Sean Hayes | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hayes in 2010 | |
| Born | Sean Patrick Hayes (1970-06-26)June 26, 1970 (age 54) Evergreen Park, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | Illinois State University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Spouse | |
Sean Patrick Hayes[1] (born June 26, 1970)[2] is an American actor, comedian, and producer. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he gained acclaim for his role asJack McFarland on theNBC sitcomWill & Grace, for which he won aPrimetime Emmy Award and fourScreen Actors Guild Awards. He has also received nominations for sixGolden Globe Awards and twoTony Awards, winning one of the latter.[3][4]
He also runs a television production company called Hazy Mills Productions, which produces shows such asGrimm,Hot in Cleveland,The Soul Man, andHollywood Game Night. He portrayedJerry Lewis in theCBS filmMartin and Lewis (2002). He is known for his appearances in films such asBilly's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998),Cats & Dogs (2001),Pieces of April (2003),The Cat in the Hat (2003),Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004),The Bucket List (2007),Igor (2008),The Three Stooges (2012),Monsters University (2013), andAm I OK? (2022). Since July 2020, he has co-hosted the comedy podcastSmartLess alongsideJason Bateman andWill Arnett.
Hayes made his Broadway debut playing Chuck Baxter in the musical revivalPromises, Promises in 2010, for which he was nominated for theTony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He portrayed God in the comedyAn Act of God from 2015 to 2016 andOscar Levant in theDoug Wright playGood Night, Oscar in 2022, the latter of which earned him theTony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play. He hosted the64th Tony Awards in 2010 for which he was awarded aPrimetime Emmy Award.
Hayes was born in Evergreen Park, Illinois, the youngest child of five of Mary Hayes (1939–2018), the director of a non-profitfood bank called theNorthern Illinois Food Bank,[2][5][6] and Ronald Hayes, alithographer.[2] He is of Irish descent and was raised as aRoman Catholic in theChicago suburb ofGlen Ellyn, Illinois. His father, an alcoholic, left the family when Hayes was five, leaving his mother to raise him and his siblings. He has been estranged from his father for many years.[1][6]
After graduating fromGlenbard West High School,[7] Hayes attendedIllinois State University,[6] where he studied piano performance.[8] He left "two or three classes short" of graduation when he became music director at the Pheasant Run Theater inSt. Charles, Illinois.[8] Hayes worked as a classical pianist.[9] He practiced improv atThe Second City in Chicago.[10] He also composed original music for a production ofAntigone at theSteppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago.[11] He moved to Los Angeles in 1995,[10] where he found work as a comedian and an actor on stage and on television, including a commercial forDoritos which aired duringSuper Bowl XXXII in 1998.[10]
As a teenager, Hayes was an extra in the filmLucas (1986), which was filmed athis high school. He made his professional debut in theindependent filmBilly's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998), which brought him wide attention.[12]
The same year, he was cast asJack McFarland, a flamboyantly gay and frequently unemployed actor, in theNBC comedy seriesWill & Grace. The show became a long-running hit and Hayes' performance earned him seven consecutiveEmmy Award nominations asOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He won the award for his first nomination.[3][13] He was also nominated for sixGolden Globe Awards for his performances.
Hayes also made film appearances inCats & Dogs (2001), asJerry Lewis inMartin and Lewis (2002), Wayne inPieces of April (2003),The Cat in the Hat (2003), andWin a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004). He was also the voice of Brain in the 2008 filmIgor, and has guest-starred in television shows such asScrubs and30 Rock. In 2005, he was executive producer forBravo'sSituation: Comedy, a reality television series about sitcoms. He also executive producedThe Sperm Donor andStephen's Life, the two winning scripts that were chosen by NBC. He guest-starred in 2006 in theAdult Swimcameo-filled showTom Goes to the Mayor (S2E15, "Bass Fest").[14] Hayes appeared as Thomas in the filmThe Bucket List (2007). On July 5, 2008, he made his New York stage debut as Mr. Applegate / Devil inNew York City Center'sEncores! production ofDamn Yankees.[1]
He also appeared as Mr. Hank Humberfloob and provided the voice of "The Fish" inThe Cat in the Hat.[1] In 2010, he reprised the role of Mr. Tinkles, the evil white Persian cat, inCats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.
