Jonathan Groff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonathan Groff
Jonathan Groff at Ralph Lauren Event
Born	Jonathan Drew Groff (1985-03-26) March 26, 1985 (age 40) Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation	Actor singer
Years active	2002–present
Known for	Spring Awakening Glee Hamilton Frozen Doctor Who
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Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer. He is famous for his work on stage and in movies. He has won several awards, including a Tony Award and a Grammy Award. He was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Jonathan started his acting journey on Broadway. His first show was In My Life in 2005. He later earned Tony nominations for his roles in Spring Awakening (2006) and Hamilton (2015). In 2019, he starred in the musical Little Shop of Horrors. He won a Tony Award in 2024 for his role in Merrily We Roll Along.

On television, Jonathan became well-known as Jesse St. James in the musical-comedy series Glee (2009–15). He also played Patrick Murray in the HBO series Looking (2014–15). Later, he starred as FBI Agent Holden Ford in the Netflix crime drama Mindhunter (2017–19). He was nominated for an Emmy for his role in the Hamilton film on Disney+ (2020).

Jonathan's first movie role was in Taking Woodstock (2009). He also appeared in The Matrix Resurrections (2021) and Knock at the Cabin (2023). Many people know his voice from the Disney animated Frozen movies. He voiced both Kristoff and Sven in Frozen (2013) and Frozen II (2019). In 2022, he helped produce a documentary about the musical Spring Awakening.

Early Life and Education

Jonathan Drew Groff was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His mother, Julie, was a physical education teacher. His father, Jim, trained harness horses. Jonathan has an older brother named David. He grew up in Ronks, Pennsylvania, near Amish communities. He would often drive his Amish neighbors around, as they could not use cars.

Jonathan loved theater from a young age. When he was three, he was fascinated by Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins. He and his brother would put on plays at home. Jonathan played Dorothy in a performance of The Wizard of Oz in his father's barn. He joined his middle school and high school drama clubs. This is where he decided to become an actor.

In his teenage years, Jonathan acted in many local plays in Lancaster. At 17, he directed and starred in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. He won an award for this at a high school theater festival. He also performed in musicals like The Sound of Music, Ragtime, and Evita.

Jonathan finished Conestoga Valley High School in 2003. He planned to go to college but got a role in a national tour of The Sound of Music. After the tour, he decided to move to New York City to start his acting career.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting on Broadway: Spring Awakening

Jonathan first worked as a waiter in New York City. In 2005, he got his first professional acting job in the musical Fame. Later that year, he made his Broadway debut in In My Life.

His big break came in 2006. Jonathan played the main role of Melchior Gabor in the Broadway musical Spring Awakening. This rock musical is based on an old play. Jonathan was part of the show from its early workshops. The musical was very popular with critics. It won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Jonathan was praised for his "ardency and thoughtfulness." He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance. He also won the Theatre World Award for his excellent debut.

In 2007, Jonathan had a role in the TV show One Life to Live. In 2008, he played Claude in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Hair. He then made his film debut in 2009. He played Michael Lang in Ang Lee's film Taking Woodstock. Critics liked his "crafty, angelic fervor" in the movie.

Jonathan also acted in off-Broadway plays like Prayer for My Enemy and The Singing Forest. For these roles, he received an Obie Award. In 2009, he played Dionysus in The Bacchae.

Glee, Frozen, and Hamilton Success

Jonathan Groff in 2010

In 2010, Jonathan became even more famous. He joined the TV show Glee as Jesse St. James. Jesse was the lead singer of a rival glee club and a love interest for Rachel Berry. Jonathan appeared in 15 episodes of the show. He also sang on four of Glee's soundtrack albums.

From 2010 to 2011, Jonathan made his West End debut in London. He starred in the play Deathtrap. He played Clifford Anderson, a young playwright. Critics called his performance "magnetic" and "deeply charismatic."

He also starred in the play The Submission in 2011. He played Danny Larsen, a playwright who uses a fake name. Critics praised Jonathan's acting, calling it "exceptional" and "disarming."

In 2012, Jonathan appeared in the TV series Boss. He played Ian Todd, a political aide. He also starred in the play Red with Alfred Molina. Critics said Jonathan's performance had "admirable clarity."

In 2013, Jonathan starred in the film C.O.G.. He played David, a young man looking for a new purpose. Critics noted Jonathan's "innate sweetness and likability." He also played Frederic in a special performance of The Pirates of Penzance.

In 2013, Jonathan voiced Kristoff and his reindeer Sven in Disney's animated movie Frozen. The film was a huge success, winning an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Jonathan returned as Kristoff in the short film Frozen Fever in 2015.

From 2014 to 2015, Jonathan starred in the HBO series Looking. He played Patrick Murray, a video game developer. The show was known for showing the lives of gay men. Jonathan's performance was praised by critics. The series ended with a TV movie in 2016.

Jonathan also appeared in the TV film The Normal Heart in 2014. This film showed the AIDS crisis in New York City in the 1980s.

In 2015, Jonathan returned to the stage in London. He starred in a concert of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He was called "truly terrific" in his role. He also performed in the musical A New Brain.

