# Jason Ritter

Jason Morgan Ritter (born February 17, 1980) is an American actor. The son of John Ritter and Nancy Morgan, he is known for his work in television series such as Joan of Arcadia (2003–2005), Gravity Falls (2012–2016), Another Period (2015–2018), Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (2017–2018), Raising Dion (2019–2022), and Matlock (2024–). For his portrayal of Mark Cyr on NBC's Parenthood (2010–2014), Ritter was nominated for the 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor.
Ritter made his feature film debut in Mumford (1999). Subsequent credits include Swimfan (2002), Freddy vs. Jason (2003), Raise Your Voice (2004), Happy Endings (2005), The Education of Charlie Banks (2007), W. (2008), The Perfect Family (2011), Wild Canaries (2014), The Meddler (2015), Carrie Pilby (2016), Bitch (2017), The Tale (2018), and Frozen II (2019). Ritter is married to actress Melanie Lynskey, with whom he has a daughter.

## Early life

Ritter was born on February 17, 1980, in Los Angeles, California, to actors Nancy Morgan and John Ritter. He is a grandson of actors Tex Ritter, who died six years before Ritter was born, and Dorothy Fay. His stepmother is actress Amy Yasbeck. Ritter has three siblings, including actor Tyler Ritter.
Ritter appeared as a toddler in the opening credits of his father's show, Three's Company with Joyce DeWitt who played Janet. His appearance was unplanned, but the producers liked the added touch, and kept it.
He attended middle and high school at the Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California, with Simon Helberg, who became his roommate at NYU. Ritter attended and graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied at the Atlantic Theater Company. He later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

## Career
### 1990–2007: Teen films and early career

Ritter made his professional acting debut at age 10, playing Harry Neal Baum in the 1990 television film The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story. Several years later, he had a supporting role as Martin Brockett in the 1999 film Mumford, a dramedy directed by Lawrence Kasdan.
Ritter's film work throughout the early 2000s included prominent parts in teen-oriented projects such as Swimfan (2002), Freddy vs. Jason (2003), and Raise Your Voice (2004). Between 2003 and 2005, he appeared as Kevin Girardi, the disabled brother of the titular main character, on the CBS family drama series Joan of Arcadia. Next, he played a young man struggling to come terms with his sexuality in the dark comedy Happy Endings (2005), with Stephen Hunter of The Washington Post commenting, "The acting in this ensemble is of such a high order that the movie simply takes you in and makes you feel these lives as real".
Ritter's portrayal of an Ivy League college student in The Education of Charlie Banks (2007) was met with critical acclaim: The Hollywood Reporter referred to it as a "head-turner" performance that combined "a believably brooding intensity with a bad boy swagger that brings to mind [a] young Matt Dillon".

### 2008–2016: Independent film roles

Following a supporting role in the satirical 2008 comedy The Deal, Ritter appeared briefly as Jeb Bush in the biographical drama W, directed by Oliver Stone. On preparing for the role, he said, "I watched everything that I possibly could and read some books about [the] Bush family [and] Jeb". That same year, he produced and starred in the independent dramedy Good Dick with his girlfriend at the time, Marianna Palka, making her directorial debut. A look at the relationship between an introverted girl (Palka) and the video store assistant (Ritter) vying for her attention, the film drew a mixed reception, but Empire's Anna Smith was enthusiastic in her appraisal: "Ritter's character — a romantic reformed druggie — is one to root for, and [the film] entertains enough to get by, marking Palka and Ritter as talents to watch".
In 2010, Ritter began playing the recurring role of Mark Cyr on NBC's Parenthood. The performance earned him a nomination for the 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. His next project was the 2011 independent comedy A Bag of Hammers, where he starred as a felon who winds up taking care of a neglected child; in a mixed review, The Hollywood Reporter felt that its tone was "muddled", but believed it "starts off strong, offering funny, well timed dialogue between Sandvig [and] Ritter". Also that year, he co-starred in The Perfect Family, which critic Frank Scheck felt worked solely on the strength of its performances: "Turner is deeply sympathetic as the religious matriarch ... while Ritter and Deschanel are thoroughly believable as the grown children who love their mother despite her oft-expressed disapproval of their actions".
Between 2012 and 2016, Ritter starred in the voice role of Dipper Pines on the Disney Channel animated series Gravity Falls, a show about a pair of twins deciphering the weird goings-on in the mysterious titular town. The series was universally praised, with Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club calling it "funny, emotional, beautiful, and terrifying in equal measure". Ritter had prominent parts in five independent features between 2012 and 2013: The End of Love, Free Samples, I Am I, The Big Ask, and The East. It was announced in February 2013 that he would star as Gavin in Us & Them, a sitcom pilot based on the British television comedy Gavin & Stacey. While subsequently picked up as a series by Fox, Us & Them was cancelled before it could premiere, with the show's seven episodes eventually being released by Crackle.
Ritter's appearance in Wild Canaries (2014), a throwback to classic whodunits, was met with praise: Justin Chang of Variety called the film "eventful, plot-driven [and] fun", adding that "Corrigan and especially Ritter are solid in their hefty supporting roles". He headlined the independent drama About Alex that same year, playing a young man who finds solace in a group of old friends after attempting to take his own life. In his review for RogerEbert.com, Brian Tallerico said, "What's kind of refreshing about About Alex is that the predictable map through the clichés of this subgenre that seems to be charted in the opening scenes isn't quite followed", adding, "Ritter finds [the] emotional undercurrent that's often missing from these troubled characters. There's something honest in the way his voice quivers that makes his depression seem more genuine".
Ritter had a supporting role as the ex-boyfriend of main character Lori in the 2015 comedy-drama The Meddler, and began playing Lord Frederick Bellacourt—an illiterate twin—that same year on the acclaimed historical sitcom Another Period, a parody of Downton Abbey. In their review of the latter, which ran for three seasons on Comedy Central, The A.V. Club felt that Ritter brought "an earnestness" to the wacky material. Next, he starred as a man suffering from retrograde amnesia in the post-apocalyptic drama Embers (2015); Sight and Sound critic Anton Bitel called it "a reflection of the human condition as philosophically compelling as it is emotionally intelligent", adding, "No film has either moved or provoked me as much this year". In 2016, Ritter co-starred in the well-reviewed ensemble comedy The Intervention and received positive notices for his role in Carrie Pilby, an adaptation of the novel of the same name.

