
Nick Offerman
Born 1970 · Age 55
American actor, comedian, carpenter, woodworker, and writer best known for Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation; also a voice actor, author, producer and host.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Joliet, Illinois
Nicholas David Offerman born to Cathy (nurse) and Ric Offerman (social studies teacher). Raised in Minooka, Illinois.
Graduated high school (approx.) / Attended Minooka Community High School
Grew up in Minooka and attended Minooka Community High School (exact graduation year not given; estimated based on birth year).
Received BFA from University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign
Completed Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (theatre) at UIUC.
Co-founded Defiant Theatre (Chicago)
Co-founded the Chicago theatre company Defiant Theatre with fellow students while at university.
Began professional acting career (years active recorded from 1994)
Listed in biographies as active from 1994 — began working professionally in theatre and small screen roles.
Moved to Chicago and joined major theatre companies (mid-1990s)
Lived in Chicago and worked with Steppenwolf, Goodman, and Wisdom Bridge; trained in carpentry and worked as fight choreographer/master carpenter at Steppenwolf.
Film: Going All the Way (small film role)
Early credited film appearance (IMDb filmography).
Film cameo: City of Angels
Appeared briefly on the big screen as a construction worker in City of Angels.
Met Megan Mullally while co-starring in The Berlin Circle
Met future wife Megan Mullally during a summer 2000 production with the Evidence Room Theatre Company.
Founded Offerman Woodshop
Established Offerman Woodshop in Los Angeles; over time ran a crew of six craftsmen and women (shop operating since 2001).
Recurring TV role: George Lopez (Randy McGee)
Played Randy on George Lopez (most prominent TV role prior to Parks and Recreation).
Married Megan Mullally
Married actress Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) on September 20, 2003.
Film role: November
Appeared in the film November (credited role).
Multiple 2005 film roles (Cursed, Miss Congeniality 2, Sin City)
Appeared in several studio films in 2005, expanding film presence.
Film: Wristcutters: A Love Story
Appeared as a police-cop attempt-to-arrest character in Wristcutters.
Co-starred in American Body Shop (Comedy Central)
Co-starred in the Comedy Central series American Body Shop (10 episodes).
Cast as Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation (series regular)
Offered and accepted the series regular role of Ron Swanson on NBC's Parks and Recreation; show ran 2009–2015.
Major TV role: Parks and Recreation launch and cultural breakout
Role as Ron Swanson made him widely known; Slate called him 'Parks and Recreation's secret weapon.' (Contextual milestone placed with start year).
Writers Guild nomination (as part of Parks creative team)
Parks and Recreation (writing team) received Writers Guild of America Awards nomination (2013 awards referencing earlier seasons); Offerman associated with the show during this era.
TCA Awards nomination for Parks and Recreation
Television Critics Association nominated him for Individual Achievement in Comedy in 2010 (nominated).
Critics' Choice Television Awards nomination (Best Supporting Actor, Comedy)
Nominated for Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Parks and Recreation).
Won TCA Award (Individual Achievement in Comedy)
Tied with Ty Burrell for Individual Achievement in Comedy for Parks and Recreation (TCA awards 2011).
Film & TV: 21 Jump Street, Somebody Up There Likes Me (producer/star), Gravity Falls
Appeared as Deputy Chief Hardy in 21 Jump Street, starred and produced Somebody Up There Likes Me, began voice role in Gravity Falls as Agent Powers (2012–2016).
Produced Somebody Up There Likes Me
Starred in and produced the independent film Somebody Up There Likes Me (shot in Austin, TX, 2012).
Appeared on last-week topical shows and comedic series (Childrens Hospital, Conan, Drunk History)
Featured in Childrens Hospital (Adult Swim), Drunk History (Comedy Central, 'Boston' episode), and appeared on Conan; established as a recurring TV comedy presence.
Film roles: The Kings of Summer, We're the Millers, The Lego Movie (voice)
Appeared in The Kings of Summer and We're the Millers and voiced MetalBeard in The Lego Movie.
Published Paddle Your Own Canoe (first book)
Released Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living (2013); also narrated the audiobook.
Voice role: Axe Cop animated series premiered (Axe Cop)
Axe Cop animated series premiered July 27, 2013; Offerman voiced Axe Cop and was executive producer on the show.
Narrator role: The Gunfighter (short film)
Narrator role in the short The Gunfighter where actors hear the narrator and break the fourth wall (2014).
Voice role: The Lego Movie continued (MetalBeard) and other voice work
Continued voice acting in high-profile animated features and TV work (The Lego Movie franchise 2014–2019).
Off-Broadway: Annapurna (co-star with Megan Mullally)
Starred with wife Megan Mullally in the off-Broadway one-act play Annapurna as an estranged couple reunited.
Reprised Deputy Chief Hardy in 22 Jump Street (2014)
Returned as Deputy Chief Hardy in the 2014 sequel to 21 Jump Street.
Voice work begins on Gravity Falls (Agent Powers)
Voiced Agent Powers on Disney's Gravity Falls (2014–2016 run).
Starred in Fargo season 2 (Karl Weathers)
Played Karl Weathers in the second season of FX's Fargo; received a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination for this role.
Film roles: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, The Founder (preparatory years)
Appeared in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) and soon would portray Dick McDonald in The Founder (2016).
Voice: Hotel Transylvania 2 (Grandpa Mike)
Voiced Grandpa Mike (with wife Megan Mullally as Grandma Linda) in Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015).
Stage: A Confederacy of Dunces (Ignatius J. Reilly)
Starred as Ignatius J. Reilly in the Huntington Theatre Company theatrical adaptation (2015).
Published Gumption
Released Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America's Gutsiest Troublemakers (May 26, 2015); narrated audiobook as well.
Voice roles: Ice Age: Collision Course and Sing franchise begin
Provided voice work in Ice Age: Collision Course (2016) and began involvement with the Sing film franchise (2016–present).
Published Good Clean Fun
Released Good Clean Fun: Misadventures in Sawdust at Offerman Woodshop (October 18, 2016); narrated audiobook.
Recorded Lagavulin 'Offerman Edition' whisky collaborations (later 2019 & 2021)
Longtime Lagavulin enthusiast; Lagavulin released 'Offerman Edition' whiskies (2019 and 2021) — cultural/brand collaboration tied to his persona (not a founding business documented here).
Public comments on politics (2016 election)
Publicly described Donald Trump as racist/sexist in 2016 while also mocking Hillary Clinton's email controversy — indicative of his public political engagement.
Film: The Founder (portrayed Dick McDonald)
Portrayed Dick McDonald, one of McDonald's founders, in The Founder (2016).
Executive produced and starred in The House of Tomorrow
Executive produced and starred in the independent film The House of Tomorrow (2017).
Launched Full Bush Tour (28 shows)
Launched the Full Bush Tour across the U.S. and Canada consisting of 28 shows.
Began co-hosting NBC's Making It with Amy Poehler
Co-hosted the reality-competition series Making It (2018–2021) alongside Amy Poehler.
Multiple nominations for Making It as a host (Primetime Emmys across 2019–2022)
Co-hosting team (Offerman & Poehler) received three Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program (2019, 2020, 2022 listings).
Making It: Primetime Emmy nomination (Outstanding Host)
Receiving a Primetime Emmy nomination (with Amy Poehler) for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program (first of three nominations for the duo).
Started podcast 'In Bed with Nick and Megan'
Launched the podcast with wife Megan Mullally in 2019 discussing personal life and interviewing guests.
Launched All Rise Tour (solo music & comedy)
All Rise Tour kicked off July 20, 2019 in Thackerville and continued across major cities; Creative Independent notes a 37-city solo music/comedy tour in 2019.
Hosted Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics (Netflix)
Hosted the documentary Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics (2020).
Publicly supported Elizabeth Warren in 2020 primary
Posted an "I Voted" photo with caption "#VoteWarren" during the 2020 Democratic primaries.
Expressed support for Charles Booker
Tweeted support for Democratic Senate candidate Charles Booker in Kentucky on June 12, 2020.
Published Where the Deer and the Antelope Play
Released Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside (Oct 12, 2021); narrated the audiobook.
Appeared in Pam & Tommy (FX on Hulu)
Acted in the limited series Pam & Tommy (2022).
Astra Creative Arts TV Awards: Best Guest Actor win (The Last of Us)
Won the Astra Creative Arts TV Award for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series for The Last of Us in 2023.
Won Independent Spirit Award (Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series)
Won the Independent Spirit Award in 2023 for his performance in The Last of Us.
Won Primetime Emmy Award (Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series)
Won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for The Last of Us (2023 Creative Arts/Primetime Emmys listing).
Guest role on HBO's The Last of Us (episode: 'Long, Long Time')
Appeared in episode 3 of The Last of Us as Bill; performance received critical acclaim and Emmy buzz.
Announced casting in Sovereign (crime thriller) with Jacob Tremblay & Dennis Quaid
Berlin festival report: Nick Offerman to star in the crime thriller Sovereign; later acquired by Briarcliff Entertainment.
Interview: Denied linking Presidential role in Civil War to Donald Trump
In press around Civil War (2024), denied that his portrayal of POTUS was inspired by Donald Trump and said politics did not influence the film.
Film role: Civil War (played President of the United States)
Played the President of the United States in Alex Garland's Civil War (film credited 2024).
Public interview: described himself as 'progressive' and 'conservative in many ways'
GQ April 2024 interview: nuanced political self-description and view that political semantics have lost meaning.
Endorsed Kamala Harris with parody song 'Proud to Be a Kamala Man'
Released a parody of 'God Bless the USA' endorsing Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election.
Show Announcer: 97th Academy Awards
Served as the show announcer for the 97th Academy Awards (2025).
Appeared in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Credited appearance in the 2025 Mission: Impossible installment (listed in IMDb/Wikipedia updates).
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