Jonathan Groff

Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is an American actor and singer. Groff rose to prominence in 2006 for his performance in the lead role of Melchior Gabor in the original Broadway production of Spring Awakening, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He returned to Broadway in 2015 to play the role of King George III in Hamilton, a performance for which he earned a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He also appeared on the cast recording, which won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
Groff is also known for his television appearances, such as Ian Todd in the Starz political drama Boss; lead-character Patrick Murray in the HBO comedy-drama series Looking, and its subsequent series finale television film, Looking: The Movie; and the recurring role of Jesse St. James in the Fox musical-comedy series Glee. In 2013, he voiced the role of Kristoff in Walt Disney Animation Studios' global smash hit Frozen. Since 2017, Groff stars as FBI Special Agent Holden Ford in the Netflix period crime drama Mindhunter.
==Life and career==
===Early life===
Groff was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Julie (née Witmer), a physical education teacher, and Jim Groff, a harness horse trainer. He has an older brother, David. Groff is a first cousin of singer James Wolpert, a semifinalist on the fifth season of The Voice. Groff was raised in Ronks, Pennsylvania.
His father's family is Mennonite; of his upbringing, he has said: "My mother's side of the family is Methodist, which is how I was raised. It was conservative in that I had strong values – sitting down and eating with the family every day, listening to authority and going to church every week and having perfect attendance at Sunday school. But at the same time, my parents always encouraged my brother and me to be happy with what we were doing. My parents were athletes in high school; my mom and my dad were the stars of the basketball team, but they never pushed my brother and me to be anything we didn't want to be."
Groff graduated from Conestoga Valley High School in 2003 and intended to attend Carnegie Mellon University, but deferred his admission for a year when he was cast as Rolf in a Non-Equity national tour of The Sound of Music. After the tour, Groff decided to move to New York City instead. While still living in Lancaster, Groff performed at the Fulton Opera House in The Sound of Music, Ragtime, Evita, My Fair Lady, Peter Pan, The Pirates of Penzance, and Rags and The Ephrata Performing Arts Center as Edgar in Bat Boy: The Musical and Ugly in Honk!.
===Career===
Groff earned his Actors' Equity Association card in 2005, with the musical Fame at the North Shore Music Theatre. That same year, he made his Broadway debut as an understudy for the lead role and a swing for the musical In My Life by Joseph Brooks. Groff originated the role of Melchior Gabor in the Broadway production of the rock musical Spring Awakening. He played the role from its debut on December 10, 2006, through May 18, 2008, when he departed the production with his co-star and best friend Lea Michele. He had previously played the role in the original Off-Broadway production earlier in the summer of 2006. Groff was nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance.
He played the recurring role of Henry Mackler on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. His storyline about a school shooting was cut due to the Virginia Tech shooting in April 2007, and Groff only appeared in 11 episodes. From July 22 through August 31, 2008, Groff played as Claude in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Hair. He also appeared as Michael Lang in Ang Lee's comedy-drama film Taking Woodstock. Groff next appeared in the Off-Broadway production of the play Prayer for My Enemy by Craig Lucas. In August 2009, Groff performed in The Bacchae as Dionysus, as a part of the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park.
In 2010, he guest-starred in eight episodes of the Fox musical comedy-drama Glee as Jesse St. James alongside Lea Michele. Groff continued to guest-star as the character in subsequent seasons, including the final episode of the series. In August 2010, he made his West End debut in Deathtrap, at the Noël Coward Theatre, directed by Matthew Warchus.
From August to October 2012, Groff appeared as Ian Todd in the second and final season of the Starz series Boss. Groff then portrayed Ken in the Center Theatre Group's production of the play Red, alongside Alfred Molina. The show ran from August 1 through September 9, 2012. In March 2013, Groff and Molina reprised their roles for six more performances of the play, this time in the L.A. Theatre Works. These performances were recorded for broadcast on radio.
In 2013, Groff voiced one of the lead roles in Disney's animated feature Frozen. His character, Kristoff, is a rugged mountain man and ice trader. The film premiered on November 19, 2013. Following the film's massive commercial success and its ranking as the highest-grossing animated film of all time, the sixth highest-grossing film of all time, and the highest-grossing film of 2013, Groff reprised his role in the short film sequel Frozen Fever, which premiered on March 13, 2015.