### 2017–present: Television and film work

In the satirical dark comedy Bitch (2017), Ritter re-teamed with director Marianna Palka to play Bill, a promiscuous husband whose wife suddenly takes on the mannerisms of a wild dog. Writing for IndieWire, Erick Kohn said, "The usually sweet-natured Ritter boldly plays against type ... an American Psycho-like creep ... leaving the care of his three young children to his clearly unstable wife", adding that "[the film] works best when it focuses on Bill's ongoing shock at the sudden demand for his responsibility, as he fights through the task of delivering his kids to school and suddenly loses traction in the workplace. A fierce portrait of unwieldy comeuppance, it's both hilarious and terrifying to watch Bill take in the strange events around him".
Ritter's portrayal of Kevin Finn—a depressed financial worker tasked with preventing humanity from self-destruction—in Kevin (Probably) Saves the World was warmly received by critics. The show ran for a single season on ABC between October 2017 and March 2018. Next, he appeared in The Tale (2018), a drama based on the childhood sexual abuse suffered by Jennifer Fox—the film's writer and director—at the hands of her running coach. Ritter played perpetrator William "Bill" Allens, earning strong reviews for his performance: "Ritter has never been better" said Matt Goldberg of Collider, while The Atlantic's David Sims commented, "Handed the tough roles of mentors who shift into monsters, Ritter and Debicki subtly calibrate their performances as necessary, projecting a protective edge in one moment and a predatory one in the next. Their transformations are extraordinary to watch, and necessary to reckon with". Ritter said the experience of making the film had been a challenging one, and that there were times after a day's shooting when he "had to go home and let it all out".
In 2019, Ritter played the voice role of Ryder—a member of the Northuldra tribe—in Walt Disney's Frozen II, which broke box office records upon its release. He began starring as biotech engineer Pat Rollins on the critically acclaimed superhero series Raising Dion the same year, with Aaron Pruner of Thrillist commenting that Ritter's involvement "adds the nuanced character work he's known for". The show ran for two seasons on Netflix before being cancelled in April 2022.
In a casting choice that drew attention for being "meta", Ritter appeared as Deputy Denny Reese in two episodes of the true crime Hulu miniseries Candy (2022), where the character—along with his colleague, played by Justin Timberlake—investigates the 1980 murder of Texan housewife Betty Gore. Gore was portrayed by Ritter's wife, Melanie Lynskey, while the perpetrator—Candy Montgomery—was played by Timberlake's wife, Jessica Biel. The following year, Ritter voiced principal character Jonathan Fall in the animated series Captain Fall, a dark comedy that ran for one season on Netflix.
It was announced in March 2023 that Ritter had been cast in the CBS reboot of Matlock, which began airing in 2024.

