Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Early life

Morgan was born in Seattle, Washington, to Sandy Thomas and Richard Dean Morgan.

Morgan grew up in Kirkland, Washington, and attended Ben Franklin Elementary School, where he participated in his first theatre experience. He also attended Rose Hill Junior High.

In 1984, Morgan graduated from Lake Washington High School, where he was captain of the basketball team.

Morgan briefly attended Skagit Valley College to pursue a career in basketball. Following a leg injury that ended his hope of becoming a professional player, he left school to pursue his other interests such as painting and writing.

While living in Seattle, Morgan sold paintings and completed his first acting roles, Uncaged (1991) and To Cross the Rubicon (1991), the latter with his roommate, actor Billy Burke.

Several years later, while helping a friend move from Seattle to Los Angeles, intending only to stay for a weekend, he decided to live there permanently to pursue acting: "I fell into acting, found out I had a little talent, and pursued it."

Career

Starting with Uncaged (1991), Morgan has appeared in over 25 feature films. However, the bulk of his work has been in television. He was a major character in the 1996–97 television series The Burning Zone, appearing in eleven of its nineteen episodes.

In 2005 and 2006, Morgan simultaneously appeared in three television series: in the CW series Supernatural as John Winchester, in a recurring role on ABC's Grey's Anatomy as heart transplant patient Denny Duquette, and as Judah Botwin in two episodes of the Showtime series Weeds. He has also guest-starred in a number of television series, including ER, JAG, Walker, Texas Ranger, Angel, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Sliders, The O.C. and Monk. In 2007, Morgan was cast in a proposed project by Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes. The series, tentatively titled "Correspondents", was to have started production in summer 2007. ABC instead picked up a spin-off of Grey's Anatomy, called Private Practice, that was also created by Rhimes. As a result, "Correspondents" was shelved.

In 2007, Morgan starred in the film The Accidental Husband, which finished filming in March 2007 and was released on DVD in 2009.

Jeffrey starred in the thriller The Resident in 2011. He also appeared in the drama film Days of Wrath in 2008.

In 2009, Morgan portrayed The Comedian, a cigar-chomping antihero in Watchmen, based on Alan Moore's graphic novel. In the same year, Morgan appeared in Taking Woodstock, and played Clay in a comic book film adaptation of The Losers. He also played Jeb Turnbull in the DC comic book film Jonah Hex.

Morgan appeared in the crime thriller Texas Killing Fields as a homicide detective in 2011. The following year, Morgan starred in the television drama series Magic City, which centered on mob life in 1950s Miami. The same year, Morgan starred in the horror-thriller The Possession, and had a supporting role in the war film Red Dawn.

In 2014, Morgan played Charlie Peters, the owner of the Cake House, in the season finale of Shameless.

In November 2014, Morgan was cast as Joe DiMaggio opposite Kelli Garner as Marilyn Monroe in The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe, a Lifetime four-hour miniseries based on J. Randy Taraborrelli's book of the same name.

In 2015, Morgan portrayed Deaf Smith in Texas Rising, a five-part mini-series which aired on the History Channel. Also in 2015, Morgan became a regular cast member for season 2 of the CBS sci-fi drama Extant. He appeared in an uncredited role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as Bruce Wayne's father, Thomas Wayne.

In 2015, Morgan took on the role of freelance investigator Jason Crouse, opposite Julianna Margulies, in the CBS TV series The Good Wife, until that series concluded in the spring of 2016. That year Morgan began his most noted role to date, as Negan on the AMC TV series The Walking Dead. He made his first appearance in the sixth-season finale on April 3, 2016, serving as the primary antagonist of the seventh and eighth seasons and later an anti-hero since the ninth season. He later lent his voice to the character when he was added as DLC in the fighting game Tekken 7. In 2015, he had a lead role in Jonás Cuarón's thriller film Desierto.

On May 28, 2017, Morgan drove the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Pace Car to lead the starting field of the 101st Indianapolis 500. In September, Morgan appeared in a commercial for the online game Evony.

Morgan was 5th billed in the Dwayne Johnson film Rampage, released in April 2018.

Morgan reprised his role as John Winchester in the thirteenth episode of the fourteenth season of Supernatural, which was also the 300th episode of the series. It aired on February 7, 2019.

In August 2022, Morgan was cast in the fourth season of The Boys; while initially reported to be a recurring role, on the season's release in 2024, Morgan was credited as a main cast member, portraying "Joe Kessler", a hallucination/alter ego of Billy Butcher.

In 2025, Morgan hosted the reality show Destination X.

Personal life

From 1992 to 2003, Morgan was married to actress Anya Longwell.

In 2007, Morgan was briefly engaged to his former Weeds co-star Mary-Louise Parker; their engagement ended in April 2008.

In 2009, actress and producer Sherrie Rose told Us Weekly that she had a son with Morgan, born circa 2004–2005. Morgan has not confirmed this.

In 2009, Morgan started a relationship with actress Hilarie Burton after being set up on a blind date through his Supernatural co-star Jensen Ackles and Ackles's wife, Danneel, with whom Burton co-starred on One Tree Hill. The couple's son was born on March 14, 2010. On February 16, 2018, eight years later, Morgan and Burton's daughter was born .

On October 5, 2019, Morgan and Burton were married, although many had erroneously speculated they had already been married since 2014. The wedding was officiated by Ackles.

Morgan and Burton have made their home in Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York, on a 100 acre working farm in the Hudson Valley with cows, ducks, chickens, alpacas, donkeys, and an emu.

Since 2014, Morgan and Burton have been co-owners (along with Morgan's friend, actor Paul Rudd) of Samuel's Sweet Shop, a Rhinebeck candy store they saved from being closed after the previous owner, a friend of theirs, died suddenly.

In 2019, Morgan purchased an apartment in the NoHo neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

References

References

1. (August 16, 2021). "Horoscope". TV Guide.
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3. "Jeffrey Dean Morgan {{!}} Keynote Speaker {{!}} AAE Speakers Bureau".
4. (July 31, 2017). "'The Walking Dead': 20 Things You Didn't Know About Jeffery Dean Morgan".
5. "Lake Washington High School, Kirkland (WA) Basketball Players - RealGM".
6. "Jeffrey Dean Morgan Movies and Shows - Apple TV".
7. "Jeffrey Dean Morgan .Net". Jdmorgan.net.
8. (July 26, 2007). "Watchmen Cast Confirmed!". Superhero Hype!.
9. (February 17, 2010). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan Joins Sam Worthington in The Fields". Dreadcentral.com.
10. (November 25, 2014). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan Set as 'Marilyn's' Joe DiMaggio for Lifetime (Exclusive)". hollywoodreporter.com.
11. [https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/walking-dead-negan-jeffrey-dean-morgan-1201637287 ‘Walking Dead’: Negan to Be Played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan] Variety
12. (January 10, 2013). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan to Star in Jonas Cuaron's 'Desierto' (Exclusive)". hollywoodreporter.com.
13. Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (May 25, 2017). "Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan to Drive Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Pace Car at 101st Indianapolis 500".
14. Petski, Denise. (December 12, 2018). "'Supernatural': Jeffrey Dean Morgan To Reprise John Winchester Role In Upcoming Episode". Deadline.
15. Hatchett, Keisha. (August 25, 2022). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan Joins The Boys Season 4 in a Recurring Role".
16. (July 4, 2024). "[[Dirty Business (The Boys)".
17. Ross, Dalton. (May 27, 2025). "'Destination X' host Jeffrey Dean Morgan got pissed off at the cast".
18. "Nevada Marriage Index, 1956–2005", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VVRP-JDM : accessed 2016-02-18, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Anya Longwell, May 30, 1992; from "Nevada, Marriage Index, 1956–2005", database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2007); citing Clark, Nevada, United States, County Book 618, p. C358929, archive film number 924712, Nevada State Health Division, Carson City, and Clark County Marriage Bureau, Las Vegas.
19. Rush, George. (February 14, 2008). "Marcus Parker and Jeffrey Dean Morgan Engaged". The New York Daily News.
20. (April 8, 2008). "Marcus Parker, Fiancé Break Off Engagement". [[People (magazine).
21. (March 27, 2009). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan learns he has a son".
22. (May 6, 2010). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Hilarie Burton Welcome Baby". Us Weekly.
23. Malkin, Marc. (November 15, 2011). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton Talk Baby Son Gus, Parenthood: "It's Been Spectacular"". E!Online.
24. (March 6, 2018). "Hilarie Burton on Instagram: "As some of you know, @jeffreydeanmorgan is off in Europe getting ready to do some big conventions. And he's self aware enough to know his..."".
25. Highfill, Samantha. (October 7, 2019). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton tie the knot in 'intimate ceremony'".
26. (March 5, 2018). "Who is Jeffrey Dean Morgan married to?".
27. Nepales, Ruben V.. (July 23, 2015). "Scruffy, sexy, funny Jeffrey".
28. Chen, Joyce. (May 1, 2020). "Hilarie Burton and Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Wedding Was a "Big Thank You" to Loved Ones".
29. Rorke, Robert. (July 22, 2015). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan is on TV's Most Wanted List". New York Post.
30. Fisher, Kendall. (October 24, 2016). "Friendly Reminder: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Co-owns a Candy Shop with Paul Rudd". E!Online.
31. Lippe-Mcgraw, Jordi. (April 4, 2019). "'Walking Dead' Star Jeffrey Dean Morgan Buys $2.85 Million Manhattan Apartment".
32. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (August 12, 2010). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan In 'The Courier'".
33. Harvey, Dennis. (March 13, 2020). "'The Postcard Killings': Film Review".
34. Melzer, James. (December 27, 2024). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan Didn't Want The Lead Role in His New Horror Comedy, and for Good Reason".
35. (July 6, 2015). "Jeffrey Dean Morgan Joins 'The Good Wife' For Season 7".