Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he has received several accolades including aTony Award and aGrammy Award as well as a nomination for aPrimetime Emmy Award.
On television, he started his career with a recurring guest star asJesse St. James in theFox musical-comedy seriesGlee (2009–15). He starred as Patrick Murray in theHBO comedy-drama seriesLooking (2014–15), the network's first series centering on the lives of gay men, as well as its subsequent television film,Looking: The Movie (2016). He portrayedFBI Special Agent Holden Ford in theNetflix period crime dramaMindhunter (2017–19). He wasPrimetime Emmy Award-nominated for his role in theDisney+live stage recording ofHamilton (2020).
Jonathan Drew Groff[citation needed] was born into a Mennonite Family[1] inLancaster, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1985[2] to Julie and Jim Groff, a standardbred horse trainer and driver.[3] He has one older brother, David, who is president and COO ofWebstaurantStore.[4]
Groff's roots in theater and acting began at an early age. When he was three years old, Groff fell in love withJulie Andrews' performance asMary Poppins, and growing up, he and his brother put on childhood home productions, such as a performance ofThe Wizard of Oz in his father's barn, where he playedDorothy.[5][6] Groff creditsSutton Foster as one of his greatest influences and idols, and as a young aspiring actor, he would wait at the stage door after her performances to get her autograph.[7] Groff joined his middle school and high school drama departments, and it was there that he became inspired to start a career in theater.[8]
Groff graduated fromConestoga Valley High School in 2003 and intended to attendCarnegie Mellon University, but he deferred his admission for a year when he was cast asRolf in a Non-Equity national tour ofThe Sound of Music.[12][13] After the tour, Groff decided to move to New York City instead of attending college and begin his career.[14]
Groff started out waiting tables at the Chelsea Grill in New York City before earning hisActors' Equity Association card in 2005, with the musicalFame at theNorth Shore Music Theatre, where he played Nick Piazza.[15][16] That same year, he made hisBroadway debut as an understudy for the lead role (played byChristopher Hanke),swing, and dance captain for the musicalIn My Life byJoseph Brooks, opening on October 20 and closing on December 11, 2005, after 61 performances.[17] The musical was panned by critics, with a review fromBroadway.com calling the production "undoubtedly the most bizarre, misguided Broadway musical of the millennium".[18]
Groff in 2006
His breakout performance occurred in 2006, when Groff originated the lead role of Melchior Gabor in the Broadway production of the rock musicalSpring Awakening. The musical tells the story of repressed adolescents in late nineteenth century Germany discovering their sexuality, adapted fromFrank Wedekind's original 1891play byDuncan Sheik andSteven Sater and directed byMichael Mayer.[19] Groff was first cast in a workshop ofSpring Awakening atBaruch College withLea Michele,John Gallagher Jr., and the rest of the original cast, and the production then moved to theAtlantic Theater Company for its originaloff-Broadway run from May 19 through August 5, 2006, before transferring to Broadway.[20] During the Broadway production at theEugene O'Neill Theatre, Groff played the role from its debut on December 10, 2006, through May 18, 2008, when he departed the production with co-star and best friend Lea Michele. The musical achieved great critical acclaim, garnering eleven nominations and winning eight awards, includingBest Musical, at the61st Tony Awards. The musical was also awarded theGrammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, which the Grammys did not award to vocalists at that time.[21]Charles Isherwood ofThe New York Times called the show a "brave new musical, haunting and electrifying by turns" and praised Groff's "ardency and thoughtfulness".[22]Variety wrote that the performances of "Michele, Groff and Gallagher dominate the young ensemble".[23] Groff was nominated for aDrama Desk Award, aDrama League Award, and aTony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance. He received theTheatre World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance.
