Josh Radnor
{{short description|American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1974)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Josh Radnor
| image = Josh Radnor (9448570254).jpg
| caption = Radnor at the 2013 Comic-Con Convention
| birth_name = Joshua Thomas Radnor{{cite web| url=https://twitter.com/JoshRadnor/status/279099977245016064|date=Dec 12, 2012| title=Josh Radnor on Twitter}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1974|7|29}}{{cite news |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/2014072920161/horoscopes-josh-radnor-star-signs/ |title=Happy birthday, Josh Radnor: See his star sign and read your horoscope |date=July 29, 2014 |work=Hello! |access-date=February 21, 2020}}
| birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Actor
- filmmaker
- musician}}
| education = Kenyon College {{small|(BA)}}
New York University {{small|(MFA)}}
| years_active = 2000–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Jordana Jacobs|January 6, 2024}}
}}
Joshua Thomas Radnor (born July 29, 1974) is an American actor, filmmaker, author, and musician. He is best known for portraying Ted Mosby on the Emmy Award–winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014). He made his writing and directorial debut with the 2010 comedy drama film Happythankyoumoreplease, for which he won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.
In 2012, he wrote, directed and starred in his second film, Liberal Arts, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. In 2014, Radnor portrayed Isaac in the Broadway play Disgraced, which was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. He then starred as Dr. Jedediah Foster on the PBS American Civil War drama series Mercy Street, Lou Mazzuchelli in the musical series Rise, and as Lonny Flash in Hunters. In 2024, he returned to theater acting in the Itamar Moses play The Ally at The Public Theater.
Early life and education
Radnor was born in Columbus, Ohio, to a Jewish family, the son of Carol Radnor ({{née|Hirsch}}), a high school counselor, and Alan Radnor, a medical malpractice lawyer.{{cite web|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2010/06/30/bexley-natives-to-premiere-award/23228876007/| title=Bexley natives to premiere award-winning film at Drexel|date=June 30, 2010|publisher=ThisWeek Community News|access-date=February 28, 2022}} Radnor has two sisters.{{cite news|first=Vered|last=Weiss|date=January 5, 2015|title=Josh Radnor May Go on the Road after 'Disgraced' Closes on Broadway|url=https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/01/05/josh-radnor-may-go-on-the-road-after-disgraced-closes-on-broadway/|access-date=February 21, 2020|work=Jewish Business News}}
He grew up in Bexley, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, and was raised in Conservative Judaism.{{cite news|url=https://www.thelantern.com/2013/09/met-mother-star-josh-radnor-gets-intimate-ohio-state-students/|title=Josh Radnor: 'I love being from Columbus'|work=The Lantern|date=September 25, 2013|first=Halie|last=Williams|access-date=February 21, 2020}} He attended the Orthodox Jewish day school Columbus Torah Academy before going to Bexley High School{{cite web |last=Spence |first=Rebecca |title=Radnor: Not Your Average TV Star |publisher=The Forward |date=March 12, 2008 |url=http://www.forward.com/articles/12901/ |access-date=March 13, 2008}}{{cite news |url=http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/162698/josh-radnor-on-talmud-and-liberal-arts/ |title=Josh Radnor on Talmud and 'Liberal Arts' |work=The Forward|date=September 13, 2012 |access-date=November 14, 2012}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thejc.com/arts/arts-interviews/84692/josh-radnor-heart-versus-head-its-a-big-theme-my-life |title=Josh Radnor: Heart vs Head - 'it's a big theme of my life'|work=The Jewish Chronicle|date=October 4, 2012 |access-date=November 14, 2012}} and then Kenyon College, where his school's theater department presented him with the Paul Newman Award and during which he spent a semester (Spring 1995) training at the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut. He graduated from Kenyon with a Bachelor of Arts in drama in 1996.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbs.com/primetime/how_i_met_your_mother/bio/josh_radnor/bio.php |title=Josh Radnor: How I Met Your Mother on CBS |publisher=CBS|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080403060133/http://www.cbs.com/primetime/how_i_met_your_mother/bio/josh_radnor/bio.php |archive-date=April 3, 2008}} Radnor received his Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from New York University's graduate acting program at the Tisch School of the Arts in 1999.{{cite web |title=NYU Graduate Acting Alumni |url=http://gradacting.tisch.nyu.edu/object/ga_alumbios.html |access-date=December 1, 2011 |archive-date=May 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120530061847/http://gradacting.tisch.nyu.edu/object/ga_alumbios.html |url-status=dead }} Radnor participated in an Israel experience program in Tzfat with Livnot U'Lehibanot in 1997.
