Jake Johnson
{{Short description|American actor (born 1978)}}
{{other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jake Johnson
| image = Jake Johnson by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| caption = Johnson at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
| birth_name = Mark Jake Johnson Weinberger
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|5|28}}
| birth_place = Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
| education =
| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|
}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|filmmaker}}
| years_active = 2002–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Erin Payne|2006}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/jake-johnson-interview-minx-cancellation-rejecting-blockbuster-1235535638/ |title=Hollywood Offered Jake Johnson a Path to Mega-Stardom, He Chose a Regular Life |website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=July 17, 2023 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |archive-date=July 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230718204116/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/jake-johnson-interview-minx-cancellation-rejecting-blockbuster-1235535638/ |url-status=live }}
| children = 2
}}
Mark Jake Johnson Weinberger (born May 28, 1978) is an American actor. He has starred as Nick Miller in the Fox sitcom New Girl (2011–2018), for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013. He has also voiced a version of Spider-Man in the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and its 2023 sequel.
Johnson has also starred in Let's Be Cops (2014), and appeared in Paper Heart (2009), Safety Not Guaranteed (2012), 21 Jump Street (2012), Jurassic World (2015), The Mummy (2017), and Tag (2018). From 2022 to 2023, he starred in the comedy series Minx. In 2023, he made his directorial debut with Self Reliance.
Early life
Johnson was born on May 28, 1978, in Evanston, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, to Ken Weinberger, who owned a car dealership, and Eve Johnson, an artist who made stained glass windows.{{cite web |title=Jake Johnson |website=Turner Classic Movies |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/1072145%7C0/Jake-Johnson |access-date=July 26, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.accessonline.com/articles/rising-star-new-girls-jake-m-johnson-109920 |title=Rising Star: 'New Girl's' Jake M. Johnson |publisher=Access Hollywood |date=November 15, 2011 |access-date=April 22, 2022 |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422062448/https://www.accessonline.com/articles/rising-star-new-girls-jake-m-johnson-109920 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|title=New Girl: 10 Things About Jake|url=http://www.hulu.com/watch/295319/new-girl-10-things-about-jake|work=FOX|access-date=November 30, 2011|date=October 31, 2011|archive-date=December 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208184416/http://www.hulu.com/watch/295319/new-girl-10-things-about-jake|url-status=live}} He was named after his maternal uncle, Mark Johnson, who died at the age of 26 in a motorcycle accident in 1977, a year before Jake was born. Johnson attended New Trier High School in Winnetka. His parents divorced when he was two, and he and his older siblings, brother Dan and sister Rachel, were raised by his single mother. Johnson then took his mother's last name during high school. He has stated that when he was 17, his father resurfaced and they became close.{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/16/jake-johnson-on-his-sxsw-comedy-drinking-buddies-new-girl-success.html |title=Jake Johnson on His SXSW Comedy 'Drinking Buddies,' 'New Girl' Success |publisher=The Daily Beast |date=March 9, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2014 |archive-date=May 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504122615/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/16/jake-johnson-on-his-sxsw-comedy-drinking-buddies-new-girl-success.html |url-status=live }} His father Ken died in 2021.
Career
Johnson grew up a fan of the Second City improv troupe. Raised in Wilmette, 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 the Dramatic Writing Department at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, followed by the 2002 John Golden Playwriting Prize and the Sloan Fellowship for Screenwriting. The New York City off-Broadway group The Ensemble Studio Theater produced his play Cousins.