On March 3, 2015, Jonathan joined the cast of Hamilton. He played King George III. He performed this role in both the off-Broadway and Broadway productions. Critics called his performance "delicious." Hamilton won many awards, including 11 Tony Awards. Jonathan and the cast won a Grammy Award for the musical's album. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his role as the king.

Expanding His Career: Mindhunter and More

In October 2017, Jonathan starred in the Netflix crime series Mindhunter. He played FBI Agent Holden Ford. His character was based on a real-life criminal profiler. The series and Jonathan's acting received high praise. Critics called his performance "exceptionally affecting." He won a Satellite Award for his role.

In July 2017, Jonathan starred in the podcast musical 36 Questions. He played Jase in this story about a couple trying to save their marriage. In 2018, he starred as Bobby Darin in The Bobby Darin Story, a concert and biographical show.

From 2019 to 2020, Jonathan starred in the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. He played Seymour Krelborn, a florist with a strange plant. Critics said he was "never-better" and "hilarious." He was nominated for a Grammy Award for the cast recording.

In November 2019, Jonathan returned as Kristoff in Frozen II. He sang a solo song called "Lost in the Woods." Frozen II became the highest-grossing animated film ever. Jonathan also voiced Kristoff in the short Olaf's Frozen Adventure and the video game Kingdom Hearts III.

His performance as King George III in Hamilton was shown in the film version on Disney+ in 2020. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for this role. In 2021, Jonathan joined the cast of the animated superhero series Invincible.

In December 2019, it was announced that Jonathan would be in The Matrix Resurrections. He played Smith in the fourth Matrix movie. This film was released in 2021. In 2021, Jonathan also became an executive producer for a documentary. It was about the 15-year reunion of the original Spring Awakening cast. The documentary, Spring Awakening: Those You've Known, premiered in 2022.

In 2022, Jonathan voiced Ollie in the series Lost Ollie. He played Franklin Shepard in the 2022 off-Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along. He reprised this role on Broadway in 2023 and won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. In 2023, Jonathan was announced as a guest star in the TV series Doctor Who.

Personal Life

Jonathan Groff does not use social media. He practices Transcendental Meditation. He owns a home in Christiana, Pennsylvania, near his father's horse farm. He divides his time between Pennsylvania and New York City.

Being a Role Model

Jonathan publicly shared that he is gay in 2009. He believes it is important to be a role model for young people as an openly gay actor. He has spoken about the importance of sharing personal stories.

He was at first unsure about taking the lead role in the TV series Looking. He worried about only being cast in gay roles. But he found the experience very rewarding. He said it made him "so much more comfortable in my own skin." In 2014, Jonathan was a Grand marshal at the New York City Gay Pride Parade.

In 2015, Jonathan was honored by the Point Foundation. He received the Point Horizon Award for being a "trailblazer" for LGBTQIA communities. He also received the Bayard Rustin Award from Equality Pennsylvania. In 2017, Out100 named him Entertainer of the Year.

Charity and Community Work

Jonathan has supported many charities throughout his career. He has volunteered for Broadway Cares. He also supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Other charities he has helped include Habitat for Humanity and Actors Fund of America. He often records voicemails as Kristoff and Sven for charity auctions.

In 2020, Jonathan and the Hamilton cast organized a fundraiser called Ham4Change. It raised over $1 million for groups working to end racism. Jonathan also teaches acting classes for young actors. He wants to encourage youth theater.

He has participated in events for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. He also joined the Hamilton cast in a fundraiser for Joe Biden's presidential campaign in 2020. In 2024, Jonathan joined the Board of Trustees for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Internet

Video games

Discography

• 2006: Spring Awakening (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• 2010: Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna
• 2010: Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers
• 2010: Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals
• 2011: Glee: The Music, Volume 6
• 2013: Frozen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• 2015: Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• 2016: A New Brain (2015 New York Cast Recording)
• 2017: 36 Questions: Songs from Act 1 – EP
• 2017: 36 Questions: Songs from Act 2 – EP
• 2017: 36 Questions: Songs from Act 3 – EP
• 2017: Olaf's Frozen Adventure
• 2019: Frozen II (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• 2019: Little Shop of Horrors (The New Off-Broadway Cast Album)
• 2023: Merrily We Roll Along (New Broadway Cast Recording)

• 2007: "Now" from Dreaming Wide Awake: The Music of Scott Alan
• 2015: "Prayer" from A View of the River: 7 Songs by Will Van Dyke & Jeff Talbott
• 2015: "Making Today a Perfect Day" from Frozen Fever
• 2019: "I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Lea Michele
• 2021: "Love Me for an Hour" from Some Lovers (World Premiere Recording)

• 2008: Broadway Nights by Seth Rudetsky
• 2013: Red by John Logan
• 2015: Frozen Fever by VA
• 2019: The Killer Across the Table by John E. Douglas, Mark Olshaker
• 2022: Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies by Ted Chap

Accolades

Images for kids

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  Jonathan Groff at a Ralph Lauren event in 2011

See also

In Spanish: Jonathan Groff para niños

• LGBT culture in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City
• NYC Pride March