Jonathan Tucker
{{Short description|American actor (born 1982)}}
{{for|the American chemical and biological weapons expert|Jonathan B. Tucker}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jonathan Tucker
| image = Jonathan Tucker.jpg
| caption = Tucker in 2016
| birth_name = Jonathan Moss Tucker
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|5|31}}
| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1994–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Tara Ahamed|2012}}
| children = 2
| father = Paul Hayes Tucker
| relatives = Carlton J. H. Hayes
(great-grandfather)
Mary Evelyn Tucker
(aunt)
}}
Jonathan Moss Tucker (born May 31, 1982)[http://www.filmreference.com/film/56/Jonathan-Tucker.html Jonathan Tucker biography], filmreference.com, May 31, 1982; retrieved May 30, 2012. is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Virgin Suicides (1999), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Hostage (2005), In the Valley of Elah (2007), The Ruins (2008), and Charlie's Angels (2019). He has appeared in the television series The Black Donnellys (2007), Parenthood (2011–2013), Kingdom (2014–2017), Justified (2015), Snowfall (2018), Westworld (2018–2022), City on a Hill (2019), and Debris (2021).
Early life
Tucker was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to parents Maggie Moss, a public relations and marketing analyst and executive, and Paul Hayes Tucker,{{cite web|url=https://www.umb.edu/research/recognizing_excellence/outstanding_faculty/paul_tucker|title=Art Historian Paul Hayes Tucker - University of Massachusetts Boston|website=www.umb.edu|access-date=2016-09-28|archive-date=2020-02-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226172617/https://www.umb.edu/research/recognizing_excellence/outstanding_faculty/paul_tucker|url-status=dead}} a professor of art at the University of Massachusetts Boston and a leading expert on Claude Monet. His paternal great-grandfather was historian and ambassador Carlton J. H. Hayes.Lisa Zwirn [https://web.archive.org/web/20121106004918/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7869706.html "An Art Historian Does Wonders With Wall Space"], The Boston Globe. His aunt and uncle, Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, founded and co-direct the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology.{{cite web|url=http://fore.yale.edu/|title=The Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology|website=fore.yale.edu|access-date=2016-09-28}}
His father is Irish Catholic and his mother is Jewish and of Romanian Jewish descent.{{Cite web |title=Q&A with Jonathan Tucker|first=Kee|last=Chang|work=Anthem Magazine|date=December 11, 2015|access-date=March 24, 2016|url=http://anthemmagazine.com/jonathan-tucker-spoils-for-a-fight/}}
Tucker was raised in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and attended The Park School in Brookline, Massachusetts. He attended the Boston Ballet and played Fritz in their production of The Nutcracker for 5 years starting when he was in the third grade. He was featured in a Boston Ballet calendar and attended The Thacher School in Ojai, California. Tucker said of his ballet experience, "Ballet is one of the more difficult rigors that I've ever done. The Ballet instructors are some of the most intimidating people I've met."
Career
Tucker first started off in film by appearing in the early 1990s films Botte di Natale (1994), Two If by Sea (1996) and Sleepers (1996) before being cast in the 1999 film The Virgin Suicides as Tim Weiner.{{cite book|last1=Lancia|first1=Enrico|title=Dizionario del cinema italiano|date=2001|publisher=Gremese|location=Roma|isbn=8884400856|page=119|edition=1.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sO8zxEhZbrMC&q=%22jonathan+tucker%22+%22Botte+di+Natale%22&pg=PA119|access-date=January 12, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Two if By Sea (1995)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/two_if_by_sea/|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=January 12, 2015}}{{cite web|author1=Jeremy Taylor|title=See the Cast of 'The Virgin Suicides' Then and Now Read More: See the Cast of 'The Virgin Suicides' Then and Now|url=https://screencrush.com/see-the-cast-of-the-virgin-suicides-then-and-now/|publisher=Screen Crush|date=June 19, 2013|access-date=January 12, 2015}}
