Jon Cryer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Cryer
Cryer in 2011
Born	Jonathan Niven Cryer (1965-04-16) April 16, 1965 (age 60) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1982–present
Known for	Pretty in Pink, Two and a Half Men
Spouse(s)	Sarah Trigger ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2004)​ Lisa Joyner ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Gretchen Kiger David Cryer

Jon Cryer (born April 16, 1965) is a famous American actor. He grew up in a family that worked in show business. His first movie role was in 1984. It was a romantic comedy called No Small Affair.

He became very well known for his role as Duckie in the 1986 film Pretty in Pink. This movie was written by John Hughes. Later, he wrote and produced his own independent film in 1998. It was called Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five.

In 2003, Jon Cryer got a main role in the TV show Two and a Half Men. He played Alan Harper. This show was a huge success and ran for twelve seasons. He won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his acting on the show. He received a special star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011. This star was for his work in television.

Cryer has also appeared in many other films. These include Hot Shots! (1991) and Big Time Adolescence (2019). He also played the villain Lex Luthor in the TV series Supergirl. He also appeared as Lex Luthor in Arrow and Batwoman.

Early Life and Acting Dreams

Jon Cryer was born in New York City. His mom, Gretchen Kiger, is a writer, songwriter, actress, and singer. His dad, Donald David Cryer, is also an actor and singer. His grandfather was a Methodist minister. Jon has two sisters named Robin and Shelly.

When Jon was twelve, he decided he wanted to be an actor. His mom joked that he should have a backup plan, like plumbing! As a teenager, Jon spent several summers at the Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center. He graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1983. He skipped college to study Shakespeare in London, England. He attended a summer course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Jon Cryer's Acting Career

Starting Out in Acting

Cryer at the 2003 premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Jon Cryer's first professional acting job was in a Broadway play. It was called Torch Song Trilogy. He took over a role from Matthew Broderick. He looked a lot like Matthew Broderick. He also filled in for Broderick in another Broadway play, Brighton Beach Memoirs, in 1984.

At age 19, Cryer starred in the 1984 movie No Small Affair. He played the main character, Charles Cummings. After this, he appeared in smaller roles in other films and TV movies.

Cryer became famous for his role as Duckie in Pretty in Pink. After the movie came out, his mom said she got calls from teenage girls worldwide. They would leave excited messages on her answering machine.

In 1987, Cryer starred in the film Hiding Out. He played a stockbroker who was hiding from a bad guy. His mom even played his aunt in the movie! Critics praised his performance. In 1989, he got the main role in a TV comedy series. It was called The Famous Teddy Z. The show didn't get good reviews and was canceled after one season.

In 1990, Cryer appeared in an Off-Broadway play. He also starred with Charlie Sheen in the comedy Hot Shots!. This movie was very popular. In 1993, he almost got a role on the TV show Friends. He auditioned while in London, but his audition tape didn't arrive in time.

In 1995, he was cast in another TV show called Partners. This show was also canceled after its first season. Jon joked that every show he was in seemed to get canceled. After guest roles on shows like Dharma & Greg, he wrote and starred in his own film. It was called Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five. The movie got good reviews from critics. That same year, he was in another TV series, Getting Personal. This show was also canceled after a short run.

In 1999, Cryer acted in a play called Bluff. In 2000, he got the lead in a comedy series. It was called The Trouble With Normal. For the third time, a show he starred in was canceled after its first season.

Success with Two and a Half Men

Jon Cryer's streak of canceled TV shows ended in 2003. He was cast as Alan Harper in the hit comedy series Two and a Half Men. He got the role partly because he was friends with Charlie Sheen. CBS executives were worried because of his past shows, but he proved them wrong.

Cryer received seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his work on the show. He won two Emmy Awards for his acting. He said that being on a successful show made him trust his acting instincts more.

After Charlie Sheen left the show, Cryer's character became the main star. Ashton Kutcher joined as the co-lead. Cryer is the only actor who appeared in every single episode of the series.

More Acting and TV Roles

In 2008, Cryer appeared in the film Tortured. In 2009, he co-starred in the film Shorts.

In 2011, Cryer performed in a concert version of the musical Company. He played the role of David. The concert featured many famous actors and was shown on TV.

Cryer also made a guest appearance on the TV series Husbands. He was supposed to voice a character in the animated movie Planes. He later left the project, but still got a credit for helping with the story.

In 2015, Cryer wrote a book about his life. It's called So That Happened. The book shares funny stories from his 30-year career in acting.

Cryer has also appeared in the drama series NCIS. He played Dr. Cyril Taft, who treated Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Cryer had wanted to be on NCIS since it started in 2003.

He also joined the team of a popular podcast called Undisclosed. He voices a weekly episode for their second season.

In 2018, Cryer was on the TV show Who Do You Think You Are?. On the show, he learned about his family history. He discovered his ancestor, James Adams, was a Scottish soldier. James was captured in a battle in 1650 and sent to America as a servant. Cryer visited the places where his ancestor lived and worked. He said learning about his family's strength inspired him.

In 2018, it was announced that Cryer would play Lex Luthor on The CW's Supergirl. This was a special role because he had played Lex Luthor's nephew, Lenny Luthor, in the 1987 film Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. He appeared as Lex Luthor in several other superhero shows. These included Batwoman and The Flash.

In 2019, Cryer joined other writers in a stand against talent agents. This was part of the WGA's efforts for fair practices. Cryer also supported the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

Jon Cryer's Personal Life

Cryer with wife Lisa Joyner in September 2011

Jon Cryer married British actress Sarah Trigger in 1999. They had a son named Charlie Austin. They divorced in 2004. In 2007, he announced he was engaged to entertainment reporter Lisa Joyner. They got married in Mexico in June 2007. In 2009, they announced that they had adopted a baby girl.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Book

• So That Happened: A Memoir (2015) - Berkley – ISBN: 0-45-147235-7.

See also

In Spanish: Jon Cryer para niños