Lee Norris as
Mouth McFadden Born on September 25, 1981 in Greenville, North Carolina, Lee Michael Norris is a film and TV actor who has appeared in numerous television shows. In 2004, he graduated from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he majored in English and since then has pursued his acting career.
Norris first appeared on The Torkelsons in 1991, where he played Chuckie Lee Torkelson for a year. A couple of years later, he landed the role of Stuart Minkus in the television series, Boy Meets World. In 2000, he briefly appeared in
Dawson's Creek , playing a minor role, and in 2003, he landed the role of Mouth McFadden in the teen drama series, One Tree Hill.
In talking about his work as an actor throughout the years, Norris said to Star Scoop, "It's an amazing feeling. It's an amazing experience to have someone come up to you, and say that they feel like they grew up with you, and that's what happens to me a lot. It's been amazing to have that kind of reaction, and I just feel really blessed, that I've been able to be part of these shows that are a part of a certain youth out there, a certain age group. I just feel really blessed. And you're right, it is kind of cool to look back on it. Sort of like a living year book. It's so surreal to look at yourself as a twelve-year-old."
Norris revealed in an interview with Starry Constellation magazine that he is continually challenged to play the role of Mouth in One Tree Hill. He said, "I think that the most challenging thing about Mouth is that because he is sort of the ‘nice guy,’ he doesn't do a lot of outrageous things. The challenge for me is to make him likable and continue to be interesting. Nice people, while they are fun to have in your life, aren't always the most interesting people to have around in your life. I try to continually take what they give me, which is great material, but put my own spin on it. I try to make it so that, even though he is a nice guy and doing things right of the most of the time, that he is human, believable and real."
Moreover, Norris said in an interview with BuddyTV, “As the show went on, I think the role came a little closer to who actually Mark [Schwahn] was in high school, as I know he's said in a couple of interviews, and it got to be this cool character. I think it’s a different role, not like the other guys on the show. He sort of represents the unique kind of a guy and I love that about him. I think it’s fun. I think if everybody looked and acted the same way on television it would be boring, you know. I’m really happy that I get to play this role.”
BuddyTV exclusive interview with Lee Norris (Photo courtesy of WB/CW)