He starred as Matthew in the 2000 comedy film 100 Girls.{{cite web|title=100 Girls (2000)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/100_girls/|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=January 12, 2015}} A year later, he co-starred in Sundance hit The Deep End with Tilda Swinton and Josh Lucas.{{cite web|author1=Roger Ebert|title=The Deep End Movie Review & Film Summary (2001)|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-deep-end-2001|publisher=Roger Ebert Online|date=August 15, 2001|access-date=January 12, 2015}} In 2003, Tucker was cast in the much anticipated re-imagining of the 1974 horror film of the same name, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre produced by Michael Bay and directed by Marcus Nispel.{{cite web|author1=Lance Avery Morgan|title=Jonathan Tucker: Personal Best|url=http://societychronicles.com/glamour/jonathan-tucker-personal-best|publisher=The Society Chronicles|access-date=January 12, 2015|date=November 10, 2010}} In 2004, he appeared in the films Stateside and Criminal.{{cite web|title=Stateside (2004)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stateside/|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=January 12, 2015}}{{cite news|author1=Stephen Holden|title=Cons Meet Their Match: They Swindle Each Other|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/10/movies/10CRIM.html|work=The New York Times|date=September 10, 2004|access-date=January 12, 2015}}
In the 2005 film Hostage, Tucker worked alongside Bruce Willis and Ben Foster. Tucker plays Dennis Cooper, one of the brothers that, along with their mysterious accomplice Mars, holds a family hostage.{{cite web|title=Hostage (2005)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1141099-hostage/|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=January 12, 2015}} Tucker was directed by Paul Haggis twice in 2007: he starred as Tommy Lee Jones's son in the film In the Valley of Elah as a soldier who is permanently changed by war after returning from Iraq;{{cite web|author1=Wesley Morris|title=After 'Crash,' directory explores Iraq war's emotional wreckage|url=https://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2007/09/14/after_crash_directory_explores_iraq_wars_emotional_wreckage/|publisher=The Boston Globe|date=September 14, 2007|access-date=January 12, 2015}} he also played Tommy Donnelly in the NBC TV series The Black Donnellys.{{cite web|author1=Natalie Abrams|title=Black Donnellys' Jonathan Tucker Heading to Parenthood|url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/parenthood-jonathan-tucker-1039292.aspx|publisher=TV Guide|date=November 2, 2011|access-date=January 12, 2015}}
File:Nick Jonas, Joanna Going, Matt Lauria, Frank Grillo, Jonathan Tucker - Kingdom Premiere Oct 2014 (cropped).jpg, Joanna Going, Matt Lauria, Frank Grillo and Tucker at the premiere of the Kingdom in October 2014]]
In 2008, he was cast in The Ruins, a thriller based on the novel by Scott Smith and directed by Carter Smith.{{cite web|author1=Mark Olsen|title=Feeling stuck in 'The Ruins'|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-apr-05-et-ruins5-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 5, 2008|access-date=January 12, 2015}}
He portrayed emerging artist Patrick Angus in the 2009 film An Englishman in New York, opposite John Hurt as Quentin Crisp. The biographical drama chronicles Crisp's later years spent in New York City. He then appeared in the 2010 film The Next Three Days with Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks, marking his third collaboration with Haggis.{{cite web|author1=Jay A. Fernandez|title=IT'S A SIGN: 'Potter' Star Rupert Grint Signs With Gersh, Jonathan Tucker with UTA, More|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/risky-business/sign-potter-star-rupert-grint-43387|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 9, 2010|access-date=January 12, 2015}}
It was announced in November 2011 that Tucker had signed on to the TV series Parenthood. He played the role of Mayor Bob Little from 2011 to 2014.
Tucker had a main role on the 2014 DirecTV drama series Kingdom. He played Jay, a mixed martial artist and son of trainer, Alvey Kulina,{{cite web|title=Stepping into the Cage with KINGDOM's Jonathan Tucker|url=http://news.directv.com/2014/11/05/stepping-into-the-cage-with-kingdoms-jonathan-tucker/|publisher=DirecTV|date=November 5, 2014|access-date=January 12, 2015}} for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor by Entertainment Weekly, which described his work as "one of the most electric performances on television."{{cite web |url=https://www.ew.com/gallery/2016-poppy-awards-drama-nominees/2713628_best-supporting-actor-jonathan-tucker-kingdom |title=Best Supporting Actor - Jonathan Tucker, Kingdom - Poppy Awards 2016 - Your drama nominees are... |publisher=EW.com |date=2016-08-22 |access-date=2016-10-20 |archive-date=2016-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118191638/http://www.ew.com/gallery/2016-poppy-awards-drama-nominees/2713628_best-supporting-actor-jonathan-tucker-kingdom |url-status=dead }}
In 2015, Tucker also appeared in the final five episodes of the TV series Justified on FX as the crazy-eyed Boon — a cross between Billy the Kid and Travis Bickle.{{cite magazine|author1=Teresa Jue|title=Jonathan Tucker joins 'Justified' for final season|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2015/01/07/jonathan-tucker-justified/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=January 7, 2015|access-date=January 12, 2015}}
Continuing his collaboration with Bryan Fuller, having appeared in the second season of Hannibal, Tucker starred as Low-Key Lyesmith in Starz's American Gods, adapted from Neil Gaiman's 2001 novel.{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/jonathan-tucker-american-gods-interview/|title='American Gods' Star Jonathan Tucker on Filming Alongside Death Row Prisoners|last=Trumbore|first=Dave|date=2017-01-09|website=Collider|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-29}}
Tucker co-wrote the song "Champagne Problems" on Nick Jonas' 2016 album Last Year Was Complicated.{{Cite web|url=https://www.etonline.com/music/190408_how_kingdom_jonathan_tucker_helped_nick_jonas_write_a_song|title=EXCLUSIVE: How 'Kingdom's' Jonathan Tucker Helped Nick Jonas Channel Heartbreak Into Song|website=Entertainment Tonight|date=6 June 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-29}}
Beginning in 2019, Tucker played Frankie Ryan, a Boston gangster, in the Showtime crime drama City on a Hill.
In 2021, Tucker played the lead role of CIA operative Bryan Beneventi in the short-lived NBC science fiction series Debris.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/jonathan-tucker-cast-star-debris-nbc-sci-fi-drama-pilot-1202857471/|title=Jonathan Tucker To Star In NBC Sci-Fi Drama Pilot 'Debris'|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=February 11, 2020|website=Deadline Hollywood|language=en-US|access-date=February 16, 2020}}
Personal life
On June 16, 2012, Tucker married Tara Ahamed, daughter of economic historian Liaquat Ahamed.{{cite news|title=Tara Ahamed, Jonathan Tucker Wedding Announcement|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/fashion/weddings/tara-ahamed-jonathan-tucker-weddings.html?_r=0|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 12, 2015|date=June 17, 2012}} They have twins, a son and daughter born May 15, 2019.{{Cite web|title=Kingdom Star Jonathan Tucker and Wife Tara Welcome Twins: 'We Cannot Believe Our Good Fortune'|url=https://people.com/parents/jonathan-tucker-welcomes-twins-wife-tara/|access-date=2021-06-02|website=PEOPLE.com|language=en}}
Tucker practices Transcendental Meditation to offset loneliness on film locations. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization Pegasus Fund.
In 2023, Tucker wrote a letter of support for actor Danny Masterson before he was due to be sentenced for two counts of rape.{{Cite web |last=Patten |first=Dominic |date=2023-09-08 |title=Danny Masterson Sentencing: Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Giovanni Ribisi & Others Praise “Good Friend”, Ask Judge For No Prison Time For Convicted Rapist |url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/danny-masterson-ashton-kutcher-mila-kunis-rape-sentencing-scientology-1235540971/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last=Ortega |first=Tony |author-link=Tony Ortega |date=13 September 2023 |title=More letters — from Ethan Suplee and others — on behalf of Danny Masterson to Judge Olmedo |url=https://tonyortega.org/2023/09/13/more-letters-from-ethan-suplee-and-others-on-behalf-of-danny-masterson-to-judge-olmedo/ |website=The Underground Bunker}}
In June 2024, he helped evacuate a neighboring family from their home during a home invasion.{{Cite web|url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/actor-jonathan-tucker-rescues-family-amid-home-invasion-in-los-angeles-report/|title=Actor Jonathan Tucker rescues family during home invasion in Los Angeles|date=June 3, 2024}}
Works
=Film=
File:Jonathan Tucker and Serena Scott Thomas.jpg on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz greeting sailors to promote the film Hostage in March 2005]]
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1994
|Moses Junior |a.k.a. The Fight Before Christmas and Botte di Natale |
| 1996
|Todd |a.k.a. Stolen Hearts |
| 1996
|Young Tommy Marcano | |
| 1999
|{{sortname|The|Virgin Suicides|The Virgin Suicides (film)}} |Tim Weiner | |
| 2000
|Matthew | |
| 2001
|{{sortname|The|Deep End|The Deep End (film)}} |Beau Hall | |
| 2001
|Relative Evil |JJ |Also titled Ball in the House |
| 2003
|{{sortname|The|Texas Chainsaw Massacre|The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)}} |Morgan | |
| 2004
|Mark Deloach |a.k.a. Sinners |
| 2004
|Michael | |
| 2005
|Dennis Kelly | |
| 2005
|Student (uncredited) | |
| 2006
|Josh | |
| 2006
|Love Comes to the Executioner |Heck Prigusivac | |
| 2007
|Jordan Wells | |
| 2007
|Day 73 with Sarah |David |Short film |
| 2007
|Mike Deerfield | |
| 2008
|{{sortname|The|Ruins|The Ruins (film)}} |Jeff | |
| 2009
|{{sortname|An|Englishman in New York|An Englishman in New York (film)}} | |
| 2009
|Edward | |
| 2010
|Billy | |
| 2010
|Meskada |Shane Loakin | |
| 2010
|{{sortname|The|Next Three Days}} |David | |
| 2018
|Skin |Jeffrey | |
| 2019
|Hodak | |
| 2022
|Tom | |
| 2023
| Errol Grey | |
=Television=
File:Jonathan Tucker at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.jpg]]
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Television |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1997
|Tony |Episode: "Frostbite" |
| 1998
|Mr. Music |Rob Tennant |TV film |
| 2001
|{{sortname|The|Practice}} |Chad Baldwin / "James Tucker" |Episode: "Vanished: Part 1 & 2" |
| 2002
|Eli Wexler |Episode: "The Curse of the Klopman Diamonds" |
| 2003
|CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |Peter Arnz |Episode: "Crash and Burn" |
| 2003
|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |Ian Tate |Episode: "Abomination" |
| 2004
|Bruno Baskerville Walsh |Episode: "Falling into Place" |
| 2005
|Jak |Episode: "Dance of the Dead" |
| 2006
|Drew Ramsey |Episode: "Wrongful Life" |
| 2007
| {{sortname|The|Black Donnellys}} | Tommy Donnelly | Main role |
| 2010
|Avery Phillips |Episode: "Hard Sell" |
| 2011
|Raymond Donovan |Episode: "The Thirteenth Step" |
| 2011
|Shaw Morgan |2 episodes |
| 2011–2013
|Bob Little |10 episodes |
| 2012
|Brady McGraw |Episode: "Nemesis" |
| 2012
|Riley Cavanaugh |Episode: "Triggerman" |
| 2012
|Ro |Jordan |5 episodes |
| 2014
|Matthew Brown |2 episodes |
| 2014
|High Moon |Stanislav "Stan" Stavin |TV pilot |
| 2014–2017
| Kingdom | Jay Kulina | Main role |
| 2015
|Boon |5 episodes |
| 2017
|Low Key Lyesmith |Episode: "The Bone Orchard" |
| 2018–2022
|Major Craddock |7 episodes |
| 2018–2019
|Matt McDonald |10 episodes |
| 2019
|Frankie Ryan |Recurring role |
| 2020
| Alex | Episode: "Port Fourchon, LA" |
| 2021
| Main role |
| 2022
| Echoes | Dylan James | Main role |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Voice role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2017
| Private First Class Robert Zussman | Likeness and motion capture |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Award !Category !Nominated work !Result |
| 2000
|Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot – Leading Young Actor |Mr. Music |{{Nominated}} |
| 2005
|Best Actor in a DVD Premiere Movie |Relative Evil |{{Nominated}} |
| rowspan="2" |2008
|Standout Performance | rowspan="2" |Jonathan Tucker |{{Won}} |
| Scream Awards
|Best Horror Actor |{{Nominated}} |
| 2023
|Best Supporting Performance |{{Nominated}} |
References
{{Reflist|2|refs=
{{cite web|title=The Gonz Show: Jonathan Tucker extended|url=http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2007/01/the-gonz-show-jonathan-tucker-extended/|work=Boston Magazine|access-date=January 12, 2015|date=January 2007|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923194009/http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2007/01/the-gonz-show-jonathan-tucker-extended/|url-status=dead}}
}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|6958}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tucker, Jonathan}}
Category:American male ballet dancers
Category:American male child actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American people of Irish descent
Category:American people of Romanian-Jewish descent
Category:Jewish American male actors
Category:Male actors from Boston
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors