in London, England, and raised in the Marble Hill and Kingsbridge sections of New York City. During his youth, Pierce stole cigarettes and food, and frequently skipped school in favour of skateboarding before dropping out. He never earned a diploma or GED.
Career
While skateboarding in Washington Square Park, Pierce was discovered by film director Larry Clark, who cast him as Casper, a profane drug-addicted skateboarder, in his coming of age drama film Kids. On multiple accounts, Pierce "would get really fucked up, drunk, and get arrested" and "get into fistfights" with co-star Leo Fitzpatrick during filming. Kids premiered at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival, and experienced commercial success with a theatrical release that same year. The film garnered a significant amount of controversy, but was a surprise blockbuster and Pierce's breakthrough role. Mike Domski of MovieWeb called his talent "indisputable" and The Guardian believed he was the "best placed for a successful follow-on career." He won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance in 1996.
