What Happened to Skeet Ulrich? In the Freddy's Universe in 2026

If you came of age in the late ’90s, Skeet Ulrich had a particular kind of hold on you. He was Billy Loomis, the boyfriend with the dangerous eyes in “Scream.” He was the bad-boy witch in “The Craft.” For a couple of years he was everywhere — then, somehow, he wasn’t. The leading-man buzz cooled, the big roles thinned out, and he became one of those “wait, whatever happened to that guy?” names. Then “Riverdale” handed him a whole new generation of fans. So where is Skeet Ulrich in 2026? Closer to the center of the action than you might think.

01Profile

Full name

Bryan Ray Trout (known professionally as Skeet Ulrich)

Born

January 20, 1970 (56 years old)

Birthplace

Lynchburg, Virginia, USA

Occupation

Actor

Best known for

"Scream" (1996), "The Craft" (1996), "Riverdale" (2017–2021)

Other notable work

"As Good as It Gets" (1997), "Jericho" (2006–2008)

The nickname “Skeet” came from childhood — a name that stuck long before Hollywood did. As you’ll see, sticking around is sort of his whole story: he never had a dramatic flameout, just a long, winding career that keeps finding second and third acts.

02The Rise: A 90s Heartthrob Arrives

A breakout double feature in 1996

Skeet Ulrich didn’t ease into fame — he arrived in a single year. In 1996, he appeared in both “The Craft,” a teen-horror cult favorite, and Wes Craven’s “Scream,” the movie that reinvented the slasher genre for a self-aware generation. As Billy Loomis, the seemingly sweet boyfriend with a secret, Ulrich became the face of one of the decade’s most influential horror films. With his dark hair and brooding stare, he drew constant comparisons to a young Johnny Depp, and for a while it seemed like he might follow a similar path.

Hollywood took notice

Off the back of “Scream,” Ulrich landed a role in “As Good as It Gets” (1997), the James L. Brooks comedy-drama that won Oscars for Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. He kept working steadily through films like “The Newton Boys” (1998) and “Chill Factor” (1999). For a stretch, he was exactly the kind of young actor studios circled for the next big thing — a genuine heartthrob with credible dramatic chops.

And then the trajectory leveled off. The marquee roles got harder to come by, and Ulrich settled into the long middle of a working-actor’s career.

03Stepping Out of the Spotlight

The fade wasn’t a scandal or a meltdown. It was quieter than that — a mix of choices, timing, and a deliberate step back from the grind of leading-man pressure.

• Late 1990sAfter a fast rise, the headline roles slow down and Ulrich shifts toward supporting parts and television.
• 2006–2008Stars as Jake Green in CBS's post-apocalyptic drama "Jericho," earning a devoted fanbase even after the show's cancellation.
• 2010–2011Takes a lead role as Detective Rex Winters on "Law & Order: LA."
• Early 2010sLargely steps away from high-profile projects, working selectively and keeping a relatively low public profile.

Ulrich was never far from the industry — he just stopped being a tabloid fixture. He has spoken in interviews over the years about a congenital heart condition that required open-heart surgery when he was a child, a health history that gave him an early sense of perspective about fame and mortality. By the mid-2010s, the prevailing question among fans was simple: was he done with the spotlight for good?

04The Riverdale Resurgence

F.P. Jones changes the conversation

In 2017, Ulrich joined the cast of The CW’s “Riverdale” as F.P. Jones, the gruff, leather-jacketed Serpents leader and father of Jughead. The dark, stylized teen drama — a moody reimagining of the Archie Comics universe — became a streaming phenomenon, and Ulrich’s brooding gravitas made him a fan favorite all over again. For viewers too young to remember “Scream” in theaters, F.P. Jones was their introduction to him.

He played the role for five seasons before announcing his departure in 2020. As he put it at the time, he left because he “got creatively bored,” wanting to chase new challenges rather than coast. It was a candid, low-drama exit that fit his career-long pattern of doing things on his own terms.

Reclaiming Billy Loomis

The “Scream” franchise also came calling again. Ulrich reprised Billy Loomis — in spectral, legacy-character form — in the 2022 “Scream” relaunch and again in “Scream VI” (2023). Returning to the role that made him a star, more than 25 years later, was a full-circle moment that thrilled longtime fans and cemented his place in horror history.

“It’s initially pretty daunting because of the amount of fandom behind it.” — Skeet Ulrich, on joining a major genre franchise

05What He Is Doing Now

Stepping into the Five Nights at Freddy’s universe

Ulrich’s most prominent recent project puts him at the heart of one of the biggest horror franchises going. In “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” (2025), he plays Henry Emily, a pivotal figure in the wildly popular video-game-turned-film series. It reunited him on screen with his longtime friend and “Scream” co-star Matthew Lillard, a pairing that delighted fans of both. In interviews around the release, Ulrich described the character as more felt than seen — a presence built on tension as much as screen time.

“He’s a bit enigmatic because he’s not seen so much as he’s heard.” — Skeet Ulrich, on playing Henry Emily in “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2”

A steady, fan-friendly career

Beyond the FNAF franchise, Ulrich keeps a full slate of independent films in various stages of production and continues to be a warm, regular presence on the fan-convention circuit, where “Scream” and “Riverdale” devotees turn out in force. He’s an example of an actor who never needed a dramatic comeback because he never fully left — he just kept working, picking projects that interested him, and letting new generations discover him on their own timeline.

Connecting with fans directly

Ulrich keeps an active Instagram account (@skeetulrich), where he shares behind-the-scenes glimpses and connects with the loyal fanbase that has followed him from “Scream” to “Riverdale” and beyond. It’s a long way from the pre-social-media heartthrob era of the late ’90s, and he seems comfortable with the lower-key, more direct relationship with fans that the modern era allows.

06Summary

Skeet Ulrich’s career has never followed the boom-and-bust arc the tabloids love. He blazed in during the ’90s, settled into the steady work of a character actor, and then got pulled back to center stage — twice — by the very franchises and fanbases that first fell for him.

The kid once tagged as the next Johnny Depp didn’t become a superstar — but he did something arguably harder. He built a career with staying power, kept his dignity intact, and let his most iconic roles come back around to find him. In 2026, Skeet Ulrich is exactly where he wants to be.