Jon Heder
Jonathan Joseph Heder (born October 26, 1977) is an American actor. He is best known for his breakout role as the awkward nerd Napoleon in the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite (2004). He also voiced Napoleon in the Napoleon Dynamite animated series (2012).
Also recorded as Jonathan Joseph "Jon" Heder · Jonathan Joseph Heder
Jon Heder

Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Jon Heder
- Birth Name
- Jonathan Joseph Heder
- Born
- 26 October 1977
- Birthplace
- Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- Brigham Young University · South Salem High School
- Honours
- Eagle Scout
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Jonathan Joseph Heder (born October 26, 1977) is an American actor. He is best known for his breakout role as the awkward nerd Napoleon in the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite (2004). He also voiced Napoleon in the Napoleon Dynamite animated series (2012).
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Authority files
wikidata · Q392370 · wikipedia · Jon Heder
In this article
Biography
Biography
Heder has had starring roles in the comedy films The Benchwarmers (2006), School for Scoundrels (2006), Blades of Glory (2007), Mama's Boy (2007), When in Rome (2010), Reality (2014), and Ghost Team (2016). He also had starring roles in the drama films For Ellen (2012) and Walt Before Mickey (2015). Heder had starring voice roles in the animated film Surf's Up (2007) and its sequel, Surf's Up 2: WaveMania (2017), as well as Thelma the Unicorn (2024). He had a main voice role on the Disney XD animated series Pickle and Peanut (2015–2018).

Jon Heder and Efren Ramirez at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America · Jon Heder Efren Ramirez Uploaded by maybeMaybeMaybe
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Jon Heder • Birth Name — Jonathan Joseph Heder • Born — 26 October 1977 • Birthplace — Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S. • Occupation — Actor • Children — 4 • Years Active — 2000–present
Early life
Early life
Heder was born on October 26, 1977, in Fort Collins, Colorado, the son of Helen (née Brammer) and physician James Heder. He has an identical twin brother, Dan; an older sister, an older brother, and two younger brothers. He is of Swedish descent, and is a nephew by marriage of former NFL player Vai Sikahema. When he was about two years old, he and his parents moved to Salem, Oregon. He attended Walker Middle School in Salem and graduated from South Salem High School in 1996, where he was a member of the swim team and drama club. He is also an Eagle Scout, and served as a Scoutmaster in 2010. A 2002 alumnus of Brigham Young University, Heder worked on the short animated film Pet Shop. While attending BYU, he befriended Jared Hess and starred in Hess's short film Peluca, which was later expanded into Napoleon Dynamite.
Career
Career
• Illustration — Heder in 2011 The 2004 comedy feature Napoleon Dynamite, filmed in Preston, Idaho, earned $44.5 million. In June 2005, Heder received the MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Performance and Breakthrough Male Performance for the role. On October 8, 2005, he hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Ashlee Simpson. Heder and his film co-star Efren Ramirez filmed a series of commercials to promote the 2005 Utah State Fair, and reprised their roles in a self-parody sketch, "Napoleon Bonamite", on the animated series Robot Chicken. In 2005, Heder had a supporting role as a clerk in a new age bookstore in the romantic comedy Just like Heaven. In 2006, he appeared in the comedy film The Sasquatch Gang and starred with Rob Schneider and David Spade in producer Adam Sandler's The Benchwarmers (2006), a comedy about three men making up for lost chances by creating their own Little League baseball team. Also in 2006, Heder was the voice of the character Skull in the animated film Monster House and starred in the comedy School for Scoundrels, opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Jacinda Barrett. In 2007 he co-starred with Will Ferrell in Blades of Glory, in which, as in many of his films, he plays an absurd, slapstick caricature—this time, one of two rival figure skaters who must team up in a pairs competition. Heder's second turn at voice acting came in 2007 when he voiced Chicken Joe, a surfing chicken, in the animated film Surf's Up. His first foray into web television was the 2008 web series Woke Up Dead, which he produced and starred in. The live-action, sci-fi comedy thriller follows Drex, a USC student who wakes up underwater in the bathtub one morning and suspects he may be dead. Heder and his twin brother Dan star as villains in the fourth installment of the online martial arts comedy series Sockbaby. Heder's performance in When in Rome was praised by New York Times critic A. O. Scott: "Jon Heder as a goofy street magician is the funniest of the bunch." Heder voiced Napoleon Dynamite in the Fox Network animated series Napoleon Dynamite, which debuted in January 2012. In 2013, he appeared in the video for "On Top of the World" with numerous other Utah-based actors and musicians, and in 2014 he appeared in the video for the Chromeo song "Old 45s". In January 2017, Heder reprised his role as Chicken Joe in Surf's Up 2: WaveMania, the direct-to-video sequel to Surf's Up. In 2022, it was announced that Heder would star in the comedy film Plan B, alongside Tom Berenger and Shannon Elizabeth. In 2024, Heder reunited with Hess in Thelma the Unicorn, an animated film starring Brittany Howard.
Personal life
Personal life
Heder served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan, where he learned Japanese. He has been married to Kirsten Bales since 2002. They met at Brigham Young University. They are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and have four children. Heder is also a member of the Richmond Flying Mummies ownership group.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2004 — Mad TV — Percy — Season 10, Episode 4 • 2005 — Robot Chicken — Astronaut, Bully, Napoleon Bonamite — Voice, episode: "The Black Cherry" • Saturday Night Live — Himself — Host, episode: "Jon Heder/Ashlee Simpson" • 2008 — My Name Is Earl — Joel Malone — Episode: "Girl Earl" • 2010 — WWE Raw — Himself — 1 episode • 2011 — Talking Dead — Himself — Guest • 2012 — Napoleon Dynamite — Napoleon Dynamite — Main voice role • 2012 — Gulliver Quinn — Gulliver Quinn — Television film • The Aquabats! Super Show! — Eagle Claw — Episode: "Eagle Claw" • 2014 — How I Met Your Mother — Narshall — Episode: "Vesuvius" • Uncle Grandpa — Kev — Voice, episode: "Viewer Special" • Kroll Show — Himself — Episode: "Blisteritos Presents Dad Academy Graduation Congraduritos Red Carpet Viewing Party" • The Legend of Korra — Ryu, Ryu's Father — Voice, 2 episodes • Clarence — Randy — Voice, episode: "Rise 'n' Shine" • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — Napoleon Bonafrog — Voice, episode: "The Croaking" • Ben 10: Omniverse — Clyde Fife — Voice, episode: "Clyde Five" • 2015–2019 — Star vs. the Forces of Evil — Oskar Greason — Recurring voice role • 2015–2018 — Pickle and Peanut — Pickle — Main voice role • 2016 — Motive — Murray Schultz — Episode: "The Vanishing Policeman" • Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh — Mopo Store Manager — Voice, episode: "Best Frenemies" • 2017 — VeggieTales in the City — Avacajoe — Voice, episode: "Jimmy Makes a Comic Book" • All Hail King Julien — Tentacle — Voice, episode: "Raiders of the Lord Shark" • 2017–2018 — Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters — Don Robertson / Multi-Farious — Voice, 4 episodes • 2018 — Swedish Dicks — Mark — Episode: "Two Dicks Walk into a Bar" • 2022 — Studio C — Himself — Episode: "Special Guest Jon Heder" • 2026 — The Legend of Vox Machina — Lionel Gayheart — Voice
Web
Web
• Year — Title — Role • 2009 — Woke Up Dead — Drex Greene • 2010 — Fact Checkers Unit — Jon • 2011 — Dead Grandma — Host • 2014 — TableTop — Himself • 2017 — Critical Role — Himself / Lionel Gayheart • 2019 — Retro Replay — Himself
Video games
Video games
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2012 — Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two — Seth — Voice • 2014 — Armikrog — Vognaut — Voice
Music videos
Music videos
• Year — Title — Artist — Role • 2013 — "On Top of the World" — Imagine Dragons — Russian Cosmonaut • 2014 — "Old 45's" — Chromeo — Bar Patron • 2021 — "Back Pocket" — Brooke White — Cowboy/Band
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the headings Jonathan Joseph "Jon" Heder and Jonathan Joseph Heder. His recorded language was English. His recorded confession was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One child is recorded: Timothy Heder.
Identity
Identity
Jon Heder is recorded as having received Eagle Scout.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Saugus
Residences
Fort Collins.
Birth place
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2000 — The Wrong Brother — Audience Member — Short • Funky Town — Officer Hardy • 2003 — Peluca — Seth • 2004 — Napoleon Dynamite — Napoleon Dynamite — MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Sequence Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Dance Scene Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Hissy Fit Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Comedy Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Breakout Performance – Male Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Blush Scene Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Liar Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Love Scene Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Rumble • 2005 — Just like Heaven — Darryl — Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Actor: Comedy • Tankman Begins — Batman — Short • 2006 — The Benchwarmers — Clark Reedy — Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Comedy Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Chemistry Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Rumble • Monster House — Reginald "Skull" Skulinski — Voice • School for Scoundrels — Roger — Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Comedy • 2007 — The Sasquatch Gang — Lazer Tag Employee — Cameo • Blades of Glory — Jimmy MacElroy — Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Fight Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor: Comedy Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Chemistry Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Dance Scene • Surf's Up — Chicken Joe — Voice • Moving McAllister — Orlie • Mama's Boy — Jeffrey McMannus • 2008 — Sockbaby 4 — Manatu — Short • 2010 — When in Rome — Lance • 2011 — Life Happens — Wrong Number Caller — Cameo • Legend of Kung Fu Rabbit — Fu — Voice • 2012 — For Ellen — Fred Butler • Drained — Short, producer DC Independent Film Festival for Best Experimental/Animation • Peter at the End — Peter — Short • Pinocchio — Leo the Cat — Voice; 2018 American release • 2013 — Pororo, The Racing Adventure — Mango — Voice • Bud Selig Must Die — Tim — Short • Buddy Holly Is Alive and Well on Ganymede — Oliver Vale — Unreleased • 2014 — Reality — Denis • My Dad Is Scrooge — Raffi — Voice • 2015 — A Mouse Tale — Sir Jonas — Voice • Weepah Way for Now — Ernie • Walt Before Mickey — Roy Disney • Huevos: Little Rooster's Egg-cellent Adventure — Mickey Mallard — Voice, English dub • Christmas Eve — James — Also known as Stuck • 2016 — Bling — Wilmer — Voice • Ghost Team — Louis • The Tiger Hunter — Alex Womack • 2017 — Surf's Up 2: WaveMania — Chicken Joe — Voice, direct-to-video • 2018 — The Ladybug • When Jeff Tried to Save the World — Jeff • Unexpected Race — Henry • 2020 — Tremors: Shrieker Island — Jimmy — Direct-to-video • The Little Penguin Pororo's Dinosaur Island Adventure — Poby — Voice • 2021 — Funny Thing About Love — Charlie • The Little Penguin Pororo's Treasure Adventure — Poby — Voice • 2022 — Pinocchio: A True Story — Tybalt — Voice, English dub • 2023 — Tapawingo — Nate Skoog • 2024 — Plan B — Evan Ebert • Thelma the Unicorn — Reggie — Voice • Waltzing with Brando — Bernard Judge
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Jon Heder”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q392370: Jon Heder
Unverified · Wikidata
Citations
References
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reference work
Partially resolvedauthority record
Unverified
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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