Jake Johnson
| Jake Johnson | |
|---|---|
 Johnson on March 5, 2012 |
|
| Born | May 28, 1978 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, Comedian |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Spouse(s) | Erin Payne |
Jake Johnson (born May 28, 1978),[1][2][dead link][3] also billed as Jake M. Johnson, is an American actor and comedian, most known for playing Nick Miller in the Fox comedy series New Girl opposite Zooey Deschanel. Johnson also co-starred in the 2009 film Paper Heart and the 2012 film Safety Not Guaranteed.
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Life and career[edit]
Johnson was born in Evanston, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, of partial Irish descent,[4][5] and raised by his single mother, an artist who made stained glass windows.[6]
He grew up a fan of Second City Improv, which showed off the talents of actors such as John Belushi, Tina Fey and Chris Farley. He graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka and started his post-secondary education at the University of Iowa. While in Iowa City, he wrote a play, which wound up earning him admission to NYU's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, followed by the 2002 John Golden Playwriting Prize and the Sloan Fellowship for Screenwriting. The New York off-Broadway group, The Ensemble Studio Theater, produced his play Cousins.
While in New York, Johnson started the sketch comedy troupe The Midwesterners, modeling their material and style after HBO's goofy sketch comedy Mr. Show with Bob and David. After moving to Los Angeles, Johnson supported himself as a waiter and a production assistant, also scoring a series of bit feature and guest TV roles. In 2007, he landed a more regular gig with the quirky TBS mini-show Derek and Simon: The Show, produced by Bob Odenkirk.[citation needed]
In 2009, he appeared in the mockumentary Paper Heart. In 2010, Johnson was cast in a small role in the Russell Brand comedy, Get Him to the Greek. He played Uma Thurman's character's brother in the romantic comedy Ceremony, and as a buddy of Ashton Kutcher's character in No Strings Attached. In 2011, he played Jesus in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. In 2012, he appeared in a principal role in the film version of 21 Jump Street, which starred Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Johnson made an appearance at the 2012 Sundance Festival as one of the leads in Safety Not Guaranteed.[7]
Since 2011, Johnson has been starring as Nick Miller alongside Zooey Deschanel on New Girl.
Personal life[edit]
Johnson lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Erin Payne, an artist. He is a member of both the Sunday Men's Basketball League and the Interstate 5 Tennis Association.[8]
Filmography[edit]
- Redbelt (2008) as Guayabera Shirt Man
- Paper Heart (2009) as Nicholas Jasenovec
- Get Him to the Greek (2010) as Pinnacle Employee
- A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011) as Jesus Christ
- No Strings Attached (2011) as Eli
- Ceremony (2011) as Teddy
- New Girl (2011–present) as Nick Miller
- 21 Jump Street (2012) as Principal Dadier
- Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) as Jeff Schwensen
- Drinking Buddies (2013) as Luke
- Let's Be Cops (2014)
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Gotham Independent Film Award | Best Ensemble Performance | Safety Not Guaranteed | Nominated |
| 2013 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Best Actor in a Comedy Series | New Girl | Nominated |
| 2013 | TCA Award | Individual Achievement in Comedy | New Girl | Pending |
References[edit]
- ^ Peoplefinders lists one of his alternative names as "Mark Jake Weinberger" profile
- ^ An old article that also refers to him as Jake Johnson-Weinberger
- ^ Search "Mark J Weinberger" and May 28, 1978 birthdate turns up, from Winnetka, IL where he grew up as his bio states. This would appear to be him based on the previous two references.
- ^ Lash, Jolie (November 15, 2011). "Rising Star: ‘New Girl's’ Jake M. Johnson". Access Hollywood. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
- ^ "New Girl: 10 Things About Jake\url=http://www.hulu.com/watch/295319/new-girl-10-things-about-jake\work=FOX". October 31, 2011.
- ^ Johnson raised by single mother
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Jake M. Johnson biography". September 21, 2011.
