雷吉·李出生在菲律宾奎松城，是家中三个儿子的老大。他会说英语、广东话以及他的母语－－塔加路族语(菲律宾吕宋岛和棉兰老岛的方言)。孩提时代，Reggie随父母全家搬到俄亥俄州的克里夫兰市，在那里完成了自己的高中学业。
Ryan was born during a mid-Spring flash blizzard in New York City. His mother, casting director, Mary Jo Slater got him his start in commercials, movies and TV. In the late eighties, his brother Christian's fame was on the rise, so the family moved to Los Angeles. Ryan starred in many movies during the 1990s and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
