Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1977-10-26
- Born Place: Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Also Known As:
존 헤더, جان هدر
Jon Heder
Jonathan Joseph "Jon" Heder is an American actor, comedian, and writer, widely recognized for his portrayal of the title character in the 2004 cult classic comedy film, Napoleon Dynamite. Born on October 26, 1977, in Fort Collins, Colorado, he was raised in Salem, Oregon, in a devout Mormon family. Heder attended Brigham Young University, where he met director Jared Hess and starred in his short film Peluca, which was later expanded into Napoleon Dynamite. The film's surprise box office success launched his career, earning him MTV Movie Awards for Best Musical Performance and Breakthrough Male Performance.Following his breakout role, Heder starred in numerous other comedies, including The Benchwarmers (2006), Blades of Glory (2007) alongside Will Ferrell, and Mama's Boy (2007). He has also found success in voice acting, lending his voice to characters in animated films like Monster House (2006) and Surf's Up (2007) and its sequel. Heder reprised his iconic role as Napoleon Dynamite for a short-lived animated series on Fox in 2012. He has also appeared in a variety of other television shows and films, including a leading role in the 2025 biopic Waltzing with Brando, where he plays the architect Bernard Judge. Heder, who is an Eagle Scout and served a mission in Japan for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has been married to Kirsten Bales since 2002, with whom he has four children.
