T.J. Miller | |
|---|---|
 Miller at the 2017San Diego Comic-Con | |
| Born | Todd Joseph Miller (1981-06-04)June 4, 1981 (age 43) Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Alma mater | George Washington University (BA) |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Spouse | |
| Website | tjmillerdoesnothaveawebsite |
Todd Joseph Miller (born June 4, 1981) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter.[1] He played Erlich Bachman in theHBO sitcomSilicon Valley (2014–2017) and theMarvel Comics characterWeasel in the superhero comedy filmDeadpool (2016) and its2018 sequel.[2]
Miller took supporting roles in comedies such asYogi Bear (2010),Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012), andGoon: Last of the Enforcers (2017) as well in action films such asUnstoppable (2010),Ready Player One (2018), andUnderwater (2020). He also voiced characters in theHow to Train Your Dragon films (2010–2014) and the television seriesDreamWorks Dragons (2012–2018), as well asBig Hero 6 (2014) andThe Emoji Movie (2017).[3]
Miller was born inDenver, Colorado, the son of Leslie Miller, a clinical psychologist, and Kent Miller, an attorney fromChanute, Kansas.[4][5][6] He attendedGraland Country Day School and graduated from Denver'sEast High School, where he participated in drama productions.[5]
In 2003, Miller graduated fromGeorge Washington University inWashington, D.C., with a B.A. in psychology with a concentration in persuasion theory andsocial influence.[7][8] At GWU, he was a member of the comedy group recess and theLambda chapter ofPhi Sigma Kappa fraternity.[5] While in college, Miller studied the circus arts at Frichess Theatre Urbain inParis and attended theBritish American Drama Academy inLondon, where he studiedShakespeare for a summer.[6][9]
After college, Miller moved toChicago to perform improvisation and stand-up comedy, performing with many local troupes.[10][11][12] He toured withThe Second City for two years.[9] In 2008, he was named one ofVariety's 10 Comics to Watch.[13]
In 2011, Miller released a comedy special,No Real Reason, and a comedy album,Mash Up Audiofile in 2012.[14][15]
In 2015, he was part ofFunny or Die's Oddball Comedy and Curiosity Festival, a touring show which includedAmy Schumer,Aziz Ansari, and other comics.[16]
On June 17, 2017, HBO premiered his hour-long stand-up special,T.J. Miller: Meticulously Ridiculous, which was filmed in Miller's native Denver at the end of his 2016 Meticulously Ridiculous Tour.[17]
In October 2017, Miller began his Touring In Perpetuity Tour, a self described "One Man Philosophy Circus".[18]
Miller appeared frequently as a member of the "round table" onChelsea Lately. He appeared as Marmaduke Brooker inCarpoolers, which ran for 13 episodes onABC in 2007–2008. In 2012, he voiced Robbie Valentino on the Disney channel cartoonGravity Falls. On December 13, 2010, October 28, 2011, and June 14, 2012, he performed stand-up onConan. On November 15, 2011, his stand-up specialNo Real Reason premiered onComedy Central. In 2011, he hosted a special calledMash Up, which was picked up in 2012 for a full season by Comedy Central.[19][20] He starred in the Fox TV seriesThe Goodwin Games as Jimmy Goodwin.[21]
Miller starred in theHBO sitcomSilicon Valley, which has been met with widespread critical acclaim and he won theCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2015. In May 2017, Miller and HBO jointly announced that Miller would not be returning for the 5th season ofSilicon Valley.[22][23][24] Series creatorMike Judge later revealed that Miller was removed from the show for failing to show up to work, and for coming to work "seemingly under the influence".[25]
As a commercial actor, he voiced a talking ball of mucus in commercials forMucinex[16] and starred as Greg the Genie in a promotional campaign forSlim Jim meat snacks.[26]
He voiced Gorburger, a giant blue monster talk show host, onThe Gorburger Show, which originally aired onFunny or Die andYouTube for 2 seasons in 2012–13, then onComedy Central for a 3rd season in 2017 before being canceled.
