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Jake JohnsonAmerican actor, comedian and screenwriter
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Biography of Jake Johnson
- Early Life and Education
- Early Career
- Breakthrough and Film Career
- Recent Projects
Biography of Jake Johnson
Jake Johnson is an American actor, comedian, and screenwriter best known for his role as Nick Miller in the comedy series 'New Girl' alongside Zooey Deschanel. He received a nomination for the Teen Choice Award for his performance in this role. Johnson has also appeared in films such as 'Paper Heart' (2009) and 'Safety Not Guaranteed' (2012).
Early Life and Education
Jake Johnson was born on May 28, 1978, in Evanston, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago. He grew up in a family with Irish roots, raised by his single mother who was an artist specializing in stained glass. Johnson developed a passion for comedy and became a fan of the improvisational group 'Second City,' which has launched the careers of actors such as John Belushi, Tina Fey, and Chris Farley. He graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka and continued his education at the University of Iowa. While in Iowa City, Johnson wrote a play that led him to the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
Early Career
By 2002, Johnson had won the John Golden Playwriting Prize for his exceptional screenplay. His play 'Cousins' was produced by the New York-based non-Broadway theater company, 'The Ensemble Studio Theater.' While in New York, Johnson began working with the comedy team 'The Midwesterners.' After watching the HBO sketch series 'Mr. Show with Bob and David,' he knew how to reshape the repertoire of 'The Midwesterners' and develop a new style. Johnson later moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a waiter, assisted directors, and appeared in several television projects.
Breakthrough and Film Career
In 2007, Johnson gained stability in his career by performing comedy sketches in Bob Odenkirk's web series 'Derek and Simon.' He landed a role in the pseudo-documentary film 'Paper Heart' alongside Michael Cera in 2009. The following year, he portrayed a jazz musician in the musical comedy 'Get Him to the Greek' and played Teddy, Uma Thurman's dim-witted brother, in the romantic comedy 'Ceremony.' Johnson also appeared as Ashton Kutcher's friend in the film 'No Strings Attached.'
In 2011, Johnson joined the ensemble cast of the comedy 'A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.' He was then cast in the cynical comedy '21 Jump Street' (2012) alongside Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Johnson's breakthrough role came in 2012 when he played one of the main characters in the film 'Safety Not Guaranteed,' which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Recent Projects
In 2013, Johnson appeared in the music video for the song 'Rouse Yourself' by the indie-soul group 'JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound,' alongside American actress Aubrey Plaza. Some of Johnson's recent projects include the promising drama 'Drinking Buddies,' the dramedy 'The Pretty One,' the comedy 'Neighbors,' and the comedy-action film 'Let's Be Cops.'
Jake Johnson currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, artist Erin Payne.