## Personal life

From October 1999 to 2013, Ritter was in a relationship with Marianna Palka. They met while they were both studying at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City. In 2017, Ritter became engaged to New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey after four years of dating. The couple had their first child, a daughter, in December 2018. They wed in 2020.
Speaking in 2010 about the death of his father, Ritter said, "I think it helped me realize how fragile we all are. At the end of the day, you can be a health freak or a body builder, but a truck might hit you. Or you might be a huge, larger than life personality and it could all be taken away in the next second. I learned to tell people in my life how I feel about them a little bit more."
Ritter has been open about his struggle with alcoholism, and how his relationship with Lynskey gave him the strength to get sober: "I thought she would be incredible for someone who deserved her, basically," he said in 2023. "And I didn't feel like I was that person ... It was only after [a] year into not drinking where I started to go, 'Oh, maybe I can promise some things to someone else. Maybe I can be this person'."

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | The Real Story of Christmas Tree | Little Acorn | Voice, short film |
| 1999 | Mumford | Martin Brockett | |
| 2001 | Earth Day | Jack | Voice, short film |
| 2002 | PG | Paul | Short film |
| 2002 | Swimfan | Randy | |
| 2003 | Smash the Kitty | Josh | Short film |
| 2003 | Freddy vs. Jason | Will Rollins | |
| 2004 | Raise Your Voice | Paul Fletcher | |
| 2005 | Perceptions | Michael | |
| 2005 | Happy Endings | Otis McKeen | |
| 2005 | Our Very Own | Clancy Whitfield | |
| 2005 | Placebo | Daniel | Short film |
| 2006 | Lenexa, 1 Mile | Sean Hickey | |
| 2006 | The Wicker Man | Bar Guy #2 | |
| 2007 | The Education of Charlie Banks | Mick Leary | |
| 2008 | The Deal | Lionel Travitz | |
| 2008 | Good Dick | The Man | Also producer |
| 2008 | W. | Jeb Bush | |
| 2009 | The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll | Eric Genson | |
| 2009 | Oh My Soul | — | Executive producer |
| 2009 | Peter and Vandy | Peter | |
| 2010 | The Dry Land | Michael | |
| Morning | Hotel Receptionist | |
| 2011 | A Bag of Hammers | Benjamin Platt | |
| 2011 | The Perfect Family | Frank Cleary Jr. | |
| 2011 | The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best | Kyle | |
| 2011 | They're with Me | Isaac Solomon | Short film |
| 2011 | Atlantis | Ben | Short film |
| 2011 | The Five Stages of Grief | Orion | Short film |
| 2012 | The Break In | Larry | Short film |
| 2012 | Angel of Death | Victim 1 | Short film |
| 2012 | Trying | Mark | Short film |
| 2012 | The Golden Age | Mitch | Short film |
| 2012 | Manhattan Mixup | Fritz | Short film |
| 2012 | The End of Love | Jason | |
| 2012 | Free Samples | Wally | |
| 2013 | I Am I | Jonathan | |
| 2013 | The Big Ask | Owen | |
| 2013 | The Sidekick | Kid Loco | Short film |
| 2013 | The Goldfish | Yoni | Short film |
| 2013 | The East | Tim | |
| 2014 | Hits | Julian | |
| 2014 | Wild Canaries | Damien Anders | |
| 2014 | There's Always Woodstock | Garret | |
| 2014 | About Alex | Alex | |
| 2014 | 7 Minutes | Mike | |
| 2014 | You're Not You | Will | |
| 2014 | We'll Never Have Paris | Kurt | |
| 2015 | The Steps | Jeff | |
| 2015 | Embers | Guy | |
| 2015 | The Meddler | Jacob | |
| 2015 | Always Worthy | Jeff Fredrick | |
| 2016 | The Intervention | Matt | |
| 2016 | Carrie Pilby | Matt | |
| 2017 | The Labyrinth | Usher | |
| 2017 | Bitch | Bill | |
| 2018 | The Tale | Bill | |
| 2019 | Frozen II | Ryder | Voice |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story | Harry Neal Baum | Television film |
| 1999 | Days of Our Lives | Todd | Supporting role (Season 34) |
| 1999 | Undressed | Allan | Main role (Season 3) |
| 2001 | Law & Order | Nick Simms | Episode: "Teenage Wasteland" |
| 2002 | Hack | Teddy Griffin | Episode: "My Brother's Keeper" |
| 2003 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Billy Baker | Episode: "Dominance" |
| 2003–2005 | Joan of Arcadia | Kevin Girardi | Main role; 45 episodes |
| 2006–2007 | The Class | Ethan Haas | Lead role; 19 episodes |
| 2007 | All Grown Up! | Mr. Fisk | Voice, episode: "What's Love Got to do With That?" |
| 2007 | This Is My Friend | — | Executive producer |
| 2009 | WWII in HD | Jack Yusen | Voice, 2 episodes |
| Mercy | Gabe Tyler | Episode: "Some of Us Have Been to the Desert" |
| 2010–2011 | The Event | Sean Walker | Main role; 22 episodes |
| 2010–2014 | Parenthood | Mark Cyr | Recurring role; 32 episodes |
| 2012 | County | Jack Malloy | Pilot |
| 2012–2016 | Gravity Falls | Dipper Pines | Voice, main role (40 episodes) |
| 2013 | Robot Chicken | Reindeer / Sergeant | Voice, episode: "Born Again Virgin Christmas Special" |
| 2013 | Call Me Crazy: A Five Film | Bruce | Television film, segment: "Lucy" |
| 2013–2018 | Drunk History | Various characters | 8 episodes |
| 2014 | Us & Them | Gavin Shipman | Lead role; unaired |
| 2014 | Person of Interest | Simon Lee | Episode: "Prophets" |
| 2014 | Key & Peele | Male Customer | Episode: "Concussion Quarterback" |
| 2014 | Garfunkel and Oates | Jason | Episode: "Maturity" |
| 2015–2016 | Girls | Scott | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 2015–2018 | Another Period | Frederick Bellacourt | Main role; 26 episodes |
| 2016 | Wander Over Yonder | Skipper (parody of Dipper Pines) | Voice, episode: "The Cartoon" |
| 2016 | Goliath | FBI Agent Farley | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Ranger Bill | Episode: "Fall" |
| 2017 | The Long Road Home | Troy Denomy | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Tales of Titans | Greg | Main role; 8 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Kevin (Probably) Saves the World | Kevin Finn | Main role; 16 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Skylanders Academy | Dark Spyro | Voice, 12 episodes |
| 2019 | Quest | Michael | 8 episodes |
| 2019–2020 | A Million Little Things | Eric | 9 episodes |
| 2019–2022 | Raising Dion | Pat | Main role; 17 episodes |
| 2020 | Superstore | Josh Simms | Episode: "Customer Safari" |
| 2022 | Candy | Deputy Denny Reese | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Amphibia | Barrel | Voice, episode: "The Core & the King" |
| 2022 | Slumberkins | Fox Dad | Voice, episode: "When Things Change/Bigfoot's First Sleepover" |
| 2023 | Accused | Jack Fletcher | Episode: "Jack's Story" |
| 2023 | The Last of Us | Clicker | Episode: "Endure and Survive" (uncredited cameo) |
| 2023 | Captain Fall | Captain Jonathan Fall | Voice, lead role |
| 2023 | Gen V | Himself | Episode: "The Whole Truth" |
| 2024 | Matlock | Julian | Main role |
| 2026 | Lanterns | Billy Macon | Filming |

