page_title: Justin Theroux
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: Justin Theroux / Career
caption_attribution_description: "Mulholland drive at Cannes in 2001": The stars and director of the film Mulholland Drive at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. Left to right: Naomi Watts, David Lynch, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux. Photograph by Rita Molnár 2001.
context_page_description: Justin Paul Theroux is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He gained recognition for his work with director David Lynch in the mystery film Mulholland Drive and the thriller film Inland Empire. He also appeared in films such as Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, American Psycho, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Strangers with Candy, Wanderlust, The Girl on the Train, The Spy Who Dumped Me, On the Basis of Sex, and Lady and the Tramp.
  Theroux is further known as a screenwriter for films such as the action comedy Tropic Thunder, the superhero film Iron Man 2, and the musical comedy-drama Rock of Ages. He made his directorial debut with the romantic comedy film Dedication.
  Theroux starred as Kevin Garvey in the HBO mystery drama series The Leftovers, for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series. He also starred as Dr. James Mantleray in the Netflix comedy-drama miniseries Maniac.
context_section_description: Theroux made his film debut in 1996 in Mary Harron's I Shot Andy Warhol. Since then he has performed both on Broadway, starring in Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme; in numerous off-Broadway productions; and in comedy films such as Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Baxter, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, Broken Hearts Club, and Zoolander. 
  He has also performed in more serious films such as American Psycho. He appeared in the film versions of the cult television shows Strangers With Candy and Michael Mann's Miami Vice. He starred in David Lynch's films Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire.
  In 2003, he was featured in a music video for the British band Muse for their song "Hysteria". Theroux also has appeared on television, having starred in The District and appeared on episodes of shows such as Alias, Ally McBeal, Sex and the City (in which he guest starred in two episodes as different characters), and Six Feet Under (in which he played a recurring character in the third and fourth seasons).
  In 2006, he directed his first film, Dedication, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. A fan of the band Deerhoof, Theroux chose them to score Dedication. Theroux also had roles in two other films at the festival, Broken English and The Ten, in which he played Jesus Christ alongside Gretchen Mol. Theroux co-wrote the Ben Stiller film Tropic Thunder, and also appeared in the behind-the-scenes mockumentary Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness.
  In 2008, Theroux played John Hancock in the HBO miniseries John Adams. In 2009, Theroux made up part of the voice cast for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. He also played Justin in Parks and Recreation. Theroux wrote the screenplay for the 2010 film Iron Man 2. Following Theroux's work on Tropic Thunder, actor Robert Downey Jr. recommended Theroux as a screenwriter to the film's director, Jon Favreau.
  Theroux returned to acting in the film Your Highness (2011), as Leezar, an evil wizard who kidnaps a princess. He starred in the 2012 comedy Wanderlust, playing the leader of a hippie commune. By August 2012, Theroux was hired to direct and rewrite the script for the comedy film Swear to God.
  In June 2013, Theroux was cast as the lead character in HBO's TV pilot The Leftovers, which HBO ordered as a 10-episode season In September 2013. The series, which premiered June 29, 2014, is based on a book of the same name by Tom Perrotta, which follows a group of people left behind in the suburban community of Mapleton after mysterious disappearances worldwide.
  Theroux co-wrote the sequel Zoolander 2 (2016), and reprised his role, Evil DJ, in the film.
  Theroux also voiced the character The Evil Lord Garmadon in the 2017 film The Lego Ninjago Movie.
  In 2018, Theroux played savant neurochemist James Mantleray in the 2018 Netflix comedy-drama miniseries Maniac opposite Emma Stone and Jonah Hill.
  In 2019, Theroux produced the ABC television event Live in Front of a Studio Audience alongside Norman Lear, Jimmy Kimmel and Will Ferrell. Theroux received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for producing the event. He also voiced Tramp in the Disney+ live-action film Lady and the Tramp, a remake of the 1955 film with the same name.
caption: The stars and director of the film Mulholland Drive at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. Left to right: actor Naomi Watts, director David Lynch, and actors Laura Harring and Justin Theroux
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