| Pete L. J. Dickson | Trivia |
Pete L. J. Dickson | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Peter Dickson November 17, 1985 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Citizenship | Canadian, American |
| Occupation | Actor, Voice actor |
| Years active | 1993–2023 |
| Relatives | Cody Dickson (brother) |
Peter Dickson (born November 17, 1985) is a retired Canadian-American actor and voice actor. He He is best known for his role as Dustin Maxwell in the Need for Speed film franchise and Jason O'Conner in in the Fast & Furious franchise.
Dickson began his career as a child actor in the 1990s, gaining recognition in the 2000s after starring independent films including King (2000), and The Hardy Boys (2003). He saw international fame by starring in The Need for Speed (2003), with supporting roles in other bigger films such as Cal Fire (2001) and S.W.A.T.: Honolulu (2005). Dickson was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Back to the Future Again (2008).
Dickson voiced Autobot Smokescreen in the Hasbro Cinematic Universe films Transformers (2007), Transformers: The War Within (2009), Transformers v G.I. Joe (2011), Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye (2013), Resistance (2018) and Resistance II (2019). Dickson starred as NCIS Special Agent K.C. Raiden on the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Las Vegas, a spin-off of NCIS.
Career[]
Early work (1993–1999)[]
Dickson made his acting debut in the 1993 animated film Once Upon a Forest. He eventually made his live-action debut in 1995's The American President starring Michael Douglas. Afterwards, he went on to make cameo appearances on the television series, Due South (1997) and Da Vinci's Inquest (1998). In 1999, Dickson provided the voice of Pichu in Hot Wheels: The First Movie, which ended up becoming the highest grossing Canadian animated film.
Early success (2000–2006)[]
In 2000, Dickson starred in King as author Stephen King. King himself was disturbed by Dickson's portrayal of him at the age of 14. Dickson found the non-fiction role a challenge to cope with after he had finished shooting the film. His performance was well received, and he gained a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male. Dickson went on to appear in Cal Fire as one of the best friends of Kyle Labine's character in 2001 and in Hana in 2002.
Dickson's breakthrough role arrived when he starred opposite actors Ewan McGregor, and Joseph Mazzello in the successful 2003 action film The Need for Speed, the first film in the franchise. The film established Dickson as a notable film star and leading man. He also starred in The Hardy Boys as Joe Hardy. Dickson then played a minor role in the independent McDonalds' film I'm Lovin It and voiced Tony in Clifford's Really Big Movie in 2004.
In 2005, Dickson played police officer Jack Reigert in S.W.A.T.: Honolulu and starred in The Ringer with Johnny Knoxville. He also voiced the protagonist Ronald Dante in Disney's Atlantis Planet and Ray the Squirrel in Shadow the Hedgehog. In 2006, Dickson voiced Karus in the Bambi sequel Geno and Gurri with the voices of Jim Sturgess, and Kiefer Sutherland, and guest starred on CSI: Miami.
Breakthrough (2007–2013)[]
Dickson's profile reached new highs in 2007 when he played the lead role of Sergeant First Class Ronnie Doyle in Black Dog, became the voice of Autobot Smokescreen in Transformers based on the toyline by Hasbro, and played Private Dunst in False President. All three films were box office success.
By 2008, Dickson went on to achieve critical success for his portrayal of Matrin McFly, Jr. in Back to the Future Again. The role earned him several awards in the Best Actor category and his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor as well a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. He also voiced Kevin Levee in the critical and commercial acclaimed animated film 14 Yards. Dickson later subsequently returned to the Need for Speed franchise, reprising his role in Need for Speed and his voice role as Smokescreen in Transformers: The War Within in 2009. Dickson played Max in American Wasteland in 2010.
Between 2008 and 2010, Dickson played a recurring role as Simon Cooker on The CW drama series 90210. He also played the character on Melrose Place
Dickson starred in four box office hits in 2011; He and his Need for Speed co-star Angie Stevenson appeared in Streetlights with Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Sisto, Haylie Duff, Mercedes Carrera, and Jake Abel, and reprised their roles in Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Dickson then appeared in Fast Six as Jason O'Conner, the brother of Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), and reprised his role as the voice of Smokescreen in Transformers v G.I. Joe.
In 2012, Dickson played a supporting role as Thomas in Arcadia. The cast included Chadwick Boseman, Scarlet Johansson, Liam Neeson, Idris Elba, and Andy Serkis. By 2013, he reprised his roles in Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye, Fast & Furious 7 and Need for Speed: Carbon.