In 2007, Groff played the recurring role ofHenry Mackler for eleven episodes on theABC soap operaOne Life to Live. His character's storyline about a school shooting was cut due to theVirginia Tech shooting in April 2007.[24] In November 2007, Groff was cast in theFX seriesPretty/Handsome, directed and written byRyan Murphy, and filmed a pilot, but the series was not picked up.[25] In 2007, Groff also lent his vocal talents to record the roles of Rolf Gruber & Friedrich von Trapp in theSalzburg Marionette Theatre's production ofThe Sound of Music, which premiered on November 7 inDallas, Texas.[26] This recording is still used by the company for their performances inSalzburg, Austria.[27]
From July 22 through August 31, 2008, Groff played the lead role of Claude in theShakespeare in the Park production ofHair, a rock musical abouthippiecounterculture during theVietnam War that was directed byDiane Paulus.[28] Theater criticBen Brantley ofThe New York Times wrote in his review ofHair that "Mr. Groff, who was memorably tormented by young lust in the musicalSpring Awakening, is even more affecting here, his open face a shifting map of doubt and affirmation."[29] Groff decided to turn down the opportunity to reprise his role in the Broadway production, choosing instead to make his film debut.[30] In 2009, he appeared asMichael Lang inAng Lee's comedy-drama filmTaking Woodstock, about the 1969Woodstock Festival. While critics found the film "likable" but "underwhelming", Groff's performance was praised for its "crafty, angelic fervor" byRolling Stone.[31][32][33]
From November 14 to December 21, 2008, Groff appeared as Billy Noone, a closeted gay soldier fighting in Iraq, in the off-Broadway production ofPrayer for My Enemy, a play written byCraig Lucas.[34] The production was directed byBartlett Sher and performed atPlaywrights Horizons.[35] Ben Brantley wrote inThe New York Times that the play is "muddle-headed" and "disconnected", but Groff "exudes the charismatic aura of distressed youth".[36] From April 10 to May 17, 2009, Groff appeared as Gray Korankyi and Walter Riemann in the off-Broadway production of another Craig Lucas play,The Singing Forest, alongsideOlympia Dukakis atthe Public Theater.[37] The play, directed byMark Wing-Davey, was described by critics as "convoluted" in plot but with strong performances, praising Groff for his "natural emotional transparency [that] helps add layers to Gray".[38] For both performances, Groff received anObie Award.[39]
Groff starred asDionysus in the playThe Bacchae oppositeAnthony Mackie from August 11 to 30, 2009; it was directed byJoAnne Akalaitis and produced as a part of the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park.[40]The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "Groff is surprisingly effective as the Stranger, Dionysus' human guise", but "in the moments when he must be the immortal god and register his full wrath, however, Groff is less successful despite an earnest effort."[41]
Starting in 2010, Groff rose to greater prominence as a recurring guest star in theFox musical comedy-dramaGlee asJesse St. James, lead performer in rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline and love interest toRachel Berry, played by Lea Michele.[42] He appeared in a total of fifteen episodes over the first, second, third, and sixth seasons of the series. Groff was featured in four ofGlee's soundtrack albums and made a special appearance in the concert tourGlee Live! In Concert! withMichele at theGibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles and at theRadio City Music Hall in New York City.[43][44]
From August 21, 2010, to January 15, 2011, Groff made hisWest End debut in the London revival ofDeathtrap, a play written byIra Levin and directed byMatthew Warchus at theNoël Coward Theatre.[45] Groff played Clifford Anderson, a young brilliant playwright, starring alongsideSimon Russell Beale as Sidney Bruhl, his professor. The play received positive critical reception;The Spectator called Groff's performance "magnetic" and "deeply charismatic" but found the "relationship between student and professor [to be] unconvincing".[46]
Groff also starred in the off-Broadway world premiere of the playThe Submission by Jeff Talbott withMCC Theater. The production was directed byWalter Bobbie and performed at theLucille Lortel Theatre from September 8 to October 22, 2011.[47] He portrayed Danny Larsen, a white playwright who submits his play under the pen name of an African-American woman, alongsideRutina Wesley, who played an actress he hires to pose as the writer. The production was met with mostly positive reviews, withThe New York Times praising the script for its "self-awareness" but also finding it "too theatrical" and lacking "real emotions".[48] Groff's acting was widely praised, however, with critics calling his performance "exceptional", "deft", and "disarming".[49][50]
From August to October 2012, Groff appeared as Ian Todd, a ruthless political aide, in the second and final season of theStarz political drama seriesBoss.[51] The series was not renewed for a third season due to low ratings.[52] Groff then played Ken, an artist's assistant, oppositeAlfred Molina in theCenter Theatre Group production ofJohn Logan's playRed. The production ran from August 1 through September 9, 2012, and was directed byMatthew Warchus.[53] From March 14 to 17, 2013, Groff and Molina reprised their roles for six more performances of the play, this time throughL.A. Theatre Works and directed byRosalind Ayres.[54]Charles McNulty of theLos Angeles Times praised Groff's performance for its "admirable clarity" and wrote that "he is every bit as effective in revealing the delicate nuances of [his character]."[55]