While in New York, Johnson started a sketch comedy troupe The Midwesterners, modeling their material and style after HBO's 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 TBS mini-show Derek and Simon: The Show, produced by Bob Odenkirk.{{Cite web|title=Q&A with Jake Johnson {{!}} Anthem Magazine|url=http://anthemmagazine.com/qa-with-jake-johnson/|access-date=July 22, 2020|website=anthemmagazine.com|archive-date=June 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629012105/http://anthemmagazine.com/qa-with-jake-johnson/|url-status=live}}
File:Jake Johnson cropped 2012.jpg
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 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.{{cite web |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/person/jake-m-johnson/biography.html;_ylt=AqEbRNt7LFbYtc7BmEXgxjn3TssF;_ylu=X3oDMTI2ajBnaDlrBG1pdANQZXJzb24gRW50aXR5IEFib3V0BHBvcwMxBHNlYwNNZWRpYUVudGl0eUFib3V0TGlua3NQYWNrYWdlQXNzZW1ibHk-;_ylg=X3oDMTFqZXE2MWM0BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDBHRlc3QDdGVzdF9pYg--;_ylv=3 |title=Jake M. Johnson |website=Yahoo! Movies |access-date=January 14, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106044629/http://movies.yahoo.com/person/jake-m-johnson/biography.html |archive-date=January 6, 2014}}
From 2011 to 2018, Johnson starred as Nick Miller alongside Zooey Deschanel on New Girl. In 2013, he appeared in the music video for "Rouse Yourself", a song by indie soul band JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound alongside his Safety Not Guaranteed co-star Aubrey Plaza.{{Cite news|url=https://ew.com/article/2013/06/19/aubrey-plaza-jake-johnson-video-jc-brooks/|title=Watch Aubrey Plaza and Jake Johnson in JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound's 'Rouse Yourself' video - EXCLUSIVE|work=EW.com|access-date=February 1, 2018|language=en|archive-date=February 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202012640/http://ew.com/article/2013/06/19/aubrey-plaza-jake-johnson-video-jc-brooks/|url-status=live}} He also starred (as a fictional version of himself) in a series of Dodge Dart commercials with Craig Robinson. In 2015, he played park informatician Lowery Cruthers in Jurassic World.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-jurassic-world-jake-johnson-20150610-story.html|title=Who wears a 'Jurassic Park' T-shirt to 'Jurassic World?' Jake Johnson does.|first=Meredith|last=Woerner|website=Los Angeles Times|date=June 11, 2015|access-date=May 25, 2018|archive-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724211814/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-jurassic-world-jake-johnson-20150610-story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Marnell |first=Blair |date=May 9, 2015 |title=Jurassic World Cast{{ndash}}A Look at the Characters |website=Comingsoon.net |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/438695-jurassic-world-cast-a-look-at-the-characters#/slide/1 |access-date=July 7, 2015 |archive-date=July 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711175630/http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/features/438695-jurassic-world-cast-a-look-at-the-characters#/slide/1 |url-status=live }} In 2017, Johnson starred as Eddie Garrett in the Netflix comedy film Win It All.{{cite web|url=http://www.secondcity.com/network/jake-johnson-improvised-a-whole-dang-movie/|title=Jake Johnson Improvised a Whole Dang Movie|website=Second City|first=Liz|last=Koazk|date=August 20, 2015|access-date=February 5, 2017|archive-date=February 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206110030/http://www.secondcity.com/network/jake-johnson-improvised-a-whole-dang-movie/|url-status=live}}
The web series Drunk History was inspired by a 2007 conversation that Johnson had with series creator Derek Waters. Johnson, while drunk, was trying to describe the story of Otis Redding's death to Waters, and Waters was inspired to build a series around history narrated by drunk people. Johnson later appeared in the first episode of the web series as Aaron Burr. After it was adapted for television under the same title on Comedy Central, he appeared in the eighth episode as William B. Travis,{{cite web |url=http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/07/interview-drunk-history-creator-derek-waters-director-jeremy-konner |title="Drunk History" Creator Derek Waters & Director Jeremy Konner Interview |publisher=Complex |date=July 8, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2014 |archive-date=December 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231115510/http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/07/interview-drunk-history-creator-derek-waters-director-jeremy-konner |url-status=live }} and the ninth episode of season three as Boris Spassky.