NCIS: Las Vegas (2013–2023)[]
From 2013 to 2023, Dickson starred on NCIS: Las Vegas, a spin-off of NCIS, as K.C. Raiden, an NCIS Special Agent in charge of the Center of Tier 1 Team stationed in Las Vegas Nevada. CBS describes Raiden as "a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld."
In 2014, Dickson voiced a supporting character in How to Train Your Dragon 2, the sequel to 2010's How to Train Your Dragon. Dickson, a fan of the first film, was delighted at the chance to participate in the sequel. The film grossed $621 million worldwide. He reprised his Fast & Furious and Need for Speed roles in 2015 in Furious 8 and Need for Speed: Underground. Both films grossed $1 billion worldwide.
Between 2018 and 2019, Dickson reprised his role as Smokescreen in Resistance and its sequel Resistance II and Scar-crow in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. In 2021, he voiced Izzy Moonbow's brother Ricky Spoon-field in My Little Pony: A New Generation.
After acting[]
After NCIS: Las Vegas, Dickson quietly retired from acting.
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Once Upon a Forest | Shorty | Voice role |
| 1995 | The American President | ||
| 1996 | Playground to Life | ||
| 1999 | Hot Wheels: The First Movie | Pichu | Voice role |
| 2000 | King | Stephen King | |
| 2001 | Cal Fire | ||
| 2002 | Hana | ||
| 2003 | The Hardy Boys | Joe Hardy | |
| The Need for Speed | Dustin Maxwell | ||
| 2004 | Clifford's Really Big Movie | Tony | Voice role |
| I'm Lovin It | |||
| 2005 | Atlantis Planet | Ronald Dante | Voice role |
| S.W.A.T.: Honolulu | Jack Reigert | ||
| Shadow the Hedgehog | Ray the Squirrel | Voice role | |
| The Ringer | |||
| 2006 | Geno and Gurri | Karus | Voice role |
| 2007 | Black Dog | Ronnie Doyle | |
| Transformers | Smokescreen | Voice role | |
| False President | Dunst | ||
| 2008 | Back to the Future Again | Martin McFly, Jr. | |
| 14 Yards | Kevin Levee | Voice role | |
| 2009 | Need for Speed | Dustin Maxwell | |
| Transformers: The War Within | Smokescreen | Voice role | |
| 2010 | American Wasteland | Max | |
| 2011 | Streetlights | Dillian Gamble | |
| Fast Six | Jason O'Conner | ||
| Need for Speed: Most Wanted | Dustin Maxwell | ||
| Transformers v G.I. Joe | Smokescreen | Voice role | |
| 2012 | Arcadia | Thomas | |
| 2013 | Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye | Smokescreen | Voice role |
| Fast & Furious 7 | Jason O'Conner | ||
| Need for Speed: Carbon | Dustin Maxwell | ||
| 2014 | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | Scar-crow | Voice role |
| 2015 | Furious 8 | Jason O'Conner | |
| Need for Speed: Underground | Dustin Maxwell | ||
| 2018 | Resistance | Smokescreen | Voice role |
| 2019 | How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World | Scar-crow | |
| Resistance II | Smokescreen | ||
| 2021 | My Little Pony: A New Generation | Ricky Spoon-field |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Due South | Cameo | |
| 1998 | Da Vinci's Inquest | Cameo | |
| 2001 | A Video Game Heroes Christmas Special | Ray the Squirrel | TV Christmas Special |
| 2002 | Without a Trace | Casey | 1x06 "Silent Partner" |
| 2006 | CSI: Miami CSI: Miami | Michael Jones | |
| 2007 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Tobias Brennan | |
| 2008 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Nick Lameston | Episode: 6x9 The Krabby Kronicle |
| 2008-2010 | 90210 | Simon Cooker | Recurring role; Seasons 1 & 2 |
| 2009 | Melrose Place | Guest | |
| 2013, 2015 & 2023 | NCIS | K.C. Raiden | 4 episodes |
| 2013-2023 | NCIS: Las Vegas | Main role | |
| 2015 & 2016 | Police | ||
| Hawaii Five-0: Most Wanted | |||
| 2015 | DCIS | ||
| 2015 & 2023 | NCIS: Los Angeles | ||
| 2015 | Hawaii Five-0 | ||
| SEAL Team 6 | |||
| 2023 | NCIS: Hawaiʻi |
Awards and nominations[]
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Nominated work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 16th Independent Spirit Awards | Best Male Lead | Nominated | King |
| 2004 | 2004 Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Movie Actor | Nominated | The Need for Speed |
| 2008 | Gotham Independent Film Awards 2008 | Breakthrough Performer | Nominated | Back to the Future Again |
| 2009 | 81st Academy Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | |
| 2009 Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actor: Action | Nominated | Need for Speed |