InCloverfield, Miller's film debut, he appeared onscreen for only a few minutes, but his voice was heard in almost every scene as the character who videotaped most of the events depicted. In 2009, he played Cessna Jim inThe Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard and the dim-wittedgrindcore musician Rory inMike Judge's comedyExtract. In 2010, he co-starred inShe's Out of My League as Stainer, played Brian the Concierge inGet Him to the Greek and appeared in a supporting role in the filmUnstoppable.[5]
He voiced the character Tuffnut Thorston in the Oscar-nominated animated filmsHow to Train Your Dragon andHow to Train Your Dragon 2. He also played Dan inGulliver's Travels, released in December 2010.
He played the supporting character ofRanger Jones in the live-action/animatedYogi Bear 2010 film.[27] Unlike his character on the cartoon show, he is "dumb-but-not-in-a-funny-way", according to theBuffalo News.[28] He was cast in the part after two auditions; as a joke, he sent Warner Bros. an improvised video audition with an actual bear, though he had already been offered the part before they received it.[29]
In 2011, he appeared in the filmOur Idiot Brother. He had a cameo as administrative personnel forRolling Stone in the 2012 filmRock of Ages. He starred in the 2016 filmSearch Party alongsideAdam Pally.[30]
In 2014, he appeared inTransformers: Age of Extinction.[31] In November 2014, he was the voice ofFred in the superhero CGI filmBig Hero 6. He also playedWeasel inDeadpool andDeadpool 2. In 2017, he portrayed the voice of the main protagonist Gene, ameh emoji with abnormal expressions, in the animatedThe Emoji Movie,[32] which received extremely negative reviews. In late March 2018, he appeared in a supporting role as I-R0K in the filmReady Player One, which was directed by Steven Spielberg.
On September 12, 2011, Miller released a comedy rapconcept album titledThe Extended Play E.P. The album features comediansBo Burnham,Doug Benson,Pete Holmes and hip-hop artistsUgly Duckling andJohnny Polygon.[33]
In 2012, Miller releasedThe Extended Play E.P.Illegal Art Remix Tape.[34] Also in 2012, Miller releasedMash Up Audiofile on Comedy Central Records to mixed reviews.[35]
Miller started appearing on Chicago-based comedy podcastRed Bar Radio in 2006 as a semi-regular co-host. He hosts a podcast with friend and fellow comedianCash Levy, titledCashing in with TJ Miller, which began airing in March 2012 on the artist Network.[36] He is also a frequent guest onDoug Benson's podcastDoug Loves Movies.[37]
In 2014, Miller became engaged to his longtime girlfriend, actress and installation artist Kate Gorney, who changed her last name to Miller.[24] They were married at theDenver Botanic Gardens on September 6, 2015.[38][39] They are childless.
Miller described learning about an undiagnosedcerebral arteriovenous malformation on his right frontal lobe on thePete Holmes podcastYou Made It Weird on October 28, 2011. He stated that he became more philosophical, narrated his behaviors, and was unable to sleep while filmingYogi Bear inNew Zealand in 2010. His brain surgery was successful, though there was a 10 percent risk of fatality.[16][40]
Miller considers himself a "positivenihilist".[41]
On December 9, 2016, Miller was arrested and jailed in Los Angeles for allegedly assaulting anUber driver. He was released on his own recognizance after bail was set at $20,000.[42][43] Miller reached a settlement with the driver in March 2018.[44]
In late 2017, an allegation against Miller from his time in college in 2001 resurfaced, part of theMeToo movement andWeinstein effect. An anonymous woman who attendedGeorge Washington University with Miller toldThe Daily Beast reporter Asawin Suebsaeng that Miller[45] became violent with her during a sexual encounter; he allegedly choked, shook, and punched her in the mouth, all without her consent.
