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 Merrily We Roll Along Just in Time
Signature

Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer. He is famous for his work on stage and in movies and TV shows. 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 career on Broadway in the musical In My Life in 2005. He later earned Tony nominations for playing Melchior Gabor in Spring Awakening (2006). He also played King George III in Hamilton (2015). In 2024, he won a Tony Award for his role in Merrily We Roll Along. He also starred in the musical Little Shop of Horrors in 2019.

On television, Jonathan became well-known as Jesse St. James in the musical-comedy series Glee (2009–15). He played Patrick Murray in the HBO series Looking (2014–15). This show was about a group of friends and their lives in San Francisco. He also played FBI Special Agent Holden Ford in the Netflix crime drama Mindhunter (2017–19). He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role in the Hamilton film (2020) on Disney+.

Jonathan's first movie role was Michael Lang in Taking Woodstock (2009). He also played Louis J. Weichmann in The Conspirator (2010). He was Smith in The Matrix Resurrections (2021). In 2023, he played a father held hostage in Knock at the Cabin. He is also the voice of Kristoff and Sven in the Disney Frozen movies. This includes 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 on March 26, 1985. His parents are Julie and Jim Groff. His father trains and drives horses. Jonathan has an older brother named David.

Jonathan loved theater and acting 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. One play was The Wizard of Oz in his father's barn. Jonathan played Dorothy. He looked up to actress Sutton Foster. As a young actor, he would wait for her autograph after her shows. Jonathan joined his middle school and high school drama clubs. This is where he decided he wanted a career in theater.

As a teenager, Jonathan performed in many local plays in Lancaster. At seventeen, 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 other musicals like The Sound of Music and Ragtime. He played Edgar in Bat Boy: The Musical and Ugly in Honk!.

Jonathan finished high school in 2003. He planned to go to Carnegie Mellon University. But he put off college for a year. He got a role as Rolf in a national tour of The Sound of Music. After the tour, Jonathan moved to New York City. He decided to start his acting career instead of going to college.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out: 2005–2009

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. He was an understudy in the musical In My Life. Critics did not like this musical very much.

Groff in 2006

His big break came in 2006. Jonathan played the main role of Melchior Gabor in Spring Awakening. This rock musical is about teenagers in the late 1800s discovering new feelings. Jonathan first performed in a workshop of the show. Then it moved to off-Broadway and later to Broadway. He played the role on Broadway until May 2008. The musical was very popular with critics. It won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Jonathan was praised for his "thoughtfulness" in the role. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also won the Theatre World Award for his first major performance.

In 2007, Jonathan had a role in the TV show One Life to Live. He played Henry Mackler for eleven episodes. In 2009, he made his movie debut in Taking Woodstock. He played Michael Lang, who helped organize the 1969 Woodstock Festival. Critics liked Jonathan's performance in the film.

From 2008 to 2009, Jonathan performed in several off-Broadway plays. He played Billy Noone in Prayer for My Enemy. He also appeared in The Singing Forest. For these roles, he won an Obie Award. In 2009, he played Dionysus in the play The Bacchae.

Big Roles: 2010–2016

Groff in 2010

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

From 2010 to 2011, Jonathan performed in London's West End. He starred in the play Deathtrap. He played Clifford Anderson, a young playwright. Critics called his performance "magnetic."

In 2013, Jonathan starred in the movie C.O.G.. He played David, a young man who moves to Oregon. Critics praised Jonathan's acting, saying he brought "yearning" to his role.

Also in 2013, Jonathan voiced Kristoff and his reindeer Sven in Disney's animated movie Frozen. The movie was a huge success. It won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Jonathan returned to voice Kristoff in the short film Frozen Fever (2015).

From 2014 to 2015, Jonathan starred in the HBO series Looking. He played Patrick Murray, a video game developer. The show was about a group of friends in San Francisco. It was praised for showing diverse characters and experiences. The series ended with a TV movie in 2016. Jonathan's acting was highly praised.

