# RonReaco Lee
**RonReaco Lee** (born 1976) is an American film and television actor whose best-known roles are Tyreke Scott on the sitcom *Sister, Sister* (1997–1999), Jamal Woodson on the BET sitcom *Let's Stay Together* (2011–2014), Reggie Vaughn on the Starz comedy *Survivor's Remorse* (2014–2017), and Gary Washington on *First Wives Club* (2019–2022)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ronreaco_lee). He began working as a child actor in Georgia, appeared in the Academy Award-winning Civil War film *Glory* (1989), and has accumulated screen credits across four decades[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ronreaco_lee). Some databases list his birth year as 1977[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10568).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976; born in Illinois, raised in Georgia (some databases list 1977 or Atlanta, Georgia as his birthplace)[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/nothing-net) • [3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10568) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ronreaco_lee) |
| Breakout role | Tyreke Scott, *Sister, Sister*, 1997–1999, 36 episodes[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ronreaco_lee) |
| BET sitcom | Jamal Woodson, *Let's Stay Together*, 2011–2014, four seasons and 52 episodes[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ronreaco-lee/) |
| Signature drama role | Reggie Vaughn, *Survivor's Remorse* (Starz), 2014–2017, 36 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/) |
| Notable films | Mute Drummer Boy in *Glory* (1989); Reggie in *Guess Who* (2005); *Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail* (2009)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ronreaco_lee) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/) |
| Directing | Short film *A Father's Love* (2018); one episode of *First Wives Club* (2022)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/) |
| Personal life | Married Sheana Freeman since June 13, 2010; two children[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/) |
## Early life and start in Georgia
Lee has been an entertainer since he was six years old. In interviews he credits a mother who enrolled him in drum, piano, and dance lessons, with acting one of many activities that, in his words, "snowballed" from there under encouraging teachers[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/nothing-net). Born in Illinois and raised in Georgia, he grew up in [Stone Mountain](https://www.edgepedia.org/stone-mountain), in the Atlanta area, and got his start working on projects that came through the city[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/nothing-net) • [6](https://creativeloafing.com/content-178601-ronreaco-lee-has-no-survivor-s).
His earliest screen parts came in 1989: a small role as the mute drummer boy in the Civil War drama *Glory*, which took home three Academy Awards, and a part in *The Return of Swamp Thing*[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ronreaco_lee) • [7](https://goodwatch.app/person/84209-ronreaco-lee). Through the early 1990s he appeared in television movies and series, including Chester Sayers in *Paris Trout* (1991), the sharecropper's son in the CBS miniseries *[Alex Haley's Queen](https://www.edgepedia.org/alex-haleys-queen)* (1993), and roles in *In the Heat of the Night*, *I'll Fly Away*, and *Home Improvement*[8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/lee-ronreaco-ron-reaco-lee-ronreaco-m-lee-ron-rocco) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ronreaco-lee/).
## Sister, Sister and the Los Angeles years
Lee's first substantial film role was the lead, Perry, in the independent comedy *How I Spent My Summer Vacation* (1997), a he-says-she-says look at a college romance gone awry. The film received a brief theatrical release, and on the strength of it Lee and the film's director [John Fisher](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-fisher) moved to Los Angeles in 1997[6](https://creativeloafing.com/content-178601-ronreaco-lee-has-no-survivor-s).
**Breakout on Sister, Sister.** Later that year he joined *Sister, Sister*, the sitcom starring twins Tia and [Tamera Mowry](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamera-mowry), playing Tyreke Scott, a mechanic, from 1997 to 1999; one profile lists the character as Tyreke "Scotty" Scott on The WB[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10568) • [8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/lee-ronreaco-ron-reaco-lee-ronreaco-m-lee-ron-rocco). Lee played the role on 36 episodes and has described it as the first job he got in Los Angeles, one he was catching the bus to reach; he has said the show gave him his footing in the city[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ronreaco_lee) • [4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/nothing-net).
After the series ended in 1999, he picked up recurring parts on *Girlfriends*, *The Shield* (as Taylor Orrs), *ER*, *Committed*, *Worst Week*, and *All About the Andersons*, with guest roles on *Moesha*, *Monk*, and *[Boston Public](https://www.edgepedia.org/boston-public)*[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10568) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ronreaco-lee/). His 2000s film work included Reggie in *Guess Who* (2005), opposite [Bernie Mac](https://www.edgepedia.org/bernie-mac), and a role in *Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail* (2009), which he filmed after returning to Atlanta in 2008; in 2009 he also played Jason, the husband of [Jessica St. Clair](https://www.edgepedia.org/jessica-st-clair)'s Emily, in the sitcom *In the Motherhood*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/) • [6](https://creativeloafing.com/content-178601-ronreaco-lee-has-no-survivor-s) • [3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10568).
## Return to Atlanta and Survivor's Remorse
Newly married and looking for what he called "peace" in 2010, Lee bought a house in Atlanta to try a dual-coast arrangement, and was quickly cast in *Let's Stay Together*, a BET sitcom produced at Screen Gem Studios in Atlanta. He played Jamal Woodson across the show's four seasons and 52 episodes (2011–2014)[6](https://creativeloafing.com/content-178601-ronreaco-lee-has-no-survivor-s) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ronreaco-lee/) • [3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10568).