Suebsaeng attempted to contact witnesses and other people involved with the case, some of whom corroborated the accuser's story, adding that it was brought to the attention of the college at the time. Student conduct proceedings were held, the results of which are sealed, although Suebsaeng wrote that "knowledgeable sources" had said that he was declared to be "expelled" at the conclusion of the proceedings.[46]
The Millers responded to the allegation, characterizing the accuser as a vindictive former colleague in a campus comedy troupe who was asked to leave due to inappropriate behavior. The statement said that "sadly she is now using the current climate to bandwagon and launch these false accusations again", and also stated that her accusation "undermines the important movement to make women feel safe coming forward about legitimate claims against real known predators".[47]
In response to the controversy,DreamWorks Animation removed Miller fromHow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and had Justin Rupple dub over his lines.[48]
Miller was arrested on the night of April 9, 2018, atLaGuardia Airport inQueens, New York, on federal charges related to afake bomb threat made while aboard anAmtrak train. According to aDepartment of Justice press release, he placed anemergency call on March 18, 2018, and reported that a female passenger had "a bomb in her bag" while traveling onAmtrak train #2256 from Washington, D.C., towardNew York Penn Station. After authorities evacuated passengers and searched Amtrak Train 2256, it turned out that Miller was actually on train #2258, which was also evacuated of passengers and searched.[49]
No evidence of anyexplosive device or materials was detected after officials stopped and inspected both trains. According towitnesses interviewed byAmtrak investigators, he appeared to be heavilyintoxicated and involved "in hostile exchanges with a woman who was sitting in a different row from him in the first-class car", and that he had been removed from the train prior to his intended stop due to his intoxication. On April 10, 2018, he was released on a $100,000 bond following an appearance at afederal court hearing inNew Haven, Connecticut. Ultimately, Miller's charges were dropped.[49][50][51][52] The preliminary hearing in the case, after several postponements, was scheduled for March 31, 2020.[53][54]
In July 2021, charges against Miller were dismissed. Prosecutors said their decision was based on "expert medical analyses and reports regarding the defendant's prior brain surgery and its continued neurological impacts, which cast doubt upon the requisite legal element of intent to commit the charged offense." Miller agreed to "make full financial restitution for the costs of the law enforcement response to the false 911 call, and to continue a thorough and necessary program of cognitive remediation to render any recurrence of such conduct most highly unlikely".[55]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2011 | Carpoolers | Marmaduke Brooker | 13 episodes |
| Traffic Light | Jason | Episode: "Breaking Bread" | |
| Happy Endings | Jason Shershow | Episode: "The Shershow Redemption" | |
| The League | Gabriel | Episode: "The Light of Genesis" | |
| Fact Checkers Unit | Cop | Episode: "Excessive Gass" | |
| T.J. Miller: No Real Reason | Himself | Stand-up special | |
| 2011 | Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas | Prancer | Voice, television short[56] |
| 2012 | Romantic Encounters | Toy Story 5 | Episode: "Toy Story 5" |
| How to Rock | Danny Mango | 2 episodes | |
| 2012–2013 | The Gorburger Show | Gorburger | 16 episodes; also writer |
| 2012–2016 | Gravity Falls | Robbie Valentino | Voice, 13 episodes[56] |
| 2012–2018 | DreamWorks Dragons | Tuffnut Thorston | Voice, 82 episodes[56] |
| 2013, 2014 | American Dad! | Benji, Cowboy | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2013 | The Goodwin Games | Jimmy Goodwin | 7 episodes |
| This Is Not Happening | Himself | Episode: "T.J. Miller Has a Seizure" | |
| The Jeselnik Offensive | Himself | 3 episodes | |
| High School USA! | Brad Slovee | Voice, 12 episodes | |
| 2014 | Garfunkel and Oates | Matthew | Episode: "Speechless"; uncredited |
| 2014–2017 | Silicon Valley | Erlich Bachman | 38 episodes Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series(2015) Nominated–Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series(2016) |
| 2015 | Family Guy | Premature Volcano | Voice, episode: "Roasted Guy" |
| 2016 | 21st Critics' Choice Awards | Himself | Host |
| 2016, 2019 | Those Who Can't | Uncle Jake | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | 22nd Critics' Choice Awards | Himself | Host |
| Lip Sync Battle | Himself | Episode: "Sam Richardson vs. T.J. Miller" | |
| 2017 | The Gorburger Show | Gorburger | 8 episodes; also writer and executive producer |
| Crashing | Himself | 2 episodes | |
| F Is for Family | Randy | Voice, 4 episodes | |
| T.J. Miller: Meticulously Ridiculous | Himself | Stand-up special |
| Year | Title | Voice role |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | How to Train Your Dragon | Tuffnut Thorston[56] |
| 2010 | Yogi Bear | Ranger Jones[56] |
| 2019 | Kingdom Hearts III | Fred |
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