Jonathan Tucker


Jonathan Moss Tucker is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Virgin Suicides, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hostage, In the Valley of Elah, The Ruins, and Charlie's Angels. He has appeared in the television series The Black Donnellys, Parenthood, Kingdom, Justified, Snowfall, and Westworld.

Early life

Tucker was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to parents Maggie Moss, a public relations and marketing analyst and executive, and Paul Hayes Tucker, a professor of art at the University of Massachusetts Boston and a leading expert on Claude Monet. His paternal great-grandfather was historian and ambassador Carlton J. H. Hayes. His aunt and uncle, Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, founded the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University, where they remain as co-directors.
His father is of Irish Catholic background, whereas his mother is Jewish.
Tucker was raised in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and attended The Park School in Brookline, Massachusetts. He attended the Boston Ballet and played Fritz in their production of The Nutcracker for 5 years starting when he was in the third grade. He was featured in a Boston Ballet calendar and attended The Thacher School in Ojai, California. Tucker said of his ballet experience, "Ballet is one of the more difficult rigors that I've ever done. The Ballet instructors are some of the most intimidating people I've met".

Career

Tucker first started off in film by appearing in the early 1990s films Botte di Natale, Two If by Sea and Sleepers before being cast in the 1999 film The Virgin Suicides as Tim Weiner.
He starred as Matthew in the 2000 comedy film 100 Girls. A year later, he co-starred in Sundance hit The Deep End with Tilda Swinton and Josh Lucas. In 2003, Tucker was cast in the much anticipated re-imagining of the 1974 horror film of the same name, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre produced by Michael Bay and directed by Marcus Nispel. In 2004, he appeared in the films Stateside and Criminal.
In the 2005 film Hostage, Tucker worked alongside Bruce Willis and Ben Foster. Tucker plays Dennis Cooper, one of the brothers that, along with their mysterious accomplice Mars, holds a family hostage. Tucker was directed by Paul Haggis twice in 2007: first, he starred as Tommy Lee Jones's son in the film In the Valley of Elah as a soldier who is permanently changed by war after returning from Iraq; he also played Tommy Donnelly in the NBC TV series The Black Donnellys.
, Joanna Going, Matt Lauria, Frank Grillo and Tucker at the premiere of the Kingdom in October 2014
In 2008, he was cast in The Ruins, a thriller based on the best selling book by Scott Smith and directed by Sundance award-winner Carter Smith. Tucker said he practiced Transcendental Meditation to offset the loneliness while filming the movie in Australia.
He portrayed emerging artist Patrick Angus in the 2009 film An Englishman in New York, opposite John Hurt as Quentin Crisp. The biographical drama chronicles Crisp's later years spent in New York City. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Tucker was cast in the 2010 thriller film The Next Three Days with Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks, continuing his relationship with Haggis.
It was announced in November 2011 that Tucker had signed on to the TV series Parenthood. He played the role of Mayor Bob Little from 2011 to 2014.
Tucker also co-starred on the DirecTV drama series Kingdom. He played Jay, a mixed martial artist and son of trainer, Alvey Kulina, for which he was nominated Best Supporting Actor by Entertainment Weekly: "One of the most underappreciated actors on one of the most underappreciated shows, Jonathan Tucker’s turn as Jay Kulina is one of the most electric performances on television."
Tucker also appeared in the final five episodes of the TV series Justified on FX as the crazy-eyed Boon — a cross between Billy the Kid and Travis Bickle.
Continuing his relationship with Bryan Fuller, Tucker starred as Low-Key Lyesmith in Starz's Neil Gaiman adaption American Gods.
Tucker co-wrote the song "Champagne Problems" on Nick Jonas's 2016 album Last Year Was Complicated.
In 2020, Tucker will play in the lead role of Rick Legarski in the NBC science fiction series Debris which was written by J.H. Wyman.

Personal life

Tucker is married to Tara Tucker, daughter of Pulitzer Prize-winning economic historian Liaquat Ahamed. They were married on June 16, 2012, and they had twins born May 15, 2019. Tucker is the founder of the nonprofit organization The Pegasus Fund, which supplements the academic journey of top-performing students in under-served communities by sending them to summer camp as a means to help them prepare for the new geographic and social environments of the private secondary schools they plan to attend. Tucker is a Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots fan.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994TroublemakersMoses Juniora.k.a. The Fight Before Christmas and Botte di Natale
1996Two If by SeaTodda.k.a. Stolen Hearts
1996SleepersYoung Tommy Marcano
1999'Tim Weiner
2000100 GirlsMatthew
2001'Beau Hall
2001Ball in the HouseJJ
2003'Morgan
2004StatesideMark Deloacha.k.a. Sinners
2004CriminalMichael
2005HostageDennis Kelly
2005Bee SeasonStudent
2006PulseJosh
2006Love Comes to the ExecutionerHeck Prigusivac
2007Cherry CrushJordan Wells
2007Day 73 with SarahDavidShort film
2007In the Valley of ElahMike Deerfield
2008'Jeff
2009'Patrick Angus
2009Veronika Decides to DieEdward
2010Flying LessonsBilly
2010MeskadaShane Loakin
2010'David
2018SkinJeffreyAcademy Award for Best Live Action Short Film
2019Charlie's AngelsHodak

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997Early EditionTonyEpisode: "Frostbite"
1998Mr. MusicRob TennantTV film
2001'Chad Baldwin / "James Tucker"Episode: "Vanished: Part 1 & 2"
2002PhillyEli WexlerEpisode: "The Curse of the Klopman Diamonds"
2003'Peter ArnzEpisode: "Crash and Burn"
2003'Ian TateEpisode: "Abomination"
2004Six Feet UnderBruno Baskerville WalshEpisode: "Falling into Place"
2005Masters of HorrorJakEpisode: "Dance of the Dead"
2006'Drew RamseyEpisode: "Wrongful Life"
2007Tommy Donnelly13 episodes
2010White CollarAvery PhillipsEpisode: "Hard Sell"
2011Criminal MindsRaymond DonovanEpisode: "The Thirteenth Step"
2011Royal PainsShaw Morgan2 episodes
2011–2013ParenthoodBob Little10 episodes
2012PerceptionBrady McGrawEpisode: "Nemesis"
2012Person of InterestRiley CavanaughEpisode: "Triggerman"
2012RoJordan5 episodes
2014HannibalMatthew Brown2 episodes
2014High MoonStanislav "Stan" StavinTV pilot
2014–2017KingdomJay KulinaMain role
2015JustifiedBoon5 episodes
2017American GodsLow Key LyesmithEpisode: "The Bone Orchard"
2018, 2020WestworldMajor Craddock4 episodes
2018–2019SnowfallMatt McDonaldMain role
2019City on a HillFrankie RyanMain role
DebrisBryan BeneventiMain role

Video games