Career
File:Josh Radnor and Ben Lee.jpg
Radnor was cast as the lead in The WB series Off Centre. However, the role was re-cast with Eddie Kaye Thomas before the first episode aired.{{cite web |url=http://www.tv.com/josh-radnor/person/6249/trivia.html |title=Josh Radnor Biography |work=TV.com |access-date=September 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217125108/http://www.tv.com/josh-radnor/person/6249/trivia.html |archive-date=February 17, 2008 |publisher=CNET Networks, Inc.}} In 2002, he made his Broadway debut in the stage version of The Graduate, succeeding Jason Biggs, opposite Kathleen Turner and Alicia Silverstone. In 2004, Radnor starred in The Paris Letter alongside his future How I Met Your Mother co-star Neil Patrick Harris.{{cite news |title=Theater Review: The Paris Letter |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/theater/reviews/16kirk.html |work=The New York Times |date=December 16, 2004 |access-date=February 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622015612/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/16/theater/reviews/16kirk.html |archive-date=June 22, 2013 |first=Charles |last=Isherwood |author-link=Charles Isherwood |page=5 }} From 2005 to 2014, Radnor starred as Ted Mosby in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, his biggest role to date. The series ran for nine seasons and revolved around friends living in New York City and finding love. He acted alongside Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, and Alyson Hannigan.{{cite web|url= https://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-met-your-mother-cast-then-and-now-photos|title= THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'How I Met Your Mother' 17 years later|website= Business Insider|accessdate= February 11, 2024}}
In July 2008, he starred opposite Jennifer Westfeldt in the premiere of the play Finks,{{cite web |last=Cotter |first=James |date=July 26, 2008 |publisher=Times Herald |url=http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20080726/ |title=article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202114146/http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20080726%2F |archive-date=February 2, 2009}} written by Joe Gilford and directed by Charlie Stratton for New York Stage and Film. Radnor made his directorial debut with the film Happythankyoumoreplease, where he was both the writer and star of the 2010 comedy-drama.{{cite news |last=Angelo |first=Megan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/movies/27radnor.html |title=How I Met Your City, the Real One |work=The New York Times |date=February 27, 2011 |access-date=February 12, 2019 |page=12}}
His second directorial effort, Liberal Arts, starring himself and Elizabeth Olsen, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2012.{{cite magazine |last=Kit| first=Borys |title=Josh Radnor, Elizabeth Olsen Teaming for Indie 'Liberal Arts' |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/josh-radnor-elizabeth-olsen-teaming-170621 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=April 23, 2011 |date=March 23, 2011}} Radnor appeared in the Broadway production of Disgraced, which opened October 23, 2014, at the Lyceum Theatre.{{cite web |last=Sobel |first=Jon |title=Josh Radnor to Appear in Pulitzer Winner 'Disgraced' on Broadway This Fall |url=http://www.classicalite.com/articles/8965/20140610/josh-radnor-pulitzer-winner-disgraced-broadway.htm |work=Classicalite.com |date=June 10, 2014 |access-date=February 12, 2019}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.playbill.com/production/disgraced-lyceum-theatre-vault-0000014067 |title='Disgraced' Broadway |magazine=Playbill |access-date=July 23, 2016 |publisher=Brightspot}} He is set to direct the sci-fi thriller film The Leaves.{{cite magazine |last=McNary |first=Dave |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/josh-radnor-the-leaves-how-i-met-your-mother-1201800533/ |title='How I Met Your Mother' Star Josh Radnor Directing Sci-Fi Drama 'The Leaves' |magazine=Variety |date=June 21, 2016 |access-date=February 12, 2019 }} From 2016 to 2017 he played Dr. Jedediah Foster in the historical medical drama Mercy Street on PBS.{{cite web|url= https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/josh-radnor-gary-cole-and-the-mercy-street-cast-on-bringing-the-brutal-truths-of-the-civil-war-to-pbs-36618/|title= Josh Radnor, Gary Cole and the 'Mercy Street' Cast On Bringing The Brutal Truths of The Civil War to PBS|website= IndieWire|date= January 15, 2016|accessdate= February 11, 2024}}