Groff starred as Patrick Murray, a gay video game developer, in HBO's comedy-drama series Looking. On March 23, 2015, HBO cancelled Looking after its second season but greenlit a television film to conclude the story. In April 2013, Groff joined another HBO production, playing Craig Donner in the film adaptation of Larry Kramer's play The Normal Heart. He returned to the London stage on May 19, 2015, to star in a one-night-only concert of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, at the Royal Festival Hall.
Groff starred in a production of the musical A New Brain, presented as part of the New York City Center's Encores! Off-Center staged concert series. The show was directed by James Lapine and took place from June 24 through June 27, 2015. On March 3, 2015, he joined the cast of the musical Hamilton, replacing Brian d'Arcy James in the role of King George III. He held the role for the remainder of the show's Off-Broadway production, through May 3, 2015. He reprised the role in the Broadway production, which started performances July 13, 2015. Groff, along with the rest of the cast, won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for appearing as a featured performer on the original Broadway cast recording. He was also nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.
In March 2016, it was reported that Groff would star in the Netflix series Mindhunter, executive produced by David Fincher and Charlize Theron. The series was released in October 2017, and he portrays FBI agent Holden Ford, a serial killer investigator in the Behavioral Science Unit.
In July 2017, Groff starred in a three-part podcast musical, 36 Questions.
==Personal life==
Groff overcame melanoma skin cancer in his early 20s.
Groff publicly came out as gay in October 2009 during the National Equality March in Washington. From 2009 to 2010, Groff dated actor Gavin Creel. From 2010 to 2013, Groff was in a relationship with actor Zachary Quinto.
In April 2015, Groff was honored by the Point Foundation with the Point Horizon Award, which "recognizes a young trailblazer who has taken a leadership role as an advocate of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community." In December 2015, he was honored by Equality Pennsylvania with the Bayard 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."
==Filmography==
===Film===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
2009	Taking Woodstock 	Michael Lang 	
2010	Twelve Thirty 	Jeff 	
2010	The Conspirator 	Louis Weichmann 	
2013	C.O.G. 	Samuel 	
2013	Frozen 	Kristoff (voice) 	
2014	Russian Broadway Shut Down	Nikolai the Athlete	Short film
2014	Sophie 	Ben 	Short film
2014	American Sniper 	Young Vet Mads 	
2015	Frozen Fever 	Kristoff (voice) 	Short film
2017	Olaf's Frozen Adventure 	Kristoff (voice) 	Short film
2019	Frozen 2 	Kristoff (voice) 	In-production
===Television===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
2007 	One Life to Live 	Henry Mackler 	11 episodes
2008 	Pretty/Handsome 	Patrick Fitzpayne 	Pilot
2010–15 	Glee 	Jesse St. James 	Recurring role; 15 episodes
2012 	The Good Wife 	Jimmy Fellner 	Episode: "Live from Damascus"
2012 	Boss 	Ian Todd 	Main cast; 10 episodes
2014–15 	Looking 	Patrick Murray 	Lead role; 18 episodes
2014 	The Normal Heart 	Craig Donner 	Television film
2016 	Looking: The Movie 	Patrick Murray 	Television film
2016 	LEGO Frozen Northern Lights	Kristoff 	Television special; voice role
2017–present	Mindhunter 	Holden Ford 	Lead role; 10 episodes
2018 	The Simpsons 	Actor Playing Bart	Episode: "Bart's Not Dead"
===Internet===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
2008	The Battery's Down 	Himself	Web series • Episode: "The Big Apple"
2009	The Battery's Down 	Himself	Web series • Episode: "The Party's Over"
2015	One True Pairing (Season 1) 	Dennis 	Web series • Episode: "What's 'Your' Nickname"
2016	One True Pairing (Season 2) 	Dennis 	Web series • 4 episodes
2017	36 Questionshttps://www.twoupproductions.com/shows/36questions	Jase 	Podcast Musical • Released through Two-Up podcast channelhttp://www.vulture.com/2017/07/36-questions-is-a-podcast-musical-done-right.html
===Video Games===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
2019	Kingdom Hearts III	Kristoff	http://press.na.square-enix.com/releases/1274/starstudded-voice-cast-unveiled-for-disney-and-square-enixs-kingdom-he