In 2013, Groff starred inC.O.G., a comedy-drama film adaptation based onDavid Sedaris's book of essays,Naked. In the film, Groff plays David, loosely based on Sedaris himself, a young repressed gay man who moves to Oregon in search of a new purpose.[56] The film, directed and written byKyle Patrick Alvarez, premiered at theSundance Film Festival on January 20, 2013, and was released in theaters on September 20, 2013, to mixed but mostly positive reviews, with critics citing a "meandering" plot.[57] As Dan Callahan fromRogerEbert.com wrote of Groff's performance, "Groff has an innate sweetness and likability about him no matter what he does, and ... brings a yearning to his role that steadily makes this semi-amusing tale of a fish out of water into a serious and often surprising drama".[58] On June 11, 2013, Groff portrayed Frederic, a pirate apprentice, in a one-night-only Shakespeare in the Park gala production of the comic operaThe Pirates of Penzance. The production was directed byTed Sperling at theDelacorte Theater, with other members of the cast includingKevin Kline,Martin Short, andGlenn Close.[59]
From 2014 to 2015, Groff starred as Patrick Murray, a gay video game developer, in theHBO comedy-drama seriesLooking, created byMichael Lannan.[64][65] The first HBO series to center around the lives of gay men,[66] the show depicted a group of gay friends navigating relationships in San Francisco and was praised for its representation of LGBTQ+ characters and experiences.[67] Due to low ratings, the series was canceled after two seasons on March 23, 2015, with the network green-lighting a television film to conclude the story.[68] The film premiered on HBO on July 23, 2016. Groff's performance was well received by critics, with one critic fromThe New York Times calling Groff's performance "excellent ... Mr. Groff always made his tics, inconsistencies, and operatically scaled mistakes believable."[69]
Groff returned to the London stage on May 19, 2015, to star as J. Pierrepont Finch in a one-night-only concert of the musicalHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, at theRoyal Festival Hall alongsideCynthia Erivo.[71] One critic fromBritishTheatre.com wrote that while the concert lacked "consistent careful handling", Groff was "truly terrific" and "exudes a warmth and comic intelligence which makes him impossible not to watch."[72]
Groff also starred in anEncores! production of the musicalA New Brain as Gordon Schwinn, a composer who suffers fromarteriovenous malformation, based on the real-life composerWilliam Finn. The production, which took place from June 24 to 27, 2015, was presented as part of theNew York City Center's Encores! Off-Center staged concert series and was directed byJames Lapine, with Groff performing alongsideAaron Lazar,Dan Fogler, andAna Gasteyer.[73] Groff was praised for his performance, as one critic from theNew York Post says, "Though the musical is uneven, Groff effortlessly keeps the production together with his supple voice and low-key charm."[74]
On March 3, 2015, Groff joined the cast of the hit musicalHamilton byLin-Manuel Miranda and directed byThomas Kail, replacingBrian d'Arcy James in the role of KingGeorge III.[75] Groff held the role for the remainder of the show's off-Broadway production at the Public Theater through May 3, 2015, and he reprised the role in the Broadway production at theRichard Rodgers Theatre for two stints from July 13 to October 25, 2015, and December 1, 2015, to April 9, 2016, being replaced after the first stint byAndrew Rannells andRory O'Malley after the second.[76] Ben Brantley ofThe New York Times called Groff's performance "delicious" and wrote that "His is the voice of vintage Britpop, rendered in a leisurely, ironic, condescending vein to a distant population he regards as savages."[77]Hamilton achieved high critical and commercial success, winning eleven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and eight Drama Desk Awards. Groff, along with the rest of the cast, won aGrammy Award forBest Musical Theater Album for appearing as a featured performer on theoriginal Broadway cast recording. He was also nominated for theTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance as the king.[78]
In October 2017, Groff starred in theNetflix crime thriller seriesMindhunter, created byJoe Penhall and executive produced byDavid Fincher andCharlize Theron.[79] In the series, Groff portraysFederal Bureau of Investigation agent Holden Ford, aserial killer profiler in theBehavioral Science Unit interviewing and investigating real-life serial killers and murder cases.[80] His character is loosely based on the real-lifeJohn E. Douglas, one of the first criminal profilers in FBI history.[80] Groff and co-starsHolt McCallany andAnna Torv also starred in the second season of the series, which premiered on August 16, 2019.[81] The series and Groff's performance were critically acclaimed.RogerEbert.com called it "Netflix's best drama", andCollider wrote that Groff's performance was "exceptionally affecting as Holden" and that "Groff has always had a talent for making his characters empathetic."[82][83] For his performance, Groff won aSatellite Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series.[84] Season three has since been put on hold indefinitely as Fincher, who directed and produced much of the series, elected to focus on other projects, although he may one day revisit the project.[85]
