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Jon Heder

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Jon Heder
Heder in 2023
Born
Jonathan Joseph Heder

(1977-10-26) October 26, 1977 (age 47)
Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian
Years active2000–present
Spouse
Kirsten Bales
​
(m. 2002)​
Children4

Jonathan Joseph Heder (/ˈhiːdər/; born October 26, 1977) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as the title character of the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite (2004). He has also appeared in the films Just like Heaven (2005), The Benchwarmers (2006), Blades of Glory (2007), When in Rome (2010), Walt Before Mickey (2015), Ghost Team (2016) and The Unexpected Race (2018). He also provided voice work for the animated films Monster House (2006), Surf's Up (2007), and Thelma the Unicorn (2024), as well as the Napoleon Dynamite (2012) animated series.

Early life

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Heder was born in Fort Collins, Colorado,[1] the son of Helen (née Brammer) and physician James Heder. He has an identical twin brother, Dan;[2] an older sister, Rachel; an older brother, Doug; and two younger brothers, Adam and Matt. He is of Swedish descent,[3] and is a nephew by marriage of former NFL player Vai Sikahema.[4] When he was about two years old, he and his parents moved to Salem, Oregon.[5] He attended Walker Middle School in Salem and graduated from South Salem High School in 1996,[5] where he was a member of the swim team and drama club. He is also an Eagle Scout,[6][7] and served as a Scoutmaster in 2010.[7]

A 2002 alumnus of Brigham Young University, Heder worked on the short animated film Pet Shop. While attending BYU, he befriended Jared Hess and starred in Hess' short film Peluca, which was later expanded into Napoleon Dynamite.

Career

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The 2004 comedy feature Napoleon Dynamite, filmed in Preston, Idaho, earned $44.5 million.[8] In June 2005, Heder received the MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Performance and Breakthrough Male Performance for the role.[9] On October 8, 2005, he hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Ashlee Simpson.[10] Heder and his film co-star Efren Ramirez filmed a series of commercials to promote the 2015 Utah State Fair, and reprised their roles in a self-parody sketch, "Napoleon Bonamite", on the animated series Robot Chicken.[11]

In 2005, Heder had a supporting role as a clerk in a new age bookstore in the romantic comedy Just like Heaven. In 2006, he appeared in the comedy film The Sasquatch Gang; and had a starring role with Rob Schneider and David Spade in producer Adam Sandler's The Benchwarmers (2006), a comedy about three men making up for lost chances by creating their own Little League baseball team. Also in 2006, Heder was the voice of the character Skull in the animated film Monster House, and starred in the comedy School for Scoundrels, opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Jacinda Barrett. He co-starred in 2007 with Will Ferrell in the well-received Blades of Glory (2007) where, as in many of his films, he plays an absurd, slapstick caricature—this time, one of two rival figure skaters who must team up in a pairs competition.

Heder's second turn at voice acting came in 2007 when he voiced Chicken Joe, a surfing chicken, in the animated film Surf's Up. His first foray into web television was the 2008 web series Woke Up Dead, which he produced and starred in. The live-action, sci-fi comedy thriller follows Drex, a USC student who wakes up underwater in the bathtub one morning and suspects he may be dead.[12]

Heder and his twin brother, Dan, star together as villains in the fourth installment of the popular internet martial arts comedy series Sockbaby. Heder's performance in When in Rome was praised by New York Times critic A. O. Scott: "Jon Heder as a goofy street magician is the funniest of the bunch."[13][14] Heder voiced Napoleon Dynamite in the Fox Network animated series Napoleon Dynamite, which debuted in January 2012. In 2013, Heder appeared in the music video for "On Top of the World" with numerous other Utah-based actors and musicians, and in 2014 he appeared in the music video for the Chromeo song "Old 45s".[15]

In January 2017, Heder reprised his role as Chicken Joe in Surf's Up 2: WaveMania, the direct-to-video sequel to Surf's Up. In 2022, it was announced that Heder would star in the comedy film Plan B, alongside Tom Berenger and Shannon Elizabeth.[16]

In 2024, Heder reunited with Hess in Thelma the Unicorn, an animated film starring Brittany Howard.