### Web

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | T Takes | The Guest in Room 23 | Episode: "Lobby" |
| 2012 | Weasel Town | Haunches | Voice, main role |
| 2012 | Sketchy | Tom | Episode: "You Got Retweeted" |
| 2013 | Ghost Ghirls | William / Brad Wojciehowicz | 2 episodes |

### Podcasts

| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
| 2013–2020 | The Thrilling Adventure Hour | Various | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | The Worst Idea of All Time | Various | 1 episode |

### Music videos

| Year | Song | Artist | Notes |
| 2015 | "Waiting on Love" | Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers | Directed by Todd Hurvitz |
| 2016 | "Way We Won't" | Grandaddy | Directed by Chris Grieder |

## Theatre credits

| Year | Title | Role | Venue |
| 2000 | The Beginning of August | | Off-Broadway |
| 2002 | The Distance From Here | Tim | Almeida Theatre |
| 2005 | Third | Woodson Bull III | Lincoln Center |

## Accolades

| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
| 2003 | Saturn Awards | Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Award | Freddy vs. Jason | Nominated |
| 2004 | Teen Choice Awards | Breakout TV Star – Male | Joan of Arcadia | Nominated |
| 2006 | Clarence Derwent Awards | Most Promising Male | Third | Won |
| 2006 | Martin E. Segal Award | Outstanding Achievement | Third | Won |
| 2012 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Parenthood | Nominated |
| 2015 | Behind the Voice Actors Awards | Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series (shared with the cast) | Gravity Falls | Nominated |
| 2016 | Behind the Voice Actors Awards | Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series (shared with the cast) | Gravity Falls | Nominated |
| 2017 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series | Tales of Titans | Nominated |
| 2018 | International Online Cinema Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie | The Tale | Nominated |
| 2018 | Online Film & Television Association | Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Limited Series | The Tale | Nominated |