Marc Evan Jackson (born August 21, 1970) is an American comedian and actor. He is a frequent collaborator of Michael Schur, appearing in major supporting roles as Kevin Cozner in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Trevor Nelsson in Parks and Recreation, and Shawn in The Good Place, as well as a smaller role in A Man on the Inside. Other notable roles include Sparks Nevada in the Thrilling Adventure Hour, Dr. Murphy in 22 Jump Street, Steve Woodward in Kong: Skull Island, and Bradford Buzzard in the Disney series DuckTales.
Early life and education Marc Evan Jackson was born on August 21, 1970 in Buffalo, New York. He grew up in nearby Amherst, New York, along with his two siblings, a brother and a sister.
He graduated from Amherst Central High School in 1988, and obtained a bachelor's degree from Calvin College in 1992 with a major in philosophy and minors in political science and environmental studies. While in college, he also participated in theatrical productions.
During summers, Jackson worked as a deck hand on the MV Americana. After graduating from college, he spent a few years working on schooners, both in Michigan, as a deck hand on the schooner Malabar, and in Maine, as first mate on the Mercantile. He also worked as a producer and host for WGVU-FM, a National Public Radio affiliate in Michigan, replacing Bill Freeman as the host of the Morning Show in 1997.
Career
Improv Jackson started his improv career with River City Improv, a group associated with Calvin University, after attending a rehearsal to play the piano. Jackson later joined The Second City Detroit, becoming a member of the main company in 1998. While at Second City Detroit he participated in the 1999 show "Phantom Menace to Society."
Jackson moved to Los Angeles in 2001. He taught improv at Second City Hollywood. He joined the long-form improv group called "The 313" in 2003. The 313 is named for Detroit's area code and is made up of mostly former Detroit residents, including Keegan-Michael Key, Larry Joe Campbell, Joshua Funk, Nyima Funk, Andy Cobb, Maribeth Monroe, and Jaime Moyer. The 313 continues to perform at comedy festivals around the country, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Detroit.
After meeting Mark Gagliardi and Ben Acker at Second City Hollywood, Jackson was invited to one of the first rehearsals of what would become the Thrilling Adventure Hour and became a member of the WorkJuice Players, playing Sparks Nevada in the regular segment "Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars". The show has been running as a live stage show since 2005 and has been published as a podcast since January 2011. Jackson also appeared in the film Drones, which was written by Acker and Blacker and directed by Amber Benson and Adam Busch.
Jackson is one half of a double act with comedian Carrie Clifford in which they play Sky & Nancy Collins, characters who live in Orange County and are trying stand-up for the first time because their friends find them funny. They have appeared on Last Comic Standing, on Last Call with Carson Daly, and at the Hollywood Improv.
Acting
Jackson starred in a web series in 2011 directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts called Fox Compton. He has gone on to work with Vogt-Roberts many times, including on the film The Kings of Summer in 2013, Kong: Skull Island in 2017 and in the television series Mash Up on Comedy Central. Jackson has made guest appearances in a number of other television series, including Key & Peele, Psych, Arrested Development, Happy Endings, The Middle, 2 Broke Girls, Modern Family, Kroll Show, Hello Ladies, and Black-ish. In 2012, Jackson starred in Suit Up, a web series co-produced by DirecTV and Fox Digital Studio, as Jim Dunnigan. Suit Up was the first of Fox Digital Studio's series to be picked up for a second season.
In January 2012, Jackson stood in for Bradley Cooper to play the part of Ben in a staged reunion performance of Wet Hot American Summer at the San Francisco Comedy Festival.
Jackson appeared as attorney Trevor Nelsson in 10 episodes of Michael Schur's comedy series Parks and Recreation. From 2013 to 2021 he played Kevin Cozner, the husband of Captain Raymond Holt, played by Andre Braugher, in Schur and Dan Goor's series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He continued his affiliation with Schur in The Good Place as Shawn, who is first identified as the judge of conflicts between the Good Place and the Bad Place, but is later revealed to be a supervisor of the Bad Place. Jackson hosted The Good Place: The Podcast and Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Podcast for NBC.
