If you grew up in the 2000s, you probably remember exactly where you were when J.T. Yorke died. It was one of those TV moments that felt like a personal betrayal. For years, Ryan Cooley was the heart of Degrassi: The Next Generation, playing the class clown who eventually grew into one of the show's most complex characters. Then, at the height of the show's global fame, he just... vanished.
Honestly, the list of Ryan Cooley movies and TV shows isn't nearly as long as most fans wish it was. While his co-stars like Drake (then Aubrey Graham) and Nina Dobrev went on to conquer the charts and Hollywood, Cooley took a hard left turn. He didn't just leave a show; he basically left the entire industry behind to live a "normal" life.
The Alien Before the Legend
Long before he was cracking jokes in the Degrassi halls, Cooley was already a veteran of weird Canadian TV.
If you dig through his early credits, you’ll find I Was a Sixth Grade Alien! where he played Pleskit. It was a bizarre, colorful kids' show that ran for two seasons starting in 1999. He spent half the time in blue makeup and prosthetic ears. It's easy to look back now and see that same comedic timing he'd later use to make J.T. so lovable.
Around that same time, he popped up in some surprisingly high-profile projects. He had a small role in the Disney Channel movie The Color of Friendship (2000), which actually won an Emmy. He even appeared in Queer as Folk and had a three-episode stint on the cult sci-fi series Lexx as a kid named Digby.
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By the time Degrassi called in 2001, he was barely thirteen but already had a resume that would make most adult actors jealous.
The J.T. Yorke Era and the Death That Broke the Internet
For six seasons, Ryan Cooley was the anchor of the Degrassi cast. We watched him go from a high-pitched kid doing penis jokes to a teen father dealing with adoption and, eventually, a brutal stabbing that ended his time on the show in 2007.
There’s a lot of misinformation about why he left.
People always assume he wanted out to pursue a movie career, but that’s not really the whole truth. In an interview with The TV Addict shortly after his exit, Cooley admitted the writers were the ones who decided to kill J.T. off. He was at peace with it, though. He was already thinking about going to college, and the timing just happened to line up.
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He didn't even tell his castmates. They found out during a table read, which explains why the grief on screen during those episodes felt so incredibly raw.
Key Ryan Cooley Movies and TV Shows (The Core Credits)
- Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–2007): The definitive role of his career.
- I Was a Sixth Grade Alien! (1999–2001): His first lead role as Pleskit.
- The Tracey Fragments (2007): A gritty indie film where he starred alongside Elliot Page.
- Cybermutt (2003): A classic Animal Planet TV movie about a bionic dog. Yes, really.
- Oh No! It's an Alien Invasion (2013–2015): One of his last major voice-acting roles as Louis.
Life After the Spotlight: Where is He Now?
After The Tracey Fragments in 2007, things got quiet. Cooley attended the University of Toronto to study theater, which usually means an actor is preparing for a Broadway run or a serious comeback.
But Cooley chose a different path.
He didn't want the fame. While fans were still mourning J.T. Yorke, Ryan was transitioning into the corporate world. Today, he’s a Vice President at the Konrad Group, a massive digital agency. He went from being a teen idol to a high-level executive helping brands build apps and digital products. It’s a career shift that confuses some people, but it seems to be exactly what he wanted.
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The most famous "missed" moment happened in 2018. When Drake released the music video for "I'm Upset," almost every original Degrassi cast member showed up for the reunion. Ryan Cooley was the most notable absence.
Drake actually addressed it on Instagram, saying Cooley didn't show up because he thought the initial email invitation was a scam. It's a hilarious, "very J.T." reason to miss the biggest reunion in Canadian TV history.
What We Can Learn From His Career
Most child actors struggle to let go of the limelight, but Ryan Cooley’s filmography shows a guy who knew when to bow out. He gave us one of the most iconic characters of the millennium and then walked away on his own terms.
If you're looking to revisit his work, start with the earlier seasons of Degrassi. The chemistry he had with Shane Kippel (Spinner) is still some of the best bromance television ever produced.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Streaming: You can find most of his Degrassi episodes on Max or YouTube via the official Degrassi channel.
- Hidden Gem: Check out The Tracey Fragments if you want to see his range outside of comedy. It's a difficult watch but shows he had serious acting chops.
- The "Scam" Story: If you ever get an email from a former co-star who is now a global rap superstar—maybe double-check the sender address before ignoring it.
Ryan Cooley might be done with the cameras, but his impact on 2000s culture is permanent. Whether he's in a boardroom or a recording booth, he remains a legend to an entire generation of kids who grew up at Degrassi Community School.