In July 2017, Groff starred as Jase in the first podcast musical,36 Questions, written by Chris Littler and Ellen Winter based onThe New York Times article "The 36 Questions That Lead to Love" and a 1997 psychological study on interpersonal closeness. The three-act podcast, released by Two-Up Productions, follows the story of an estranged husband and wife trying to salvage their marriage with the titular set of 36 questions.[86] On July 23, 2017, Groff performed in a one-night only symphonic concert production ofSondheim on Sondheim at theHollywood Bowl.[87] From January 20 to 22, 2018, Groff starred as the titular character in the off-Broadway production ofThe Bobby Darin Story, a three-day concert and biographical retelling of the life of 1950s singing iconBobby Darin, presented as part of the Lyrics & Lyricists series at92nd Street Y and directed byAlex Timbers.[88] The production was met with great critical reception, withMichael Ridel writing in theNew York Post that Groff "moves with the ease and slyness of Darin".[89]
In December 2019, it was announced Groff would join the cast forThe Matrix Resurrections, the fourth installment ofThe Matrix franchise, alongsideKeanu Reeves,Carrie-Anne Moss, andYahya Abdul-Mateen II,[104] portraying formerAgentSmith (replacingHugo Weaving).[105][106] It was released in theaters and onHBO Max on December 22, 2021. In 2021, it was announced Groff would be executive producing a concert documentary following the fifteen-year reunion of the original Broadway cast ofSpring Awakening.[107] The documentary, entitledSpring Awakening: Those You've Known, premiered onHBO on May 3, 2022.[108] In addition, he hosted the documentaryBroadway: Beyond the Golden Age on PBS.[109] In November 2020,Deadline announced Groff would star as Brian inMolly and the Moon, a musical film alongsideFrozen co-starKristen Bell.[110] In March 2021,Netflix announced Groff would star in the live-action/animation hybrid seriesLost Ollie directed byPeter Ramsey based onWilliam Joyce andBrandon Oldenburg's bookOllie's Odyssey. The series premiered on Netflix on August 24, 2022. Groff voices the title role of Ollie, a lost toy searching for the boy who lost him.[111]
In 2019, Groff purchased a home next to his father's horse farm inChristiana, Pennsylvania.[118] He splits his time between Pennsylvania and New York City.[118]
Groff publiclycame out as gay when asked by aBroadway.com reporter during theNational Equality March in October 2009.[122] He later shared his experience with coming out, discussing the pain of being closeted and the knowledge that disclosing his sexuality could have negative ramifications on his career.[123][124] He has also expressed how much he values being a role model for young people as an out actor,[123] and has advocated the importance of sharing coming out stories.[125]
Groff was initially hesitant to accept the lead role in the gay television seriesLooking, citing insecurities around beingtypecast in gay roles, but he ultimately found the experience rewarding: "Living in that world and talking about gay issues was truly life-altering for me and made me so much more comfortable in my own skin".[124] On June 29, 2014, Groff was aGrand marshal at theNew York City Gay Pride Parade.[126]
In April 2015, Groff was honored by thePoint Foundation with the Point Horizon Award honoring a "trailblazer who has taken a leadership role as an advocate" ofLGBTQIA communities.[127] In December 2015, he was honored byEquality Pennsylvania with theBayard Rustin Award, which "recognizes a Pennsylvanian who is continuing the work to ensure that the LGBT community will be visible, accepted, and celebrated in our society".[128] In 2017, Groff was namedOut100's Entertainer of the Year, celebrating impactful LGBTQ+ public figures.[129]
While Groff was beginning his professional career in theater, he volunteered for the nonprofitBroadway Cares, and he has continued to perform in and support fundraisers for the organization throughout his career.[133] Groff is a longtime supporter of theElton John AIDS Foundation, serving as an Event Chair for the charity's 14th Annual New York Benefit Gala in 2015.[134] Other charities he has supported include the Point Foundation,[135]Habitat for Humanity,[136]Actors Fund of America,[137]Theatre Development Fund,[138] Hispanic Federation Emergency Assistance Fund, andColor of Change,[139] through which he participates in benefit performances and fundraisers, often recording personal voicemails as hisFrozen characters Kristoff and Sven for auction winners.[140] In August 2020, Groff joined theHamilton cast in organizing the virtual fundraiser event Ham4Change for organizations working to end systemic racism, raising over $1 million for theEqual Justice Initiative,African American Policy Forum, Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective,Black AIDS Institute, Color of Change, Dance4Hope, Know Your Rights Camp, Law Enforcement Accountability Project, Until Freedom, and When We All Vote.[141]
"Like a Prayer" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart":"Discography Glee Cast".Australian-Charts.com. Archived fromthe original on October 30, 2010. RetrievedApril 13, 2011.
^ab"Jonathan Groff". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. December 15, 2020.Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. RetrievedMarch 25, 2021.