He playedLarry Fine in the filmThe Three Stooges (2012).[15]
In 2017, Hayes played the role of Steven, thedevil emoji inThe Emoji Movie.[16]
He made his Broadway debut in the April 2010 Broadway revival of the musicalPromises, Promises. He received a nomination for theDrama League Award for Distinguished Performance, and was nominated for aTony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Hayes was host of the64th Annual Tony Awards on June 13, 2010, on CBS.[17]
Hayes starred in the Broadway productionAn Act of God, June 6 to September 4, 2016, after engagements in Los Angeles and San Francisco.[18]
In 2022, Hayes portrayed pianistOscar Levant in the play byDoug Wright entitledGood Night, Oscar which premiered at theGoodman Theatre in Chicago.[19] He reprised the role onBroadway at theBelasco Theatre, beginning in April 2023.[20][21] He received rave reviews for his performance earning aTony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He also received theDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play. In February 2025, it was announced that Hayes would make his debut on theWest End reprising this role in a production at theBarbican Theatre in the summer of 2025.[22]
On November 15, 2010, he appeared in a satirical PSA for the repeal ofDon't Ask, Don't Tell onThe Daily Show with Jon Stewart.[15] In a 2008 interview inThe New York Times, Hayes talked about a television project,BiCoastal, about "a guy with a wife and kids in California and a boyfriend in New York" forShowtime.[23] He was the host ofAn All Star Tribute to James Burrows.[18] Hayes has also guest starred as Buddy Wood on the NBC sitcomParks and Recreation.[24]
Aware that his role inWill & Grace "wouldn't go on forever,"[25] Hayes teamed up with friend Todd Milliner, whom he met at Illinois State University,[7] to create the television production company Hazy Mills Productions in 2004.[25][26][27][28] Hayes was co-executive producer of theTV Land original comedy seriesHot in Cleveland, which premiered in June 2010 and ran for six seasons.[29] He was also a co-executive producer of theNBC seriesGrimm,[30] as well as creator and executive producer on another NBC series,Hollywood Game Night.[31] Other television series produced by the company includeThe Soul Man andSean Saves the World.[28]
Hayes and his husband, Scott Icenogle, produce lip-sync videos under their YouTube channel, The Kitchen Sync.[32] They lip-synced to songs such as "Trouble" and "Burnitup!"[18] Hayes has always had an interest inThe Nutcracker and memorized the whole musical piece.[33]
In July 2020, Hayes, along withWill Arnett andJason Bateman, created a comedy and talk podcast calledSmartLess.[34] He also hosts another podcast with Priyanka Wali calledHypochondriActor.[35] Hayes starred in and was one of the executive producers for the Netflix seriesQ-Force, released September 2, 2021.
Hayes refused to discuss hissexual orientation for many years, saying he believed that audiences would therefore be more open-minded about his characters.[36] Nevertheless, after the success ofWill & Grace, he was frustrated to find himselftypecast, only receiving offers for gay roles. To avoid questions about his sexuality, he declined interview offers from gay publications during the run of the show. In response to a satirical piece run inThe Advocate, which criticized him for being opaque about his sexual orientation, he appeared to imply that he isgay, stating: "Really? You're gonna shoot the gay guy down? I never have had a problem saying who I am. I am who I am." He also indicated that he was in a relationship. He feels he has "contributed monumentally to the success of the gay movement in America, and if anyone wants to argue that, I'm open to it."[10] After he received Outfest's Trailblazer Award in 2016 he addressed this criticism in his speech, saying in part: "Looking back at my choice to stay silent, I am ashamed and embarrassed. What was I thinking? [...] I know I should've come out sooner, and I'm sorry for that, especially when I think about the possibility that I might have made a difference in someone's life."[37]
He received anhonorary PhD fromIllinois State University in February 2013.[8] In November 2014, Hayes announced that he had married his partner of eight years, Scott Icenogle.[38] In October 2017, while appearing on an episode ofThe Ellen DeGeneres Show, Hayes revealed that he had been hospitalized with a rare condition in which his small intestine burst. The intestine was repaired.[39]