In 2014, Jonathan also appeared in the TV film The Normal Heart. This movie showed the challenges faced during a health crisis in New York City in the 1980s. The film won several awards.

In 2015, Jonathan joined the cast of the hit musical Hamilton. He played King George III. He performed the role off-Broadway and then on Broadway. Critics called his performance "delicious." Hamilton won many awards, including eleven Tony Awards. Jonathan and the cast won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his role as the king.

Expanding His Career: 2017–Present

In October 2017, Jonathan starred in the Netflix crime series Mindhunter. He played Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Holden Ford. His character interviewed and investigated real-life crime cases. The series and Jonathan's acting were highly praised. He won a Satellite Award for his performance.

In 2017, Jonathan also starred in 36 Questions, a podcast musical. In 2019, he starred in the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. He played Seymour Krelborn, a florist. Critics loved his performance, calling him "hilarious, endearing and in tremendous voice." 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 of all time. Jonathan also voiced Kristoff in the video game Kingdom Hearts III (2019).

In 2020, Jonathan's Broadway performance as King George III in Hamilton was released as a film on Disney+. He received an Emmy Award nomination for this role. In 2021, Jonathan joined the cast of The Matrix Resurrections. He played Smith.

In 2022, Jonathan helped produce a documentary called Spring Awakening: Those You've Known. It showed the 15-year reunion of the original cast of Spring Awakening. He also voiced Ollie in the Netflix series Lost Ollie.

Jonathan starred as Franklin Shepard in the 2022 off-Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along. He reprised this role on Broadway in 2023. For this, he won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. In 2023, he also starred in the horror film Knock at the Cabin. In 2024, Jonathan was a guest star in the TV series Doctor Who. As of July 2025, Jonathan is starring on Broadway in Just in Time, a musical about Bobby Darin. He received his fourth Tony Award nomination for this role.

Personal Life

In 2019, Jonathan bought a home next to his father's horse farm in Christiana, Pennsylvania. He divides his time between Pennsylvania and New York City.

Health

Jonathan was diagnosed with a type of skin cancer called melanoma in his early 20s. He had surgery to remove it. He does not use social media. He also practices Transcendental Meditation.

Advocacy for Equality

Jonathan has spoken openly about his identity. He has shared how important it is for him to be a role model for young people. He believes it is important to share personal stories to help others.

He was at first unsure about taking the lead role in the TV series Looking. He worried about always being cast in similar roles. But he found the experience very rewarding. He said it made him feel more comfortable with himself. In June 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 was also honored by Equality Pennsylvania with the Bayard Rustin Award. This award recognizes people who work for acceptance and celebration of the LGBTQ community. In 2017, he was named Out100's Entertainer of the Year. This award celebrates important LGBTQ public figures.

Charity and Community Work

When Jonathan started his acting career, he volunteered for Broadway Cares. He continues to support this organization. He also supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation. He has helped raise money for many other charities. These include Habitat for Humanity and the Actors Fund of America. He often records personalized voicemails as Kristoff and Sven for charity auctions.

In August 2020, Jonathan and the Hamilton cast organized a fundraiser called Ham4Change. They raised over $1 million for groups working to end unfair treatment based on race.

Jonathan has performed in many charity events for theater groups. He is passionate about encouraging young people in theater. He has taught acting classes for young actors at various places.

In October 2020, Jonathan took part in a virtual event for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. He also joined the Hamilton cast in a fundraiser for Joe Biden's presidential campaign. In December 2020, he hosted a holiday concert fundraiser. This supported political campaigns in Georgia. In October 2024, Jonathan joined the Board of Trustees for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Acting Credits

Film Roles

Television Roles

Theatre Roles

Internet Roles

Video Game Roles

Discography

Cast Recordings

• 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)

Other Recordings

• 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)

Audiobooks

• 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

Awards and Honors

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