Justin Theroux

Justin Paul Theroux (born August 10, 1971) is an American actor and filmmaker.

Theroux was born on August 10, 1971, in Washington, D.C. His mother, Phyllis Grissim Theroux, is an essayist and author, and his father, Eugene Albert Theroux (b. 1938), is a lawyer at Baker & McKenzie in Washington.

Theroux is the nephew of the travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux, novelist and poet Alexander Theroux, author Peter Theroux, and novelist and educator Joseph Theroux; he is the cousin of British journalists and documentary filmmakers Louis and Marcel Theroux.

His father is of half French-Canadian and half Italian descent.

Through his mother, Theroux is a great-great-grandson of financier, banker and railroad magnate H. B. Hollins, and of music critic and author Gustav Kobbé.

Theroux took the name Jesus as his Catholic Confirmation name.

Theroux attended Lafayette Elementary School, Annunciation School, and the Field School.

He first started acting while in high school at the Buxton School, in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

He graduated from Bennington College in 1993 with a B.A. in visual arts and drama.

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.

Theroux 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.

He also appeared in films such as Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), American Psycho (2000), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), Strangers with Candy (2005), Miami Vice (2006), Wanderlust (2012), The Girl on the Train (2016), The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018), On the Basis of Sex (2018) the voice of Dropkick in Bumblebee (2018), and Lady and the Tramp (2019).

He gained recognition for his work with director David Lynch in the mystery film Mulholland Drive (2001) and the horror film Inland Empire (2006).

In 2003, Theroux 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, Theroux 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.

He made his directorial debut with the romantic comedy film Dedication (2007).

Theroux was a screenwriter for films such as the action comedy Tropic Thunder (2008), the superhero film Iron Man 2 (2010), and the musical comedy drama Rock of Ages (2012).

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.

Theroux starred as Kevin Garvey in the HBO mystery drama series The Leftovers (2014–2017), for which he received widespread praise and was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

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 received widespread critical acclaim for his performance throughout the three seasons.

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.

He also starred as Dr. James Mantleray in the Netflix comedy drama miniseries Maniac (2018).

From 2021 to 2023, he portrayed Allie Fox in the Apple TV+ adaptation of The Mosquito Coast, based on the novel by his uncle Paul Theroux.

In 2023, he also starred in the HBO satirical political miniseries White House Plumbers.