===Stage===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
2002 	Honk! 	Ugly 	The Ephrata Performing Arts Center
2004 	Bat Boy: The Musical 	Bat Boy 	The Ephrata Performing Arts Center
2005 	Fame 	Nick Piazza 	North Shore Music Theatre
2005 	In My Life 	Understudy • Swing 	Music Box Theatre • Broadway
2006 	Spring Awakening 	Melchior Gabor 	Atlantic Theater Company • Off-Broadway
2006–08	Spring Awakening 	Melchior Gabor 	Eugene O'Neill Theatre • Broadway
2007 	Hair 	Claude Hooper Bukowski 	Delacorte Theater
2008 	Hair 	Claude Hooper Bukowski 	Delacorte Theater
2008 	Prayer for My Enemy 	Billy Noone 	Playwrights Horizons • Off-Broadway
2009 	The Singing Forest 	Gray Korankyi • Walter Rieman	The Public Theater • Off-Broadway
2009 	The Bacchae 	Dionysus 	Delacorte Theater
2010–11	Deathtrap 	Clifford Anderson 	Noël Coward Theatre • West End London, UK
2011 	The Submission 	Danny Larsen 	MCC Theater • Off-Broadway
2012 	Red 	Ken 	Mark Taper Forum
2013 	Red 	Ken 	L.A. Theatre Works
2013 	The Pirates of Penzance 	Frederic 	Delacorte Theater
2015 	How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying	J. Pierrepont Finch 	Royal Festival Hall • West End London, UK
2015 	Hamilton 	King George III 	The Public Theater • Off-Broadway
2015 	A New Brain 	Gordon Michael Schwinn 	New York City Center • Lincoln Center
2015–16	Hamilton 	King George III 	Richard Rodgers Theatre • Broadway
2017 	Hair 	Claude Hooper Bukowski 	Jazz at Lincoln Center • Lincoln Center
2017 	Sondheim on Sondheim 	Performer 	Hollywood Bowl
2018 	The Bobby Darin Story 	Bobby Darin 	92nd Street Y • Off-Broadway
==Discography==
; Cast recordings
* 2006: Spring Awakening (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
* 2010: Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna 
* 2010: Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers 
* 2010: Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals 
* 2011: Glee: The Music, Volume 6
* 2013: Frozen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
* 2015: Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) 
* 2016: A New Brain (2015 New York Cast Recording)
*2017: 36 Questions: Songs from Act 1 – EP
*2017: 36 Questions: Songs from Act 2 – EP
*2017: 36 Questions: Songs from Act 3 – EP
*2017: Olaf's Frozen Adventure
; Other recordings
* 2007: "Now" from Dreaming Wide Awake: The Music of Scott Alan
* 2015: "Prayer" from A View of the River: 7 Songs by Will Van Dyke & Jeff Talbott
* 2015: "Making Today a Perfect Day" from Frozen Fever
; Audiobooks
* 2008: Broadway Nights by Seth Rudetsky
* 2013: Red by John Logan
* 2015: Frozen Fever by VAVarious – Frozen Fever
; Featured singles
Year 	Title 	Peak chart positions 	Peak chart positions 	Peak chart positions 	Peak chart positions 	Peak chart positions 	Album
Year 	Title 	USPeak positions for featured singles in the United States:
* "Hello": 
* "Like a Virgin", "Like a Prayer", and "Total Eclipse of the Heart": 
* "Run Joey Run": 
* "Another One Bites the Dust": 
* "Rolling in the Deep": (N/A)	AUSPeak positions for featured singles in Australia:
* "Hello": 
* "Like a Virgin": 
* "Like a Prayer" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart": 
* "Run Joey Run":	CANPeak positions for featured singles in Canada"
* "Highway to Hell": 
* "Like a Virgin", "Like a Prayer", and "Total Eclipse of the Heart": 
* "Run Joey Run": 
* "Another One Bites the Dust":	IRE 	UK 	Album
2010 	"Highway to Hell" 	— 	— 	88 	— 	89 	Glee: The Music, The Complete Season One
2010 	"Run Joey Run" 	61 	64 	45 	12 	27 	Glee: The Music, The Complete Season One
2010 	"Another One Bites the Dust" 	79 	— 	53 	41 	101 	Glee: The Music, The Complete Season One
2010 	"Bohemian Rhapsody" 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	Glee: The Music, The Complete Season One
2010 	"Hello" 	35 	79 	37 	31 	35 	Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers
2010 	"Total Eclipse of the Heart" 	16 	28 	17 	3 	9 	Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers
2010 	"Like a Virgin" 	87 	99 	83 	47 	58 	Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna
2010 	"Like a Prayer" 	27 	28 	27 	2 	16 	Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna
2011 	"Rolling in the Deep" 	29 	— 	— 	— 	49 	Glee: The Music, Volume 6
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in the region	"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in the region	"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in the region	"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in the region	"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in the region	"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in the region	"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in the region	"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in the region
==Awards and nominations==
Year	Award 	Category 	Work 	Result
2007	Tony Award 	Best Actor in a Musical 	Spring Awakening 	
2007	Drama Desk Award 	Outstanding Actor in a Musical 	Spring Awakening 	
2007	Drama League Award 	Distinguished Performance 	Spring Awakening 	
2007	Theatre World Award 	Outstanding Debut Performance 	Spring Awakening 	
2007	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award 	Favorite Leading Actor in a Broadway Musical 	Spring Awakening 	
2007	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award 	Favorite Male Breakthrough Performance 	Spring Awakening 	
2007	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award 	Favorite Onstage Pair 	Spring Awakening 	
2007	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award 	Favorite Ensemble Cast 	Spring Awakening 	
2007	BroadwayWorld.com Theatre Fans' Choice Award 	Best Leading Actor in a Musical 	Spring Awakening 	
2009	Obie Award 	Outstanding Performance 	Prayer for My Enemy • The Singing Forest	
2011	WhatsOnStage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award 	London Newcomer of the Year 	Deathtrap 	
2012	BroadwayWorld.com Los Angeles Award 	Best Leading Actor in a Play 	Red 	
2013	Behind the Voice Actors People's Choice Voice Acting Award	Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film 	Frozen 	
2013	Behind the Voice Actors Feature Film Voice Acting Awards 	Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film 	Frozen 	
2013	Behind the Voice Actors Feature Film Voice Acting Awards 	Best Male Lead Vocal Performance in a Feature Film	Frozen 	
2014	Gold Derby TV Awards 	Best Comedy Actor 	Looking 	
2014	EWwy Award 	Best Actor in a Comedy Series 	Looking 	
2014	NewNowNext Award 	Best New Television Actor 	Looking 	
2015	Gold Derby TV Awards 	Best Comedy Actor 	Looking 	
2015	Point Horizon Award 	Point Horizon Award 	LGBT activism 	
2015	Bayard Rustin Award 	Bayard Rustin Award 	LGBT activism 	
2015	CinEuphoria Awards 	Best Ensemble Cast – International Competition 	The Normal Heart 	
2016	Tony Award 	Best Featured Actor in a Musical 	Hamilton 	
2016	Grammy Award 	Best Musical Theater Album 	Hamilton 	
2016	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award 	Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical 	Hamilton 	
2016	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award 	Favorite Funny Performance 	Hamilton 	
2016	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award 	Favorite Diva Performance 	Hamilton 	
2017	Out100 Award 	Entertainer of the Year 	LGBT activism 	
2017	Satellite Awards 	Best Actor in a Drama / Genre Series 	Mindhunter 	
2018	Dorian Awards 	TV Performance of the Year – Actor 	Mindhunter 	
==See also==
* LGBT culture in New York City
==References==
==External links==
* 
* 
* Jonathan Groff at Billboard
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* Jonathan Groff Career Retrospective at The People's Movies
* 
Category:1985 births
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American singers
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male musical theatre actors
Category:American male soap opera actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American tenors
Category:Gay actors
Category:Gay musicians
Category:Grammy Award winners
Category:LGBT musicians from the United States
Category:LGBT people from Pennsylvania
Category:LGBT singers
Category:Male actors from Pennsylvania
Category:People from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Category:Skin cancer survivors
Category:21st-century male singersCategory:Pages stolen off Wikipedia
Category:People from Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Category:American male musicians
Category:People
Category:Real life