**Reggie Vaughn.** When Lee decided it was time to leave *Let's Stay Together* before the show's cancelation, he got what he described as another lucky break in his hometown: *Survivor's Remorse*, the Starz comedy about Cam Calloway ([Jessie T. Usher](https://www.edgepedia.org/jessie-t-usher)), a basketball phenom starring for the Atlanta NBA team. Lee played Cam's cousin and manager Reggie Vaughn across the show's 36 episodes (2014–2017), on a series executive produced by [LeBron James](https://www.edgepedia.org/lebron-james)[6](https://creativeloafing.com/content-178601-ronreaco-lee-has-no-survivor-s) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ronreaco-lee/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/).
The character is mostly fictional but loosely based on [Maverick Carter](https://www.edgepedia.org/maverick-carter), James's friend and manager, who is also a producer on the show. Lee has said Carter signed off on him playing a version of himself, and that Reggie served as the show's moral compass while still letting him play against the earnest roles on his resume[6](https://creativeloafing.com/content-178601-ronreaco-lee-has-no-survivor-s) • [4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/nothing-net). In a 2019 interview he named the series the most rewarding project of his career, one he did for four years[10](https://hiddenremote.com/2019/07/07/survivors-remorse-star-ronreaco-lee/).
## Later television work and directing
From 2019 to 2022 Lee played Gary Washington on *First Wives Club*, the BET series based on the 1996 film, appearing in 29 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/). In 2022 he directed one episode of that series, one of his two directing credits alongside the short film *A Father's Love* (2018), which he has described as nerve-wracking but a comfortable challenge focused on getting the actors to win[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/) • [10](https://hiddenremote.com/2019/07/07/survivors-remorse-star-ronreaco-lee/).
His screen work since *Survivor's Remorse* has mixed comedy and drama: *Coffee & Kareem* (2020), a Netflix comedy in which he appears alongside [Taraji P. Henson](https://www.edgepedia.org/taraji-p-henson), [Betty Gilpin](https://www.edgepedia.org/betty-gilpin), and [Ed Helms](https://www.edgepedia.org/ed-helms)[10](https://hiddenremote.com/2019/07/07/survivors-remorse-star-ronreaco-lee/); *2 Minutes of Fame* (2020)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/); the drama series *The Quad* (2017, as Clive Taylor) and *Complications* (2015, as Quentin Harper)[9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ronreaco-lee/); a run as Bobby "The Beast" Boyd in *The Black Hamptons* and *The Family Business* (2023–2025)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/); and the role of Senator Leroy Johnson in the 2024 miniseries *Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist*[11](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/34539/ronreaco-lee). In 2023 he began playing Charles Renee on the comedy *Survival of the Thickest*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/).
## Comedy versus drama
Lee has said he has no preference between comedy and drama and enjoys moving back and forth, while noting that comedy is harder in a lot of ways: with drama there is more angst, so a greater chance of making an audience cry, but making someone laugh is more of a challenge[10](https://hiddenremote.com/2019/07/07/survivors-remorse-star-ronreaco-lee/). His role choices reflect that range, from the sitcom mechanics of *Sister, Sister* and *Let's Stay Together* to the dramatic register of *Survivor's Remorse*, a series he credits with showing his growth as an actor[12](https://theurbandaily.com/3019339/survivors-remorse-ronreaco-lee-season-2-interview/).
## Personal life
Lee married Sheana Freeman on June 13, 2010; the couple have two children[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/). He has described his priorities as husband, father, and actor, in that order, and speaks of balancing work life with family[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/nothing-net). His move back to Atlanta in 2010 grew out of that family focus, and he has since worked on both coasts[6](https://creativeloafing.com/content-178601-ronreaco-lee-has-no-survivor-s).
## References
1. [RonReaco Lee, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498165/)
2. [RonReaco Lee, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ronreaco_lee)
3. [RonReaco Lee, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10568)
4. [Nothing But Net, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/nothing-net)
5. [RonReaco Lee, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ronreaco-lee/)
6. [RonReaco Lee has no 'Survivor's Remorse', Creative Loafing](https://creativeloafing.com/content-178601-ronreaco-lee-has-no-survivor-s)
7. [RonReaco Lee: Movies and TV Shows, GoodWatch](https://goodwatch.app/person/84209-ronreaco-lee)
8. [Lee, Ronreaco, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/lee-ronreaco-ron-reaco-lee-ronreaco-m-lee-ron-rocco)
9. [RonReaco Lee, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ronreaco-lee/)
10. [Chatting with Survivor's Remorse star RonReaco Lee, Hidden Remote](https://hiddenremote.com/2019/07/07/survivors-remorse-star-ronreaco-lee/)
11. [RonReaco Lee, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/34539/ronreaco-lee)
12. [Survivor's Remorse RonReaco Lee Talks New Season and Influences, The Urban Daily](https://theurbandaily.com/3019339/survivors-remorse-ronreaco-lee-season-2-interview/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Le to L*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license