Jackson had a supporting role in the Amazon pilot The Rebels, which premiered online in 2014 but was not picked up for a full series. In February 2014, it was announced that Jackson would play the role of Jim in the Fox pilot titled Fatrick, along with Marcia Cross. The pilot was not picked-up as a series.
Voice work Jackson is known for his voiceover work, which includes movies like President Wolfman, radio series such as Adventures in Odyssey and web series including Funny or Die Presents: Brick Novax's Diary.
In October 2013, Jackson appeared as Marcus Vanston in a live performance of the podcast Welcome to Night Vale. This episode, titled "The Debate", was released on May 1, 2014.
Advertising Jackson has appeared in numerous national ad campaigns, including Farmers Insurance with J.K. Simmons, Sears, Coors, Aaron's, Progressive, DirecTV and AT&T.
Personal life Jackson married veterinarian Beth Hagenlocker on April 27, 2002. They live in Venice, Los Angeles, with their cats Penny and Snug.
Jackson is known for wearing a bow tie, both in character as Sparks Nevada as well as out of character.
Charity work Jackson co-founded the Detroit Creativity Project, which teaches Detroit public school students improv as a vehicle for improving their communication skills, along with Hagenlocker, Key, Margaret Edwartowski, and Larry Joe Campbell. The Project, which was inspired by a statement by Detroit mayor Dave Bing, was founded after a series of cookouts held at Jackson and Hagenlocker's home with other actors, writers, and directors who had connections to the city. In 2015 the program expanded to teach 500 students in 19 different schools.
Jackson and Hagenlocker are also supporters of the non-profit 826LA and Jackson frequently participates in events for the organization.
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes2000Garage: A Rock SagaThe Saucy Chef2003Melvin Goes to DinnerExtra2009Transformers: Revenge of the FallenCommander, US Central Command2009The Slammin' SalmonDry Sac Customer2010DronesIan2010Bright Day!Tripp Bailey2011Good News, Oklahoma!TuckerShort2012The Babymakers Jefferey2012Karaoke Man Marble2012President Wolfman John WolfmanVoice2013The Kings of SummerMr. Keenan201422 Jump Street Dr. Martin P. Murphy2015TenuredJerry Trask2015Bad NightJohn2016Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping"Teacher" during song performanceDeleted scene2016MonoAgent James2017Kong: Skull IslandSteve Woodward2017Jumanji: Welcome to the JunglePrincipal Bentley2018Can You Ever Forgive Me?Lloyd2019BombshellChris Wallace2020The High Note Alec 2021 Queenpins Doctor Girard 2021 Finding ʻOhana Robinson 2024 Popular Theory Arthur Page 2024 The Disruptors Bruce Marcus 2024 Red One Rick 2026 Wildwood Lars Svik Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes2002One on OneThe Store ClerkEpisode: "Give Me Some Credit"2003ILL-ustrated Various characters (voice)Various episodes2006Campaign TrailBobbie GrantTV movie2006According to JimHarried GuyEpisode: "Belaboring the Point"2007Case ClosedNathan ShadleTV movie2007RevengeGordonPilot2007CarpoolersMan on StreetEpisode: "The Seminar"2008Last Comic StandingHimselfEpisode: "Auditions 3"2008Reno 911!AmnesiacEpisode: "The Wall"2008The Consultants BrandonPilot2008Scare TacticsVarious2 episodes2008Atom TV JayEpisode #1.142008Carpet BrosXavier Montrose Raylon6 episodes2008Last Call with Carson DalySky Collins1 episode2009Super Dave's Spike Tacular4 episodes2009The Burr EffectMansion SecurityPilot2010Vamped OutAudition Actor #2Episode: "A New Day"2011Funny or Die Presents: Brick Novax's DiaryBrick Novax (voice)4 episodes2011–2014WorkaholicsDr. Gerald Landes2 episodes2011PsychSheldon GatesEpisode: "In for a Penny..."2011Kickin' ItDoctor RoseEpisode: "Breaking Board"2012Wolfpack of ResedaRod3 episodes2012Mash UpVariousVarious episodes2012Happy EndingsFishmongerEpisode: "More Like Stanksgiving"2012RVC: The Lone Shopping NetworkSurgeon2012You're WholeJim Rigmann2012–2013Suit Up Jim Dunnigan16 episodes2012–2013Key & PeeleVarious2 episodes20132 Broke GirlsEliEpisode: "And the Temporary Distraction"2013Arrested DevelopmentStorage AuctioneerEpisode: "Colony Collapse"2013Hello LadiesManagerEpisode: "The Limo"2013–2015Kroll ShowVarious4 episodes2013–2015Parks and RecreationTrevor Nelsson10 episodes2014–2021Brooklyn Nine-NineDr. Kevin Cozner18 episodes2014The Spoils of BabylonBank ManEpisode: "The Foundling"2014The Middle Professor DanzigerEpisode: "The Carpool"2014Modern FamilyTadEpisode: "Spring-a-Ding-Fling"2014The RebelsPhil MavonPilot2014FatrickJimPilot2014–2017Adventure TimeKim Kil Whan/Mr. F (voice)3 episodes2014I Didn't Do ItMr. BuffingtonEpisode: "Lindy Nose Best"2014–2015You're the WorstTherapist2 episodes2014The LeagueMr. RappaportEpisode: "Sitting Shiva"2014Masters of SexHaroldEpisode: "One for the Money, Two for the Show"2014NewsreadersRyan RosenbergEpisode: "Motorboating Dads; the Negative $100,000 Question"2014Nick Offerman: American HamIP AttorneyTV special2015CockedKenPilot2015Man Seeking WomanJudgeEpisode: "Gavel"2015–2016Comedy Bang! Bang!Proctor / Father Peters2 episodes2015The Spoils Before DyingKermit Biggs5 episodes2015StuntedWhoopi GoldbergPilot2015Rizzoli & IslesDr. HartEpisode: "Fake It 'Til You Make It"2015Black-ishDavid CooperEpisode: "Churched"2016The People's MayorCommissioner GordonPilot2016SuperstoreTelevision Reporter (voice only)Episode: "Spokesman Scandal"2017–2020The Good PlaceShawn21 episodes2017–2018GLOWGary2 episodes2017Jeff & Some AliensDuncan / Uprising Member (voice)Episode: "Jeff & Some Colonists"2017DetroitersDr. KozakEpisode: "Dream Cruise"2017WreckedFather DaddyEpisode: "Sister Mercy"2017Curb Your EnthusiasmJustinEpisode: "Namaste"2017–2021DuckTalesBradford Buzzard, Bentley Buzzard, Buford Buzzard (voice)12 episodes2018Another PeriodCaptainEpisode: "The Love Boat"2018My Dead ExVice Principal Kelly 5 episodes2018Mr. Neighbor's House 2Doctor SalmonvichTV special2018Living BiblicallyMCEpisode: "Thou Shalt Not Covet"2018Better Call SaulHenry DeVoreEpisode: "Talk"2018–2019Splitting Up TogetherGene6 episodes2018Get ShortyMarkEpisode: "Curtains"2019Bajillion Dollar Propertie$Dickie ChambersEpisode: "Love Is the Most Dangerous Game"2019The SelectionShawnSpin-off of The Good PlaceLead role; 6 episodes2020We Bare Bears: The MovieAgent Trout (voice)TV movie2020United We FallDr. RomanEpisode: "Pilot"2020–2022Dead to MeJeff3 episodes2020–2021The Baby-Sitters ClubRichard Spier10 episodes2020–2022Central ParkAnton / Rich Knowles (voice)4 episodes2020–2021American Dad!Various voices4 episodes2021Star Trek: Lower DecksVarious voices2 episodes2022The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the WindowWallace FaulknerEpisode: "Episode 4"2022American AutoAlan StrongEpisode: "Profile"2022BirdgirlCharles (voice)Episode: "The Rejuvication"2022Family Guy(voice)Episode: "Get Stewie"2022–2023Transformers: EarthSparkAgent Schloder / Delivery Man (voice)8 episodes2023Digman!The Speaker (voice)Episode: "Fear of GAWD"2023Lessons in ChemistryDr. Leland Mason5 episodes2024The RookieJosh RandallEpisode: "Strike Back"2024A Man on the InsideEvan Cubbler3 Episodes2025Big City GreensMob Leader (voice)Episode: "Chip's Revenge"
Podcasts