Jonathan Moss Tucker (born May 31, 1982)Jonathan Tucker biography, filmreference.com, May 31, 1982; retrieved May 30, 2012. is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Virgin Suicides (1999), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Hostage (2005), In the Valley of Elah (2007), The Ruins (2008), and Charlie's Angels (2019). He has appeared in the television series The Black Donnellys (2007), Parenthood (2011–2013), Kingdom (2014–2017), Justified (2015), Snowfall (2018), Westworld (2018–2022), City on a Hill (2019), and Debris (2021).
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 and co-direct the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology.
His father is Irish Catholic and his mother is Jewish and of Romanian Jewish descent.
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 (1994), Two If by Sea (1996) and Sleepers (1996) 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: 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.
In 2008, he was cast in The Ruins, a thriller based on the novel by Scott Smith and directed by Carter Smith.
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. He then appeared in the 2010 film The Next Three Days with Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks, marking his third collaboration 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 had a main role on the 2014 DirecTV drama series Kingdom. He played Jay, a mixed martial artist and son of trainer, Alvey Kulina, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor by Entertainment Weekly, which described his work as "one of the most electric performances on television."
In 2015, 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 collaboration with Bryan Fuller, having appeared in the second season of Hannibal, Tucker starred as Low-Key Lyesmith in Starz's American Gods, adapted from Neil Gaiman's 2001 novel.
Tucker co-wrote the song "Champagne Problems" on Nick Jonas' 2016 album Last Year Was Complicated.
Further down his career in 2017, Tucker provided his face, voice and performance in a famous video game called Call of Duty: WWII as "PFC Robert Zussman". His character was one of the main protagonists of the story and his role was respected by the video game community.
Beginning in 2019, Tucker played Frankie Ryan, a Boston gangster, in the Showtime crime drama City on a Hill.
In 2021, Tucker played the lead role of CIA operative Bryan Beneventi in the short-lived NBC science fiction series Debris.
Personal life On June 16, 2012, Tucker married Tara Ahamed, daughter of economic historian Liaquat Ahamed. They have twins, a son and daughter born May 15, 2019.
Tucker practices Transcendental Meditation to offset loneliness on film locations. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization Pegasus Fund.
In June 2024, he helped evacuate a neighboring family from their home during a home invasion.
Works
Film
Year Title Role Notes1994TroublemakersMoses Juniora.k.a. The Fight Before Christmas and Botte di Natale1996Two If by SeaTodda.k.a. Stolen Hearts1996SleepersYoung Tommy Marcano1999Tim Weiner2000100 GirlsMatthew2001Beau Hall2001Relative EvilJJAlso titled Ball in the House2003Morgan2004StatesideMark Deloacha.k.a. Sinners2004CriminalMichael2005HostageDennis Kelly2005Bee SeasonStudent (uncredited)2006PulseJosh2006Love Comes to the ExecutionerHeck Prigusivac2007Cherry CrushJordan Wells2007Day 73 with SarahDavidShort film2007In the Valley of ElahMike Deerfield2008Jeff2009Patrick Angus 2009Veronika Decides to DieEdward2010Flying LessonsBilly2010MeskadaShane Loakin2010David2018SkinJeffrey2019Charlie's AngelsHodak2022Palm Trees and Power LinesTom 2023 God Is a Bullet Errol Grey
Television
+Television Year Title Role Notes1997Early EditionTonyEpisode: "Frostbite"1998Mr. MusicRob TennantTV film2001Chad Baldwin / "James Tucker"Episode: "Vanished: Part 1 & 2"2002PhillyEli WexlerEpisode: "The Curse of the Klopman Diamonds"2003CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationPeter ArnzEpisode: "Crash and Burn"2003Law & Order: Special Victims UnitIan TateEpisode: "Abomination"2004Six Feet UnderBruno Baskerville WalshEpisode: "Falling into Place"2005Masters of HorrorJakEpisode: "Dance of the Dead"2006Law & Order: Criminal IntentDrew RamseyEpisode: "Wrongful Life" 2007 Tommy Donnelly Main role2010White CollarAvery PhillipsEpisode: "Hard Sell"2011Criminal MindsRaymond DonovanEpisode: "The Thirteenth Step"2011Royal PainsShaw Morgan2 episodes2011–2013ParenthoodBob Little10 episodes2012PerceptionBrady McGrawEpisode: "Nemesis"2012Person of InterestRiley CavanaughEpisode: "Triggerman"2012RoJordan5 episodes2014HannibalMatthew Brown2 episodes2014High MoonStanislav "Stan" Stavin TV pilot 2014–2017 Kingdom Jay Kulina Main role2015JustifiedBoon5 episodes2017American GodsLow Key LyesmithEpisode: "The Bone Orchard"2018–2022WestworldMajor Craddock7 episodes2018–2019SnowfallMatt McDonald10 episodes2019City on a HillFrankie RyanRecurring role 2020 Monsterland Alex Episode: "Port Fourchon, LA"2021Debris Bryan Beneventi Main role 2022 Echoes Dylan James Main role 2026 I Will Find You Adam Mackenzie Post-production
Video games Year Title Voice role Notes 2017 Call of Duty: WWII Private First Class Robert Zussman Likeness and motion capture
Awards and nominations +YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult2000Young Artist AwardsBest Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot – Leading Young ActorMr. Music2005DVD Exclusive AwardsBest Actor in a DVD Premiere MovieRelative Evil2008Young Hollywood AwardsStandout PerformanceJonathan TuckerScream AwardsBest Horror Actor2023Independent Spirit AwardsBest Supporting PerformancePalm Trees and Power Lines
References
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