In 2018, Johnson appeared in the comedy film Tag as Randy Cilliano.{{cite web |last=Weintraub |first=Steve |title=Jake Johnson Talks 'Tag' and Shares Some Great Tom Cruise Stories |url=https://collider.com/jake-johnson-interview-tag-spider-man-into-the-spider-verse/#images |website=Collider |access-date=June 12, 2018 |date=October 3, 2018 |archive-date=June 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614185431/http://collider.com/jake-johnson-interview-tag-spider-man-into-the-spider-verse/#images |url-status=live }} In the same year, it was announced that Johnson was cast in the lead role of Ben Hopkins in the Netflix adult animation series Hoops.{{cite web |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |last2=Petski |first2=Denise |title=Netflix Orders 'Hoops' Adult Animated Series Starring Jake Johnson From Ben Hoffman, Phil Lord, Chris Miller & 20th TV |url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/netflix-orders-hoops-adult-animated-series-starring-jake-johnson-from-ben-hoffman-phil-lord-chris-miller-20th-tv-1202475415/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=October 3, 2018 |date=October 3, 2018 |archive-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003221732/https://deadline.com/2018/10/netflix-orders-hoops-adult-animated-series-starring-jake-johnson-from-ben-hoffman-phil-lord-chris-miller-20th-tv-1202475415/ |url-status=live }} Also that year, Johnson provided the voice of Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
In 2019, Johnson was cast in the lead role of Grey McConnell in the ABC drama series Stumptown; he took over the role from Mark Webber, who played the character in the original pilot episode.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/jake-johnson-co-star-stumptown-new-abc-drama-series-cobie-smulders-recasting-mark-webber-new-girl-1202623858/|title=Jake Johnson To Co-Star On New ABC Drama Series 'Stumptown' In Recasting|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=May 29, 2019|work=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=May 29, 2019|archive-date=May 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529222043/https://deadline.com/2019/05/jake-johnson-co-star-stumptown-new-abc-drama-series-cobie-smulders-recasting-mark-webber-new-girl-1202623858/|url-status=live}}
In 2023, Johnson started an advice podcast entitled We're Here to Help with co-host Gareth Reynolds.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/arts/here-to-help-podcast-jake-johnson.html|work=The New York Times|date=October 13, 2013|first=Melina|last=Delkic|title=A Comedy Advice Podcast Asks Listeners to 'Believe in the Bit'}} The same year, he made his directorial debut with Self Reliance.{{cite web|last=Gajewski|first=Ryan|title=Jake Johnson's Directorial Debut 'Self Reliance' Lands at Hulu|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jake-johnson-directorial-debut-self-reliance-hulu-film-1235526432/|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 29, 2023|access-date=June 29, 2023|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629203937/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jake-johnson-directorial-debut-self-reliance-hulu-film-1235526432/|url-status=live}}
Personal life
Johnson married Erin Payne, an artist, in 2006. They have twin daughters, Elizabeth and Olivia, born in 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/story/jake-johnson-is-just-here-for-a-good-time|title=New Girl's Jake Johnson Is Hollywood's Humblest (and Handsomest) Everyman|first=Clay|last=Skipper|website=GQ|date=June 14, 2018|access-date=May 25, 2020|archive-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724153205/https://www.gq.com/story/jake-johnson-is-just-here-for-a-good-time|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.glamour.com/story/new-girls-jake-johnson-talks-t|title=Jake Johnson's thoughts on married life, drinking too much, and his New Girl co-stars|first=Jessica|last=Radloff|website=Glamour|date=August 22, 2013|access-date=May 25, 2020|archive-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724105833/https://www.glamour.com/story/new-girls-jake-johnson-talks-t|url-status=live}}
Johnson is a fan of several Chicago sports teams, including the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/photos/top-10-celebrity-bears-fans|work=ChicagoBears.com|title=Top 10: Celebrity Bears fans|accessdate=May 30, 2025}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/famous-chicago-bears-fans/126881/|work=NBCChicago.com|title=Famous Chicago Bears Fans|date=June 30, 2021|accessdate=May 30, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/new-girls-jake-johnson-loves-the-cubs-hates-singing-at-wrigley-56166/|work=RollingStones.com|title=‘New Girl’s Jake Johnson Loves the Cubs, Hates Singing at Wrigley|first=Luke|last=McCormick|date=September 29, 2015|accessdate=May 30, 2025}}
Filmography
{{Pending films key}}
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2007
| Basketball Player | |
| 2008
| Redbelt | Guayabera Shirt Man | |
| 2009
| Nicholas Jasenovec | |
| rowspan="3" | 2010
| Jazz Man | |
| Ceremony
| Teddy | |
| Spilt Milk
| Todd | |
| rowspan="2" | 2011
| Eli | |
| A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
| Jesus Christ | |
| rowspan="2" | 2012
| Jeff Schwensen | |
| 21 Jump Street
| Principal Dadier | |
| rowspan="3" | 2013
| Luke Darlingson | |
| The Pretty One
| Basel | |
| Coffee Town
| Will's Roommate | |
| rowspan="3" | 2014
| Barry | Voice only |
| Neighbors
| Sebastian Cremmington | |
| Let's Be Cops
| Ryan J. O'Malley | |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Tim | Also writer/producer |
| Jurassic World
| Lowery Cruthers | |
| rowspan="3" | 2016
| Joshy | Reggie | |
| Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
| Ronnie | |
| Lego Jurassic World: The Indominus Escape
| Lowery Cruthers | Voice only; Short film; Direct-to-video |
| rowspan="5" | 2017
| Eddie Garrett | Also writer/producer |
| Smurfs: The Lost Village
| Voice only |
| Flower
| Raymond Vandross | Uncredited |
| Becoming Bond
| Peregrine Carruthers | Documentary |
| The Mummy
| Chris Vail | |
| rowspan="2" | 2018
| Tag | Randy "Chilli" Cilliano | |
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
| Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man | Voice only |
| 2021
| Leif | Also writer/producer |
| rowspan=2|2023
| Tommy |
| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
| Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man | Voice only |
| 2026
| {{Pending film|Wildwood}} | Mr. McKeel | Voice only; In production |
| 2027
| {{Pending film|Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse}} | Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man | Voice only; In production |
| {{TableTBA}}
| {{Pending film|The Dink}} | {{TableTBA}} |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="3" | 2007
| Jake | 6 episodes |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm
| Man on Cell Phone | Episode: "The N Word" |
| The Unit
| Martin | Episode: "MPs" |
| 2009
| Howard Crease | Episode: "Love Always" |
| 2010
| Powell | Episode: "Countdown" |
| 2011–2018
| New Girl | Main cast; 146 episodes |
| 2011
| Joel Zadak (voice) |
| 2012
| Jorgen | Episode: "The Real Bicycle Thief" |
| 2013
| Eddie Hanson | Episode: "Home Is Where The Haunt Is" |
| 2013; 2015
| Mr. Structor (voice) |
| 2013–2019
| Various | 3 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Himself | Episode: "Jake Johnson Wears a Light Blue Button-Up Shirt and Brown Shoes" |
| No Activity
| Cutler | Episode: "The American" |
| 2015–2017
| Oxnard (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2016
| Dave (voice) | Episode: "The Island" |
| 2016–2017
| | rowspan="2" | 2 episodes |
| 2016–2019
| Easy | Drew |
| 2017
| Stan (voice) | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 2017–2019
| DEA Agent John Haldeman | 3 episodes |
| 2019–2020
| Grey McConnell | Main cast |
| rowspan="2" | 2020
| Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet | Doc Michael | Episode: "A Dark Quiet Death" |
| Hoops
| Ben Hopkins (voice) |
| rowspan="2" | 2022
| Roar | Greg | Episode: "The Woman Who Found Bite Marks on Her Skin" |
| Lost Ollie
| Daddy | Main cast |
| 2022–2023
| Minx | Doug Renetti | Main cast; also co-executive producer |
| 2023
| History of the World, Part II | Episode: "II" |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| rowspan="2" | Lowery Cruthers | Voice |
| Lego Dimensions
| Voice{{cite video game | developer=Traveller's Tales | publisher=Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | scene=Closing credits, 4:45 in, Voiceover Talent | title=Lego Dimensions | year=2015}} |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2019
|"Hot Shower" |Jimmy Dickerson | |
=Playwright=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" | Publisher |
|---|
| 2002
| Cousins | Writer |
References
{{Reflist|refs=
}}https://people.com/tv/who-is-erin-payne-jake-johnson-wife/
External links
{{Commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
- {{Instagram|mrjakejohnson}}
- {{IMDb name|2159926}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Jake}}
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American people of English descent
Category:American male comedians
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male video game actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American people of Irish descent
Category:American people of Jewish descent
Category:American people of Polish descent
Category:American people of Polish-Jewish descent
Category:Comedians from Evanston, Illinois
Category:Male actors from Evanston, Illinois
Category:New Trier High School alumni
Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni