Actor John Krasinski shot to fame as Jim Halpert, the amiable prankster from the American version of TV's The Office. Krasinski grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and graduated from Rhode Island's Brown University (2002), where he studied playwriting. He began his acting career in New York, where he first found work in TV commercials. In Hollywood he appeared in small roles on TV and in movies, then landed the part of Halpert in 2004. Halpert's unrequited love for co-worker Pam (Jenna Fischer) became the dominant storyline, and Krasinski's turn as a rogue-ish boy-next-door found an adoring audience. By the end of 2005 he emerged as one of the central characters of The Office, and his career was off and running. As a star player Krasinski played opposite Mandy Moore in the 2007 comedy License to Wed (with Robin Williams), co-starred in the George Clooney-directed comedy Leatherheads (2007) and had the lead in Away We Go (2009). Krasinski's other films include Jarhead (2005, starring Jake Gyllenhaal) and Dreamgirls (2006, starring Jennifer Hudson).
Krasinski and fellow Office player/writer B.J. Novak grew up together in Newton, coincidentally ending up on the same TV show as adult performers.
Career Highlights: Away We Go, Leatherheads, Brief Interviews With Hideous Men
First Major Screen Credit: The Office: Season 01 (2005)
Biography
Best known to small-screen devotees as sales representative Jim Halpert, the eternally patient, undeclared admirer of Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) on Greg Daniels' hit NBC sitcom/mockumentary The Office, Massachusetts native John Krasinski graduated from Rhode Island's Brown University in 2001 as an honors playwright, but quickly segued into acting. Within three years launched himself into films, predominantly with bit roles and supporting parts, but consistently echoing the promise that he would soon find himself among number-one box-office draws and Tinseltown heartthrobs. By 2006, in fact, People Magazine featured Krasinski in its "Sexiest Men" issue, a testament to the actor's rapidly growing recognition in the eyes of the public.
Born October 20, 1979, Krasinski grew up and attended high school in Newton, an affluent western suburb of Boston. After receiving his degree from Brown, Krasinski studied at the National Theater Institute. 2004 marked the actor's "breakthrough year," with fleeting appearances in no less than four A-list productions. That year, he had bit parts as Ben in the American Zoetrope film Kinsey, a biopic of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, directed by Bill Condon and starring Liam Neeson; Bob Flynn in Matt Mulhern's finely wrought (and underappreciated) alcoholism drama Duane Hopwood starring David Schwimmer; Messenger #3 in Tim Story's urban comedy Taxi, with Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon; and the British CG-animated fantasy Doogal (aka, The Magic Roundabout), which didn't find U.S. release until early 2006. The first two of these films were widely lauded sleepers, the last two critically despised (though they failed to hurt Krasinski's career, given the low profile of his involvement).
The Office followed in 2005. Adapted by Daniels from a hit 2001 British series of the same title, the program -- a ratings bonanza on NBC -- stars Daily Show vet Steve Carell as Michael Scott, the tactless, vain, pushy, and loudmouthed (yet well-meaning) director of the Dunder-Mifflin paper company. While Carell's off-the-wall antics spiked the series with a never-ending source of hilarity, the gradually developing relationship between Krasinski's Jim and Fischer's Pam (two straight roles) brought the series weight and solicited interest from those viewers seeking deeper and more meaningful character development. Perhaps sensing this, Daniels opted to stretch their courtship at a snail's pace over the course of several seasons.
That same year, Krasinski signed on for a supporting role in the madcap 2007 comedy Smiley Face, with Anna Faris as a dim-bulb actress who finds it difficult to cope after she consumes a batch of marijuana-laden brownies concocted by her roommate. Krasinski also voiced Sir Lancelot in Shrek the Third, alongside such screen giants as John Cleese and Julie Andrews. Krasinski played pop phenom Mandy Moore's love interest in the 2007 License to Wed, also starring Robin Williams and followed that with the role of Carter Rutherford in the long-gestating football drama-period romance Leatherheads, directed by George Clooney. In 2009, he starred with Maya Rudolph in the Sam Mendes romantic comedy Away We Go. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
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]
Beginning in March 2006, Krasinski narrated a series of commercials for Ask.com. He has also appeared in commercials for Apple TV, BlackBerry Storm[20] 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 August 2009 he announced his engagement to Emily Blunt. He previously dated actress Rashida Jones. He will be getting married in June 2010.
