Freddie Prinze Jr. was one of the more popular actors of the early 2000s, taking the large screen by storm with his quirky and charming characters. Inspired from a young age by Neil Patrick Harris, Prinze Jr. would take his dreams and move to Los Angeles, California, to pursue television acting. Here we are going to look back at Freddie Prinze Jr.'s career, with a focus on critical moments that helped to define his legacy as well as taking the time to see how his personal life was changed. After this, we will be looking at where Prinze Jr. is now and what the future may hold for the creative star.
Breakout Roles
Prinze Jr.'s first glimpse of fame would come when he made an appearance on Family Matters. After this, he would work on smaller-scale projects before breaking through in a slasher-horror film franchise, debuting in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) as Ray Bronson. Spending the majority of the film as a red herring, many clues were left that made audiences believe Ray Bronson was the killer, though when this was proven false, Bronson stepped up and became the hero of the story.
Prinze Jr. would reprise his role in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), where he would be attacked by the killer early in the film, only to endure and help his girlfriend by fighting off both the original killer and the killer's son. It would be through this franchise that Freddie Prinze Jr. would meet the woman he'd marry, Sarah Michelle Gellar. The two would spend the next five years together before marrying. Just in time for their next big project together.
Iconic Fred Jones
The role that Freddie Prinze Jr. is most known for is that of Fred Jones in the films Scooby-Doo (2002) and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004). In these films, Prinze Jr. would embody the character that had been endeared to audiences since the initial episode of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?
Prinze Jr. had already gotten used to the idea of acting as a charming heartthrob thanks to his work as Zack Siler in She's All That (1999). Now he's taking on the role of the leader of the Mystery Inc. gang, helping the crew to come up with plans to trap the monsters and ghouls that haunt their paths. Working alongside his wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and fellow icons Linda Cardellini and Matthew Lillard (with Neil Fanning providing voice work for Scooby-Doo) to recreate a childhood classic on film that is looked back upon fondly, despite Prinze Jr.'s nomination for a Razzie award.
Voice Work
Freddie Prinze Jr.'s projects in the aftermath of Scooby-Doo wouldn't reach the same heights, but the actor would take his skill set and apply it to the realm of voice acting. First, taking this venture into video games, Prinze Jr. would find work with Bioware, voicing characters such as Lt. James Vega in Mass Effect 3 (2012) and Iron Bull in Dragon Age Inquisition (2014).
Prinze Jr. would reprise his role of James Vega in the animated film Mass Effect: Paragon Lost (2012), a prequel to the events of Mass Effect 3, before joining the Star Wars franchise by voicing Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels. One of the best characters from the show, and performing in some of the saddest scenes, Freddie Prinze Jr. would prove his talent is not limited to the live-action space, being nominated for awards for his work among the ensemble cast.
Diving into Pro Wrestling
Looking to establish himself behind the camera as well as in front of it, Freddie Prinze Jr. would have two separate stints as a member of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) creative team. Between stints, Prinze Jr.'s good standing with the company would translate to him being invited to act as a special guest host for Monday Night Raw. During his second stint with the company, Prinze Jr. would climb the company ladder, being promoted to a producer and director, helping to ensure that matches and segments go on as planned.
His time with the premiere professional wrestling organization would spark a passion for the business, with Prinze Jr. going on to host his own podcast dedicated to discussing a variety of topics centered around the industry. Wrestling with Freddie has over 50 episodes, with new episodes being released every Wednesday. Prinze Jr. has also openly discussed the possibility of opening his own wrestling promotion, where he would focus on the storytelling aspects of the business. With one of his most recent updates indicating that he's already begun reaching out to talent and citing his strong connections to both WWE and AEW (All Elite Wrestling), it would appear that Freddie Prinze Jr. is a TV deal away from creating a new major wrestling company for fans, old and new, to latch onto.