Jake Johnson

Birth Name:

Jake Mark Johnson

Birth Place:

Evanston, Illinois, United States

Profession

Actor, Producer, Writer, Director, Soundtrack

Earned numerous comedy writing accolades while in college, including the 2002 John Golden Playwriting Prize and the Sloan Fellowship for Screenwriting
Initially a student at the University of Iowa, he eventually transferred to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts
Had one of his plays produced at the Ensemble Studio Theater when he was about 21 years old, but had little creative control over the finished product
Quote: "Chicago is a pure comedy scene where you are doing comedy for comedy․"
Quote: "I am a grinding actor․ From August until April of the next year, I have a day job․ The best part of [a series] is that we get to keep doing it․"
Founded The Midwesterners, a comedy troupe based in New York modeled after HBO's "Mr․ Show with Bob and David․"
After success in New York, he relocated to Los Angeles in the late 2000s and worked as a production assistant while securing small roles in various series before landing his breakout role on Fox's "New Girl" in 2011
Appeared in the music video "Rouse Yourself" by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound in 2013
Inspired the web series "Drunk History" after he tried to explain a story about Otis Redding to the show's creator, Derek Waters

Fast Facts