Personal life

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Heder served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan, and speaks Japanese fluently.[17] Heder has been married to Kirsten Bales since 2002, having met her while attending Brigham Young University. They are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and have four children.[18][19]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 The Wrong Brother Audience Member Short
Funky Town Officer Hardy
2003 Peluca Seth
2004 Napoleon Dynamite Napoleon Dynamite MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Sequence
Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Dance Scene
Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Hissy Fit
Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Comedy
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Breakout Performance – Male
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Blush Scene
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Liar
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Love Scene
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Rumble
2005 Just like Heaven Darryl Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Actor: Comedy
Tankman Begins Batman Short
2006 The Benchwarmers Clark Reedy Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Comedy
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Chemistry
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Rumble
Monster House Reginald "Skull" Skulinski Voice[20]
School for Scoundrels Roger Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Comedy
2007 The Sasquatch Gang Lazer Tag Employee Cameo
Blades of Glory Jimmy MacElroy Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Fight
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Comedy
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Chemistry
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Dance Scene
Surf's Up Chicken Joe Voice[20]
Moving McAllister Orlie
Mama's Boy Jeffrey McMannus
2008 Sockbaby 4 Manatu Short
2010 When in Rome Lance
2011 Life Happens Wrong Number Caller Cameo
Legend of Kung Fu Rabbit Fu Voice
2012 For Ellen Fred Butler
Drained Short
Producer
DC Independent Film Festival for Best Experimental/Animation
Peter at the End Peter Short
Pinocchio Leo the Cat Voice; 2018 American release
2013 Pororo, The Racing Adventure Mango Voice
Bud Selig Must Die Tim Short
Buddy Holly Is Alive and Well on Ganymede Oliver Vale Unreleased
2014 Reality Denis
My Dad Is Scrooge Raffi Voice
2015 A Mouse Tale Sir Jonas Voice[20]
Weepah Way for Now Ernie
Walt Before Mickey Roy Disney
Huevos: Little Rooster's Egg-cellent Adventure Mickey Mallard Voice, English dub[20]
Christmas Eve James Also known as Stuck
2016 Bling Wilmer Voice[20]
Ghost Team Louis
The Tiger Hunter Alex Womack
2017 Surf's Up 2: WaveMania Chicken Joe Voice, direct-to-video[20]
2018 The Ladybug
When Jeff Tried to Save the World Jeff
Unexpected Race Henry
2020 Tremors: Shrieker Island Jimmy Direct-to-video
The Little Penguin Pororo's Dinosaur Island Adventure Poby Voice[21]
2021 Funny Thing About Love Charlie
The Little Penguin Pororo's Treasure Adventure Poby Voice[22]
2022 Pinocchio: A True Story Tybalt Voice, English dub[20]
2023 Tapawingo Nate Skoog [23]
2024 Thelma the Unicorn Reggie Voice[24][20]
2025 Waltzing with Brando Bernard Judge Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Mad TV Percy Season 10, Episode 4
2005 Robot Chicken Astronaut, Bully, Napoleon Bonamite Voice, episode: "The Black Cherry"
Saturday Night Live Himself Host

Episode: "Jon Heder/Ashlee Simpson"

2008 My Name Is Earl Joel Malone Episode: "Girl Earl"
2010 WWE Raw Himself 1 episode
2011 Talking Dead Himself Guest
2012 Napoleon Dynamite Napoleon Dynamite Main voice role[20]
2012 Gulliver Quinn Gulliver Quinn Television film
The Aquabats! Super Show! Eagle Claw Episode: "Eagle Claw"
2014 How I Met Your Mother Narshall Episode: "Vesuvius"
Uncle Grandpa Kev Voice, episode: "Viewer Special"
Kroll Show Himself Episode: "Blisteritos Presents Dad Academy Graduation Congraduritos Red Carpet Viewing Party"
The Legend of Korra Ryu, Ryy's Father Voice, 2 episodes[20]
Clarence Randy Voice, episode: "Rise 'n' Shine"
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Napoleon Bonafrog Voice, episode: "The Croaking"[20]
Ben 10: Omniverse Clyde Fife Voice, episode: "Clyde Five"[20]
2015–2019 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Oskar Greason Recurring voice role[20]
2015–2018 Pickle and Peanut Pickle Main voice role[20]
2016 Motive Murray Schultz Episode: "The Vanishing Policeman"
Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh Mopo Store Manager Voice, episode: "Best Frenemies"[20]
2017 VeggieTales in the City Avacajoe Voice, episode: "Jimmy Makes a Comic Book"[20]
All Hail King Julien Tentacle Voice, episode: "Raiders of the Lord Shark"[20]
2017–2018 Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters Don Robertson / Multi-Farious Voice, 4 episodes[20]
2018 Swedish Dicks Mark Episode: "Two Dicks Walk into a Bar"
2022 Studio C Himself Episode: "Special Guest Jon Heder"

Web

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Year Title Role
2009 Woke Up Dead Drex Greene
2010 Fact Checkers Unit Jon
2011 Dead Grandma Host
2014 TableTop Himself
2017 Critical Role Himself / Lionel Gayheart
2019 Retro Replay Himself

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2012 Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two Seth Voice
2014 Armikrog Vognaut Voice

Music videos

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Year Title Artist Role
2013 "On Top of the World" Imagine Dragons Russian Cosmonaut
2014 "Old 45's" Chromeo Bar Patron
2021 "Back Pocket" Brooke White Cowboy/Band

References

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  1. ^ Jon Heder profile, FilmReference.com; accessed February 7, 2015.
  2. ^ "Jon Heder biography and filmography". Tribute.ca. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  3. ^ B. Alan Orange (June 4, 2007). "Shia LaBeouf and Jon Heder Compete for Waves in 'Surf's Up'". Movieweb.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  4. ^ "Dan Gross: Vai not big fan of actor/kin" article from Philly.com Archived March 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ a b Owen, Rob (January 12, 2012). "Heder returns as 'Dynamite' gets animated". The Oregonian. p. E1. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  6. ^ "111 Scouts who became famous (Just in time for the BSA's 111th birthday)". February 8, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Boy Scouts Prepared To Celebrate A Century". National Public Radio. February 6, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  8. ^ "Napoleon Dynamite". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  9. ^ Susman, Gary (June 6, 2005). "Here are the MTV Movie Award winners". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  10. ^ Saturday Night Live Seasons 26 - 35: S31E02 Jon Heder & Ashlee Simpson. Internet Archive. October 8, 2005. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  11. ^ Kahn, Juliet (January 23, 2019). "What Life Is Really Like For The Star Of Napoleon Dynamite Now". Looper. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  12. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 24, 2008). "Jon Heder to star in online series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  13. ^ Scott, A. O. (January 28, 2010). "Coins and a Fountain That Make a Magic Mess". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010.
  14. ^ Chris Hicks. Deseret News, February 5, 2010, p. W1
  15. ^ Chromeo – Old 45's. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2018 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ "Jamie Lee & Jon Heder Topline Comedy 'Plan B' for Joke Zero and Future Proof Films". July 16, 2022.
  17. ^ McQuaid, Peter (June 10, 2004). "Is it a wacky leap of faith?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  18. ^ "Jon Heder: Mormonism Prevented Taking Raunchy Roles". HuffPost. March 12, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  19. ^ Murphy, Desiree (July 6, 2016). "Jon Heder and Wife Expecting Baby No. 4 – See Their Cute Announcement!". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Jon Heder (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 26, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  21. ^ Jacquin, Jeri (December 6, 2020). "The Little Penguin Pororo's Dinosaur Island Adventure on DVD". Patch. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  22. ^ "PORORO: TREASURE ISLAND ADVENTURE – Official Trailer (2021)". YouTube. March 8, 2021. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021.
  23. ^ Cordero, Rosy (September 9, 2021). "Jon Heder Comedy Tapawingo Wraps Production". Deadline. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  24. ^ "Netflix's 'Thelma the Unicorn' Dreams of Stardom in New Images [Exclusive]". Collider. January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
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