Jake Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jake Johnson
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Johnson in 2026
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| Born |
Mark Jake Johnson Weinberger
May 28, 1978 Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
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| Years active | 2002–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Erin Payne
(m. 2006) |
| Children | 2 |
Jake Johnson, born Mark Jake Johnson Weinberger on May 28, 1978, is a talented American actor. Many know him as Nick Miller from the popular TV show New Girl, which aired from 2011 to 2018. For this role, he was even nominated for an award in 2013.
He is also famous for lending his voice to Peter B. Parker/Spider-Man in the animated movies Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and its exciting sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023).
Jake Johnson has appeared in many other films. These include Let's Be Cops (2014), Jurassic World (2015), and Tag (2018). From 2022 to 2023, he also starred in the comedy series Minx. In 2023, he directed his first movie, called Self Reliance.
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Growing Up in Illinois
Jake Johnson was born on May 28, 1978, in Evanston, Illinois. This town is a suburb north of Chicago. His father, Ken Weinberger, owned a car dealership. His mother, Eve Johnson, was an artist who created beautiful stained glass windows.
Jake was named after his uncle, Mark Johnson. His parents divorced when he was two years old. Jake and his older brother Dan and sister Rachel were raised by their mother. When he was in high school, Jake decided to use his mother's last name, Johnson. He later reconnected with his father when he was 17. His father passed away in 2021.
Becoming an Actor
Jake Johnson loved comedy from a young age. He was a fan of the famous Second City improv group. After high school, he went to the University of Iowa. There, he wrote a play that helped him get into New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
In New York, Jake started a comedy group called The Midwesterners. They created funny skits. Later, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. He worked as a waiter and a production assistant while trying to get acting roles. In 2007, he got a regular part in the TV mini-show Derek and Simon: The Show.
Early Film Roles
Jake appeared in the movie Paper Heart in 2009. He had small roles in comedies like Get Him to the Greek (2010) and No Strings Attached (2011). In 2012, he was in the action-comedy 21 Jump Street. He also starred in the independent film Safety Not Guaranteed that same year.
Starring in New Girl and Other Projects
From 2011 to 2018, Jake Johnson played the main character Nick Miller in the hit TV show New Girl. He acted alongside Zooey Deschanel. This role made him very well-known.
In 2015, he joined the cast of the blockbuster movie Jurassic World. He played Lowery Cruthers, a park employee. He also starred in the Netflix comedy film Win It All in 2017.
Voice Acting and Directing
In 2018, Jake Johnson voiced Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man in the animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. He returned to voice the character in the 2023 sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. He also starred in the comedy film Tag that year.
From 2019 to 2020, Jake played Grey McConnell in the TV drama Stumptown. In 2023, he started an advice podcast called We're Here to Help. Also in 2023, he directed his first movie, Self Reliance.
Life Outside of Acting
Jake Johnson married Erin Payne, who is an artist, in 2006. They have two twin daughters, Elizabeth and Olivia, who were born in 2014.
When he's not acting, Jake enjoys cheering for his favorite sports teams from Chicago. These include the Chicago Cubs baseball team and the Chicago Bears football team.
Filmography
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Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Bunny Whipped | Basketball Player | |
| 2008 | Redbelt | Guayabera Shirt Man | |
| 2009 | Paper Heart | Nicholas Jasenovec | |
| 2010 | Get Him to the Greek | Jazz Man | |
| Ceremony | Teddy | ||
| Spilt Milk | Todd | ||
| 2011 | No Strings Attached | Eli | |
| A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas | Jesus Christ | ||
| 2012 | Safety Not Guaranteed | Jeff Schwensen | |
| 21 Jump Street | Principal Dadier | ||
| 2013 | The Pretty One | Basel | |
| Coffee Town | Will's Roommate | ||
| 2014 | The Lego Movie | Barry | Voice Cameo only |
| Neighbors | Sebastian Cremmington | ||
| Let's Be Cops | Ryan J. O'Malley | ||
| 2015 | Digging for Fire | Tim | Also writer/producer |
| Jurassic World | Lowery Cruthers | ||
| 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 | |
| 2017 | Win It All | Eddie Garrett | Also writer/producer |
| Smurfs: The Lost Village | Grouchy Smurf | Voice only | |
| Flower | Raymond Vandross | Uncredited | |
| Becoming Bond | Peregrine Carruthers | Documentary | |
| The Mummy | Chris Vail | ||
| 2018 | Tag | Randy "Chilli" Cilliano | |
| Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse | Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man | Voice only | |
| 2021 | Ride the Eagle | Leif | Also writer/producer |
| 2023 | Self Reliance | Tommy | Also writer/producer/director |
| Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man | Voice only | |
| 2026 | The Sun Never Sets | Jack | Also producer |
| The Dink | Dusty Boyd | Also producer | |
| Wildwood |
Mr. McKeel | Voice only; In production | |
| 2027 | Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse |
Peter B. Parker / Spider-Man | Voice only; In production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Derek and Simon: The Show | Jake | 6 episodes |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | Man on Cell Phone | Episode: "The N Word" | |
| The Unit | Martin | Episode: "MPs" | |
| 2009 | Lie to Me | Howard Crease | Episode: "Love Always" |
| 2010 | FlashForward | Powell | Episode: "Countdown" |
| 2011–2018 | New Girl | Nick Miller | Main cast; 146 episodes Directed episode: "Bob & Carol & Nick & Schmidt" Nominated – Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series (2013) Nominated – TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy (2013) Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Best Actor Comedy (2012, 2013) Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2013) |
| 2011 | Allen Gregory | Joel Zadak (voice) | 6 episodes |
| 2012 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Jorgen | Episode: "The Real Bicycle Thief" |
| 2013 | Ghost Ghirls | Eddie Hanson | Episode: "Home Is Where The Haunt Is" |
| 2013; 2015 | High School USA! | Mr. Structor (voice) | Main role |
| 2015 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Himself | Episode: "Jake Johnson Wears a Light Blue Button-Up Shirt and Brown Shoes" |
| No Activity | Cutler | Episode: "The American" | |
| 2015–2017 | BoJack Horseman | Oxnard (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | We Bare Bears | Dave (voice) | Episode: "The Island" |
| 2016–2017 | Idiotsitter | 2 episodes | |
| 2016–2019 | Easy | Drew | |
| 2017 | Comrade Detective | Stan (voice) | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 2017–2019 | No Activity | DEA Agent John Haldeman | 3 episodes |
| 2019–2020 | Stumptown | Grey McConnell | Main cast |
| 2020 | Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet | Doc Michael | Episode: "A Dark Quiet Death" |
| Hoops | Ben Hopkins (voice) | 10 episodes; also executive producer | |
| 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 | Marco Polo | Episode: "II" |
| 2026 | Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed | Karl | Main cast |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Lego Jurassic World | Lowery Cruthers | Voice |
| Lego Dimensions | Voice |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | "Hot Shower" | Jimmy Dickerson |
Playwright
| Year | Title | Role | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Cousins | Writer | Ensemble Studio Theater |
