Derek Cecil was born on January 15, 1973, in Amarillo, Texas, marking the beginning of a remarkable journey that would take him to the world of theater, television, and film. After graduating from the University of Houston and the prestigious Advanced Theater Training Program at the American Conservatory in San Francisco, California, Cecil went on to become a founding member of New York's Rude Mechanicals Theater Company, where he honed his skills as an actor and director.
Cecil's big break came when he starred alongside Mark Ruffalo in the short-lived TV series "The Beat" (2000),which was executive produced by the renowned team of Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana, who are best known for their work on "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993). This role brought Cecil national exposure and recognition.
Following his stint on "The Beat," Cecil landed a recurring role on the Fox series "Pasadena" (2001),before taking on another starring role with ABC's experimental series "Push, Nevada" (2002). In this show, Cecil played the intriguing character of IRS agent Jim Prufrock, and viewers were given the opportunity to solve a fictional mystery and win a cash prize.