Justin Mentell
Encyclopedia
Justin Michael Mentell was an American artist and actor. He was best known for his role as Garrett Wells on Boston Legal
. He died in a car accident in Iowa County, Wisconsin
.
. He made his stage debut at three years of age as an orphan in Miss Liberty
, and went on to appear in local theater productions, among them the musical Peter Pan
, in which he portrayed one of the Lost Boys. After the family moved to Waukegan, Illinois
, Mentell joined the Northbrook Children's Theater, where he continued to perform on stage. He also took up speed skating
, placing third at the Junior Olympics
and eventually becoming a member of the U.S. Speedskating's junior national long track team.
Mentell attended Northern Illinois University
(NIU), where he majored in acting. He appeared in several plays there, including Balm in Gilead
, The Play's the Thing and Never the Sinner. During his sophomore year, he trained at the Moscow Art Theatre
, as part of a summer exchange program sponsored by NIU's School of Theater and Dance.
At NIU he also appeared in several independent films, including At the Still Point, for which he received the Golden Reel Award for Best Actor at its 2005 Film Festival. He also appeared in "Gotham III" in 2004 and used his speed-skating skills to land a role in the 2004 roller derby comedy Roll Bounce
.
Mentell was a member of the cast of television dramedy Boston Legal
as Garrett Wells. He played the role from the end of the first season through February 2006. His 2009 projects included Death Walks the Streets and the Jerry Bruckheimer
-produced live-action/CGI family feature G-Force
for Walt Disney Pictures, which was released in theaters July 24, 2009.
. According to the Iowa County Sheriff's Department, Mentell was pronounced dead at the scene around 9 a.m. The accident was said to have taken place around 3:30 a.m. after his 2005 Jeep left the roadway on Highway 39, went down an embankment and struck two trees. One unconfirmed possibility is that he had fallen asleep at the wheel, though his Jeep was not discovered until later in the day by a passing farmer who alerted authorities. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
. He died in a car accident in Iowa County, Wisconsin
Iowa County, Wisconsin
Iowa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 22,780. Its county seat and largest city is Dodgeville.Iowa County is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
.
Life and career
Mentell was born in Austin, TexasAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. He made his stage debut at three years of age as an orphan in Miss Liberty
Miss Liberty
Miss Liberty is a musical with a book by Robert E. Sherwood and music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. It is based on the sculpting of the Statue of Liberty in 1886...
, and went on to appear in local theater productions, among them the musical Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, in which he portrayed one of the Lost Boys. After the family moved to Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...
, Mentell joined the Northbrook Children's Theater, where he continued to perform on stage. He also took up speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
, placing third at the Junior Olympics
Junior olympics
Junior Olympics and Jr. Olympics can refer to any one of many different sporting events and organizations around the world dedicated to youth sporting activities.*Junior Olympic Gold, American national youth singles bowling tournament...
and eventually becoming a member of the U.S. Speedskating's junior national long track team.
Mentell attended Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
(NIU), where he majored in acting. He appeared in several plays there, including Balm in Gilead
Balm in Gilead
Balm in Gilead is a 1965 play written by American playwright Lanford Wilson.-Dramatic structure:Wilson's first full-length effort, Balm in Gilead centers on a cafe frequented by heroin addicts, prostitutes and thieves...
, The Play's the Thing and Never the Sinner. During his sophomore year, he trained at the Moscow Art Theatre
Moscow Art Theatre
The Moscow Art Theatre is a theatre company in Moscow that the seminal Russian theatre practitioner Constantin Stanislavski, together with the playwright and director Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, founded in 1898. It was conceived as a venue for naturalistic theatre, in contrast to the melodramas...
, as part of a summer exchange program sponsored by NIU's School of Theater and Dance.
At NIU he also appeared in several independent films, including At the Still Point, for which he received the Golden Reel Award for Best Actor at its 2005 Film Festival. He also appeared in "Gotham III" in 2004 and used his speed-skating skills to land a role in the 2004 roller derby comedy Roll Bounce
Roll Bounce
Roll Bounce is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written by Norman Vance Jr. and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. The film stars hip hop artist Bow Wow as the leader of a roller skating crew in 1970s Chicago. The film also stars Nick Cannon, Meagan Good, Brandon T...
.
Mentell was a member of the cast of television dramedy Boston Legal
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
as Garrett Wells. He played the role from the end of the first season through February 2006. His 2009 projects included Death Walks the Streets and the Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerome Leon "Jerry" Bruckheimer is an American film and television producer. He has achieved great success in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. His best known television series are CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Cold Case, The...
-produced live-action/CGI family feature G-Force
G-Force (film)
G-Force is a 2009 spy-fi comedy film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for Walt Disney Pictures in Disney Digital 3-D. Written by Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, the film is the directorial debut of Hoyt Yeatman, whose earlier work includes contributions in the area of visual effects...
for Walt Disney Pictures, which was released in theaters July 24, 2009.
Death
On February 1, 2010, Mentell died in a car crash near Hollandale, WisconsinHollandale, Wisconsin
Hollandale is a village in Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 283 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hollandale is located at ....
. According to the Iowa County Sheriff's Department, Mentell was pronounced dead at the scene around 9 a.m. The accident was said to have taken place around 3:30 a.m. after his 2005 Jeep left the roadway on Highway 39, went down an embankment and struck two trees. One unconfirmed possibility is that he had fallen asleep at the wheel, though his Jeep was not discovered until later in the day by a passing farmer who alerted authorities. He was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.
Filmography
- Gotham, IL (2004) ... Johnny Wall
- Roll BounceRoll BounceRoll Bounce is a 2005 American comedy-drama film written by Norman Vance Jr. and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. The film stars hip hop artist Bow Wow as the leader of a roller skating crew in 1970s Chicago. The film also stars Nick Cannon, Meagan Good, Brandon T...
(2005) ... Skater - At the Still Point (2005) ... Nate
- Boston LegalBoston LegalBoston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
(2005–2006) ... Garrett Wells - 77 (2006) ... Tony
- Palo AltoPalo Alto (film)Palo Alto is a 2007 independent film that is set in Palo Alto, California and was produced by three locals of that city. The plot centers on four college freshmen on their last night of Thanksgiving Break, their first time back since leaving for school...
(2007) ... Ryan - G-ForceG-Force (film)G-Force is a 2009 spy-fi comedy film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for Walt Disney Pictures in Disney Digital 3-D. Written by Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, the film is the directorial debut of Hoyt Yeatman, whose earlier work includes contributions in the area of visual effects...
(2009) ... Terrell