Yahoo News Inside Lincoln Lawyer star Jazz Raycole's life from reason for sitcom exit to heartbreaking loss
The Lincoln Lawyer made a comeback with driver Izzy Letts star Jazz Raycole back for the latest episodes.
Season three premiered on Netflix last month with Mickey Haller (played by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) once again trying to prove a defendant’s innocence while juggling his own troubled personal life.
On hand to chauffeur him around as well as give some well-needed advice from time-to-time is his former client-turned-driver Izzy, played by actress Jazz, 36.
And with subscribers still waiting to find out if there will be a fourth season on the way, many are eager to know more about actress Jazz playing Izzy.
Life as a dancer
Born in February 1988 Jazz is the daughter of water company superintendent Ray and Claudia Dillingham who owned her own dance studio and homeschooled the actress.
Jazz’s first passion was dancing and she became a competitive dancer by age four and held a state championship title in tap, jazz and ballet.
READ MORE: Inside Lincoln Lawyer star Neve Campbell's life from ‘terrifying’ stalking to severe injuries
It was then in 2001 that she started attending the Boston Ballet and the School of American Ballet before gaining a full scholarship to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.
My Wife And Kids exit
On top of her love for dance, Jazz also had an interest in acting and landed her first major role as Claire Kyle in season one of the comedy My Wife And Kids.
However, her time on the show didn’t last long as she was replaced in the second series by actress Jennifer Freeman.
Her mum objected to a storyline where one of Claire’s friends gets pregnant, according to The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Show.
Reflecting on the choice to leave the show, Jazz told The Christian Post: "I was 12-years-old when I got that job. The producers wanted a different thing, they wanted someone a little bit older. I wasn't ready for that.
"I ended up going to New York to dance, which was my first passion. I really thank God for that because I got to grow and travel."
Of course, this was far from the end of her acting career as she went on to star in a number of hit shows like Jericho, First Day, A Lesson In Romance, Vanity, The Quad and Council of Dads.
Lincoln Lawyer book change
Arguably Jazz’s biggest acting role to date has been in the Netflix legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer which is based on the Michael Connelly book series of the same name.
It wasn’t always guaranteed though that Jazz was to appear in the show as her character didn’t actually feature in the books.
Speaking to Forbes, she explained: "In the books, my character is this white surfer dude; clearly, I’m not a white surfer dude.
"They were playing around with the idea of having a woman driver to bring a little more female energy to it, which I’m super grateful for."
Tragic loss
Apart from being able to relate to her Lincoln Lawyer character Izzy as a dancer, she shared that she relates to her struggles with mental health following a heartbreaking loss.
While Jazz doesn’t delve into the specifics, she does open up on the impact it had on her family.
"One instance changed my life forever: my brother's death", she told Forbes. "It changes you. Certain things in life happen that change you. That’s where I relate to Izzy.
"Her addiction is similar to my mental health in the sense that it’s something that you’re never going to be able to get rid of. Addiction is something that stays with you forever. You’re going to have to fight and battle and struggle with it forever and treat it. That's the same thing with mental health. You have to accept the ugly parts of life and yourself."
The Lincoln Lawyer is available to watch on Netflix.
