Biography
Date of Birth
2 December 1978, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA
Birth Name
Justin Jacob Long
Nickname
The Mac Guy
Height
5' 10" (1.78 m)
Mini Biography
A likable, boyish-looking actor with thick eyebrows and a friendly smile, Justin Long is a native of Connecticut.
He was born and raised in Fairfield, the second of three sons. His father, R. James Long, is a Professor of Philosophy at Fairfield University, and his mother, Wendy Lesniak, is a former Broadway actress. He is of German, Sicilian, and Polish descent. He attended Fairfield Prep, and after graduating, he attended Vassar College. He first really showed his promise as a member of the comedy troupe "LaughingStock." His performing talent garnered favorable notices and he won roles in some independent productions, notably Galaxy Quest (1999). However, he refused to act full time until after he graduated, which he did in 2000. He first gained notice when he played the nervous teenager Warren Cheswick in the TV series Ed (2000). The following year, he starred in the offbeat horror film Jeepers Creepers (2001). The film, with its ghoulish ending, was a major hit on the horror circuit and raised his profile.
He played the boyfriend of Britney Spears in Crossroads (2002), and won a supporting role in the Vince Vaughn comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004). He had high-profile roles in some offbeat independent films, most notably Raising Genius (2004) and Waiting... (2005), and scored commercial success again when he played Lindsay Lohan's boyfriend in Herbie Fully Loaded (2005). In 2007, he appeared as second lead in the fourth "Die Hard" film, Live Free or Die Hard (2007).
He continues to win acclaim and fans. He scored commercial success again with a role in the Jennifer Aniston romantic comedy The Break-Up (2006). He is private about his personal life and does not make a point of attending nightclubs and parties. However, his personal life did get scrutiny in 2008, due to his romance with actress Drew Barrymore that year.
In addition to his film appearances, he is a spokesman for the Apple Mac computers, appearing with John Hodgman in its commercials.
Trivia
Attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.
After graduating from Fairfield Prep (Fairfield College Preparatory School), he attended Vassar College, where he was in the graduating class of 2000. He was a member of "LaughingStock," a sketch comedy group at Vassar. He appeared in two independent films, "Boygazm!" and "Time Writer," before appearing in his first commercial film, Galaxy Quest (1999).
His senior year at Fairfield Prep, Justin received the "Most likely not to be seen in class" superlative.
Has been noted for his resemblance to Tim Allen, who was his co-star in Galaxy Quest (1999).
His father, R. James Long, teaches philosophy at Fairfield University.
His mother Wendy - a stage actress - teaches at Roger Ludlowe Middle School, in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Has an older brother, Damien Long, and a younger brother, Christian Long, both of whom are actors.Has one dog named, Moose.
He was in the movie The Break-Up (2006), which premiered on his birthday.
Was ranked #25 on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' the actors list. (2008).
Receives a 15% discount, as a spokesperson for Apple Inc.
Was roommates with Jonah Hill after they met on the set of Campus Ladies (2006).
His favorite films are Back to the Future (1985), Way Out West (1937), Drugstore Cowboy (1989), Boogie Nights (1997), and Annie Hall (1977).
Is in commercials for the Macintosh computer, which are an attempt to show the Mac's superiority to Windows Vista [June 2008]
Portrays the "Mac" versus John Hodgman's "PC" in Apple's "Get a Mac" television ads. [May 2006]
Currently putting on a one-man show, entitled, "Justin Long: Dreams of a Douchebag." [March 2008]
Lives in New York City when he's not on location. [2004]
Justin is in a production of Samuel J. and K. at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. [July 2010]
His father is of three quarters German and one quarter Italian/Sicilian descent. His mother is of half Polish and half Italian/Sicilian ancestry.
Has stated that he has never seen his film, Accepted (2006).
Previously in a relationship with actress Amanda Seyfried from October 2013 to September 2015.
His brother, Damian, is an English teacher at Weston High School in Weston, Connecticut.
Endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential election of the United States.
Grandson of Jody Lesniak.
Trademarks:
His deep yet light-toned voice
The friendly smile
His boyish looks
Quotes
[ talking about his role in the TV series Ed (2000)] Warren Cheswick is sort of the extreme of how I felt in high school. He's awkward, but instead of accepting it, he tries to counter it, which makes him look even worse.
[interview with Complex magazine, August 2006] I have such thin skin, so I make a concerted effort to avoid reading anything about myself.
[interview with Fred Topel, 6/28/07] I get the worst of both worlds. I look like a geeky hacker, but I don't know anything about computers.
(2010) I love doing voiceover work. I started doing voiceover work when I had just dropped out of school, and the first few professional jobs I got were plays, but then I started making money doing voice-overs. This was in the late '90s, so a big voice I could do was that slacker guy. You know, "Do the Dew, man! Mountain Dew!" That really exaggerated stoner/skateboard guy... I did a bunch with that. "Hey, what's up, bro!" After that, I did voice-overs here and there, and then Mike Judge asked me to do some characters on King of the Hill (1997). I loved the opportunity to just transform my voice. I loved the idea of doing impressions and mimicking and playing around with the spectrum of your own voice. That's what I enjoy most about doing voice-overs. You can be completely unconscious with the rest of your body and just concentrate on doing something with your voice, creating an entire character with your voice.
[interview with Dorri Olds, October 2013] My little brother (Christian Long ) and I have always had a very similar sense of humor and sensibility. We have different strengths; he's good at focusing on the story. He's much smarter and good with structure. He's funnier, too. I don't know, I guess he's just better in general. I tend to write too much and look for too many jokes. He's good at centering me and I enjoy writing with him.