Hayes has been open about living with atrial fibrillation, a cardiac disorder that causes him to frequently visit the ER to get his heart shocked back intosinus rhythm whenever his heartbeat is too irregular or rapid. About his condition, Hayes has said, "When I go to the ER, I'm like Norm from 'Cheers.' They're like, 'Sean!', because I'm in there all the time."[40]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | A&P | Sammy | Short film |
| 1998 | Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss | Billy Collier[41] | |
| 2000 | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins | Brain Pod No. 13 | Voice |
| 2001 | Cats & Dogs | Mr. Tinkles[42] | |
| 2003 | Pieces of April | Wayne | |
| The Cat in the Hat | Mr. Hank Humberfloob / Voice of the Fish | ||
| 2004 | Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! | Richard Levy the Shameless | |
| 2005 | Roberto the Insect Architect | Narrator | |
| 2007 | The Bucket List | Matthew | |
| 2008 | Soul Men | Danny Epstein | |
| Igor | Brain | Voice | |
| 2010 | Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore | Mr. Tinkles | |
| 2012 | The Three Stooges | Larry Fine | |
| Hit and Run | Sandy Osterman | ||
| 2013 | Monsters University | Terri Perry | Voice |
| 2017 | The Emoji Movie | Steven | |
| 2020 | Lazy Susan | Susan O'Connell | |
| 2022 | Am I OK? | Stu | |
| 2025 | The Running Man | Post-production | |
| TBA | Is This Thing On? | Filming |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Silk Stalkings | Roger | Episode: "Services Rendered" |
| 1998–2006, 2017–2020 | Will & Grace | Jack McFarland | 246 episodes |
| 2001 | Rugrats | Talent Show Director | Voice, episode: "And the Winner Is.../Dil's Bathtime/Bigger Than Life" |
| Scrubs | Nick Murdoch | Episode: "My Super Ego" | |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself/host | Episode: "Sean Hayes/Shaggy" | |
| 2002 | Martin and Lewis | Jerry Lewis[43] | Television film |
| 2006 | Tom Goes to the Mayor | Tour Guide | Episode: "Bass Fest" |
| Lovespring International | Victor | Episode: "A Rear Window" | |
| Will & Grace: Say Goodnight Gracie | Jack McFarland | Television film | |
| 2006–2007 | Campus Ladies | Marshall | 2 episodes |
| 2007 | 30 Rock | Jesse Parcell | Episode: "Hiatus" |
| 2008 | Man Stroke Woman | Various | Television film |
| 2010 | 64th Tony Awards | Host | Television special |
| 2010–2015 | Hot in Cleveland | Chad | Episode: "One Thing or a Mother" Also executive producer; 124 episodes |
| 2011–2017 | Grimm | Executive producer; 108 episodes | |
| 2012–2016 | The Soul Man | Executive producer; 11 episodes | |
| 2012 | Portlandia | Sean | Episode: "Cops Redesign" |
| Parks and Recreation | Buddy Wood | Episode: "Lucky" | |
| Up All Night | Walter | 4 episodes | |
| 2013 | Smash | Terrence Falls | 3 episodes |
| American Dad! | Foster | Voice, episode: "Lost in Space" | |
| 2013–2014 | Sean Saves the World | Sean Harrison | 15 episodes Also executive producer |
| 2013–2020 | Hollywood Game Night | Himself | 2 episodes Also creator, executive producer; 6 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | The Millers | Kip Finkle | 11 episodes |
| 2014 | The Comeback | Himself | Episode: "Valerie Gets What She Really Wants" |
| How Murray Saved Christmas | Edison Elf | Voice, television special | |
| 2015 | The Late Late Show | Himself/Guest Host | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | Crowded | Executive producer; 13 episodes | |
| Maya & Marty | Himself/various | 2 episodes | |
| An All Star Tribute to James Burrows | Himself/host | Television special Also executive producer[44] | |
| Hairspray Live! | Mr. Pinky | Television special | |
| 2017–2020 | Tangled: The Series | Pete the Guard | Voice, 21 episodes |
| 2019 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience | Mr. Frank Lorenzo | Episode: "Norman Lear'sAll in the Family andThe Jeffersons" |
| 2020, 2022 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Himself/host | 6 episodes[45][46] |
| 2021 | Q-Force | Steve Maryweather | Voice, main role |
| 2022 | Murderville | Santa Claus | Episode: "Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery" |
| Lego Masters | Himself | Episode: "Start Your Engines" | |
| 2024 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Christopher Mantle | 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Damn Yankees | Applegate | New York City Center,Encores! | [47] |
| 2010–2011 | Promises, Promises | Chuck Baxter | Broadway Theatre, Broadway | [47] |
| 2015 | An Act of God | God | US Tour | [47] |
| 2016 | Booth Theatre, Broadway | [47] | ||
| 2022 | Good Night, Oscar | Oscar Levant | Goodman Theatre, Chicago | |
| 2023 | Belasco Theatre, Broadway | |||
| 2025 | Barbican Theatre, London(upcoming) | [48] |
In the early days of his career, he supported himself as a classical pianist.
Composed original music for a Steppenwolf production of Antigone.
