John Krasinski Biography

John Krasinski
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John Krasinski

Krasinski in March 2009
Born October 20, 1979 (1979-10-20) (age 30)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 2000 – present

John Burke Krasinski (pronounced /krəˈzɪnski/; born October 20, 1979) is an American actor, film director and writer. He has acted in several films, including Shrek the Third, Leatherheads, License to Wed and Away We Go, but is most widely known for playing Jim Halpert on the NBC sitcom The Office.

Contents

Early life

Krasinski was born in the Brighton area of Boston, Massachusetts, the son of a Polish-American father, internist Dr. Ronald Krasinski,1 and an Irish American mother, Mary Clare (née Doyle).2 He has two older brothers, Kevin and Paul, and was raised Roman Catholic in the suburb of Newton, Massachusetts.3

He attended the same high school as B. J. Novak, who would later become Krasinski's co-star on The Office, as well as a writer and co-producer of the series. Krasinski also performed in a play written by Novak.4 Krasinski graduated from Newton South High School in 1997.4

Before entering college, Krasinski took a semester off to teach English in Costa Rica.5 From there, he went to Brown University, studying theater arts with Lowry Marshall and John Emigh and graduating in 2001 as a playwright with an honors thesis titled "Contents Under Pressure".6 During his time at Brown, he helped coach youth basketball at The Gordon School in East Providence, Rhode Island. He then attended the National Theater Institute in Waterford, Connecticut.7

Career

Television and feature films

Krasinski's first stage experience was starring in a satirical play written and cast by B. J. Novak for Newton South High School.48 He decided to continue acting after doing a reading of David Foster Wallace's Brief Interviews with Hideous Men.9 Besides training at the National Theater Institute, he also studied at The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and The Actors Center in New York City. After graduating from Brown University, Krasinski went to New York City to pursue acting, appearing in commercials and guest spots on television shows, as well as doing readings of off-Broadway plays and working as a waiter.10 He starred in the play What the Eunuch Saw, which was written and directed by a former college classmate.11 In 2000, Krasinski was a script intern on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.1213

Krasinski filmed the footage of Scranton, Pennsylvania for The Office, including the clips shown in the opening credits.14

Krasinski starred as Gideon in A New Wave, which was filmed before he was on The Office and released in 2007. He also starred as Brevin in the Gregg Araki film Smiley Face, filmed in 2006. More recently, he had major supporting roles in the films License to Wed, with Mandy Moore and Robin Williams, and Leatherheads with George Clooney and Renee Zellweger. From April to June 2008 he filmed Away We Go, directed by Sam Mendes and co-starring Maya Rudolph.15 He is set to join Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin in the upcoming Nancy Meyers romantic comedy It's Complicated, due for release in late 2009.16

In 2006 Krasinski wrote and directed Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, an adaptation of David Foster Wallace's collection of short stories. It premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.17

In addition to his role on The Office, Krasinski's television credits include appearances on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Without A Trace, Ed,18 American Dad!,19 and an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. His feature film credits include Kinsey, Duane Hopwood, Jarhead, The Holiday and Shrek the Third. He also had minor roles in For Your Consideration and Dreamgirls.

Krasinski at the 2008 Emmy Awards

Other work

Beginning in March 2006, Krasinski narrated a series of commercials for Ask.com. He has also appeared in commercials for Apple TV, BlackBerry Storm20 and My Coke Rewards,21 and has appeared in print advertisements for Gap.22 Krasinski also had a cameo role in Jarhead.

Personal life

Krasinski was featured in People magazine's Sexiest Men Alive issue in 2006.23 In 2009 he announced his engagement to Emily Blunt. He previously dated actress Rashida Jones.

Filmography

Films

Year Film Role Other notes
2000 State and Main Judge's assistant uncredited
2002 Fighting Still Life Tyler
Alma Mater Flea Club Candidate 1
2004 Kinsey Ben
Taxi Messenger #3
2005 Duane Hopwood Bob Flynn
Jarhead Corporal Harrigan
2006 Doogal Additional Voices voice
For Your Consideration Paper Badge Officer
The Holiday Ben
Dreamgirls Sam Walsh
2007 A New Wave Gideon
Smiley Face Brevin
Shrek the Third Sir Lancelot voice
License to Wed Ben Murphy
2008 Leatherheads Carter Rutherford
2009 Brief Interviews with Hideous Men Ryan/ Subject #20 also writer and director
Nominated: Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
Monsters vs Aliens Cuthbert voice
Away We Go Burt Farlander
It's Complicated Harley
2010 Shrek Forever After Sir Lancelot voice

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Ed Process Server Episode "Good Advice"
2004 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Jace Gleesing Episode "Mad Hops"
2005 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lyle Davis Episode "Who Shot Sherlock"
Without a Trace Curtis Horne Episode "The Bogie Man"
2006 American Dad! Gilbert Episode "Irregarding Steve"
2005-present The Office Jim Halpert Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2006, 2007)
Nominated: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2008)

Awards and nominations

Year Group Award Won Film/Television series
2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series24 Yes The Office
2007 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series25 Yes
2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series No
2009 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic No Brief Interviews with Hideous Men

References

  1. ^ Harrison woman has ties to 'The Office' from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
  2. ^ Ancestry of John Krasinski
  3. ^ ''Office'' star John Krasinski on his new movie roles
  4. ^ a b c Boston Globe profile of Krasinski and B.J. Novak
  5. ^ Access Extended: Cosmo's Fun Fearless Male Of The Year Awards
  6. ^ Brown University Library/All Locations
  7. ^ The O'Neill National Theater Institute
  8. ^ South Stage
  9. ^ John Krasinski Interview
  10. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (2008-03-08). "Tackling Directing and George Clooney". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/movies/30dave.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss. 
  11. ^ FringeNYC 2002
  12. ^ April 19 episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien
  13. ^ NBC.com Late Night with Conan O'Brien
  14. ^ The Office S eason 4 DVD - Writers' Q&A
  15. ^ Krasinski, Rudolph join Mendes film from Variety
  16. ^ Krasinski joins Universal comedy from Variety (February 10, 2009)
  17. ^ 2009 Sundance Film Festival announces films in competition
  18. ^ Biography from the NBC website
  19. ^ American Dad on FOX
  20. ^ Ad Track: Scandals tarnish celebrity endorsements
  21. ^ John Krasinski: My Coke Rewards Commercial
  22. ^ More John Krasinski for Gap
  23. ^ Sexiest Men Alive 2006 from the People magazine website
  24. ^ Screen Actors Guild Honors Outstanding Film and Television Performances..., a January 2007 press release from the SAG Awards website
  25. ^ 'Sopranos,' 'The Office' Win SAG Ensemble Awards, a January 2008 TVWeek article

External links

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The Office (U.S. series)
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