In October 2016, Radnor also confirmed he is in a band, Radnor and Lee, with Australian musician Ben Lee. Radnor and Lee had known each other for "twelve or thirteen years after meeting on the set of How I Met Your Mother" eventually writing songs together.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/ben-lee-and-ted-from-how-i-met-your-mother-have-a-band-for-some-reason/|title=Ben Lee and Ted from 'How I Met Your Mother' Have a Band, Unfortunately|last=D'Souza|first=Shaad|date=April 4, 2018|website=Vice}} Their debut album, Radnor & Lee was released on November 10, 2017,{{cite journal |last=Murphy |first=Sam |url=http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/josh-radnor-from-how-i-met-your-mother-and-ben-lee-continue-bromance-with-new-song/ |title=Josh Radnor From 'How I Met Your Mother' And Ben Lee Continue Bromance With New Song |journal=Music Feeds |date=August 19, 2017 |access-date=February 12, 2019}} "receiving widespread praise across the board, and cementing the duo as an accomplished pair of artists," stated Rolling Stone.{{Cite web|url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/radnor-and-lee-golden-state-interview-14489/|title = Radnor & Lee on Their New Album, and Making Music While in Quarantine|date = July 21, 2020}} On February 19, 2020, Spin announced Radnor and Lee's sophomore album, Golden State, out on Flower Moon Records, and premiered the first single "Outside In."{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2020/02/radnor-and-lee-tackle-age-and-wisdom-on-new-album-golden-state|title = Radnor and Lee Announced Sophomore Album "Golden State"|date = February 19, 2020}} American Songwriter later premiered the video for the album's 2nd single, "Simple Harmony." Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the album's release date was pushed back to June 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/radnor-and-lee-simple-harmony-video-premiere/|title = Radnor & Lee Ache for Pre-Quarantine Life with New Video, "Simple Harmony"|date = May 14, 2020}} Radnor's debut solo EP, One More Then I'll Let You Go, was released on April 16, 2021, on Flower Moon Records. Rolling Stone premiered the first single, "The High Road," March 10, 2021, calling it a "gently lilting ballad about the breakdown of a friendship on which he sings... which features deep textures of piano, acoustic guitar, organ, and snapping fingers."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/how-i-met-your-mother-josh-radnor-previews-new-ep-with-introspective-the-high-road-1138292/|title = 'How I Met Your Mother' Star Josh Radnor Previews New EP with Introspective 'The High Road'| magazine=Rolling Stone |date = March 10, 2021}} The EP's 2nd single, "You Feel New," premiered on March 31, 2021, with features in Rolling Stone, NPR, American Songwriter and Paste Magazine.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/how-i-met-your-mother-josh-radnor-new-song-you-feel-new-1149615/|title = 'How I Met Your Mother' Star Josh Radnor Drops 'You Feel New'| magazine=Rolling Stone |date = March 31, 2021}}
From 2020 to 2023 he starred as Lonny Flash Amazon Prime series, Hunters acting alongside Logan Lerman and Al Pacino.{{cite web|url= https://collider.com/hunters-season-2-josh-radnor-interview/|title= Josh Radnor on 'Hunters' Season 2, His Favorite Fight Scene, and the Team Dynamic|website= Collider|date= January 15, 2023|accessdate= February 11, 2023}} He voiced Durpleton in the Netflix animated series Centaurworld (2021). He took a recurring role as Adam one of the protagonists friends, in the FX on Hulu limited series Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022). He acted alongside Jesse Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan, and Adam Brody.{{cite web|url= https://deadline.com/2022/04/josh-radnor-fx-limited-series-fleishman-is-in-trouble-1235013140/|title= Josh Radnor Joins FX Limited Series 'Fleishman Is In Trouble'|website= Deadline Hollywood|date= April 29, 2022|accessdate= February 11, 2024}} The series went on to receive a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/2023-emmy-nominations-list-1235666521/|title= Emmys 2023: The Complete Nominations List|website= Variety|date= July 12, 2023|accessdate= February 11, 2024}} In 2024 Radnor returned to theatre starring in the Itamar Moses play The Ally directed by Lila Neugebauer at The Public Theatre.{{cite web|url= https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/the-ally-sets-full-off-broadway-cast|title= 'The Ally' sets full Off-Broadway cast|website= New York Theatre Guide|date= December 12, 2023|accessdate= February 11, 2024}}
Personal life
In 2008, Radnor told the Los Angeles Times, "I do Transcendental Meditation, and part of the reason I chose my house is that I thought it would be a great place to meditate."{{cite news |last=Sachs |first=Mark |title=Plenty of spots to meet |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-nov-28-et-faveweekend28-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=April 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305230422/http://articles.latimes.com/2008/nov/28/entertainment/et-faveweekend28 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=live |date=November 28, 2008}}
Radnor is an avid Cloud Cult fan. He collaborated with the band to make the film The Seeker in 2016. Radnor explained, "What's true for me about a lot of music, but especially true for Cloud Cult's music, is that it stirs up the thing that's already in you and calls it out. If this film is able to do that, I'll sleep well at night."{{cite news|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/04/cloud-cult-made-a-gorgeous-one-hour-movie-with-jos.html |title=Cloud Cult Made a Gorgeous One-Hour Movie with Josh Radnor |work=Paste |date=April 2016 |access-date=January 22, 2017 |first=Josh |last=Jackson}}{{cite web |url=http://www.starpulse.com/interview-how-i-met-josh-radnor-1847878772.html |title=Interview: 'How I Met Josh Radnor'|date=January 15, 2009 |access-date=February 12, 2019 |work=StarPulse |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831044039/http://www.starpulse.com/interview-how-i-met-josh-radnor-1847878772.html|archive-date=August 31, 2017}}
Radnor married clinical psychologist Jordana J. Jacobs on January 6, 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/19/style/josh-radnor-wedding.html |title=A Psychedelic Trip Leads to a 'Cosmic and Divine' Celebration of Love |website=The New York Times |first=Katherine |last=Rosman |date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable"
|+Key | style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Denotes productions that have not yet been released}} | Denotes productions that have not yet been released |
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 2001
| Tour Guide | |
| 2008
| The Negotiating Table | WGA Negotiator | Short film |
| 2010
| Sam Wexler | Also director and writer |
| 2012
| Jesse Fisher | Also director, writer and producer |
| 2013
| Jeff | |
| 2013
| The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden | John Garth (voice) | Documentary |
| 2016
| The Seeker | Father |Also executive producer |
| 2018
| Paul | |
| 2023
| Three Birthdays | Rob | |
| 2024
| Graham Landry | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2000
| Doug | Episode: "The Crier" |
| 2001
| Mike Platt | Unaired pilot |
| 2002
| Robert Kitson | Episode: "Access Nation" |
| 2002
| Dylan Hirsch | 3 episodes |
| 2003
| ER | Keith | Episode: "The Advocate" |
| 2003
| Will Jaffe | Episode: "The Trap" |
| 2003
| Andrew Gilbert | Episode: "I Got You Babe" |
| 2005
| Justin Barr | Episode: "Too Little, Too Late" |
| 2005–14
| Main role (208 episodes) |
| 2007, 2009
| Ted Mosby (voice) | Episodes: "No Chris Left Behind" |
| 2013
| Himself/cameo | Episode: "La cosa está muy negra" |
| 2016–17
| Dr. Jedediah Foster | Main role (12 episodes) |
| 2018
| Rise | Lou Mazzuchelli | Main role (10 episodes) |
| 2018
| John | Episode: "Momma Knows Best" |
| 2020–23
| Hunters | Lonny Flash | Main role (18 episodes) |
| 2021
| Durpleton (voice) | Main role (18 episodes) |
| 2022
| Adam | Recurring (5 Episodes) |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Title | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Let Me Be Your Girl" | Rachael Yamagata | Director{{cite web|url=http://www.sltrib.com/home/4403446-155/allison-janney-clowns-around-in-rachael |title=Allison Janney clowns around in Rachael Yamagata's new video |first=Nicole|last= Evatt |publisher=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=October 10, 2016 |access-date=October 12, 2016}} |
| 2017 | "Be Like the Being" | Radnor and Lee | Director |
| 2021 | "Afternoon" | Cinders | Director |
=Theatre=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Location ! class=unsortable|Ref. |
|---|
| 2002
| Benjamin Braddock | Plymouth Theatre, Broadway | {{cite web|title=Josh Radnor|url=http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=99961|work=Internet Broadway Database|access-date=January 11, 2012}} |
| 2004
| The Paris Letter | Sam Arlen / Young Sandy | |
| 2011
| Georg Nowack | Stephen Sondheim Theatre, Broadway |
| 2014–2015
| Isaac | Lyceum Theatre, Broadway |
| 2016
|The Babylon Line |Aaron Port |{{cite web|url= https://www.lct.org/shows/babylon-line/|title= The Babylon Line|website= Lincoln Center|accessdate= February 11, 2024}} |
| 2018
|Seymour Krelborn |
| 2024
|Asaf |
Awards and nominations
Discography
=[[Radnor and Lee]]=
- Radnor and Lee (2017, Gold Village Entertainment)
- Golden State (2020, Flower Moon Records)
=Solo=
- One More Then I'll Let You Go (2021, Flower Moon Records)
- Eulogy, Vol. 1 (2023, Optimal Grip)
- Eulogy, Vol. II (2024, Optimal Grip)
=Additional appearances=
- Paty Cantú & Josh Radnor – "Mirame" (2020, Universal Music Mexico)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|1102140}}
- {{IBDB name}}
- {{iobdb name|20395}}
- [http://www.cbs.com/shows/how_i_met_your_mother/cast/61484 Josh Radnor Bio at CBS – How I Met Your Mother]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Radnor, Josh}}
Category:21st-century American Jews
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male musicians
Category:21st-century American male writers
Category:21st-century American screenwriters
Category:Film directors from Ohio
Category:American film producers
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:Bexley High School alumni
Category:Jewish American male actors
Category:Jewish American musicians
Category:Jewish American screenwriters
Category:Kenyon College alumni
Category:Sundance Film Festival award winners
Category:Male actors from Columbus, Ohio
Category:People from Bexley, Ohio
Category:People from Greater Columbus, Ohio
Category:Radnor and Lee members