Jon Heder

Jonathan Joseph Heder, better known as Jon Heder, is an American actor and comedian renowned for his role as the lead character of the comedy film Napoleon Dynamite (2004). Over his career, he has showcased his versatile acting abilities in multiple films including Just like Heaven (2005), The Benchwarmers (2006), Blades of Glory (2007), When in Rome (2010), Walt Before Mickey (2015), Ghost Team (2016), and The Unexpected Race (2018). Furthermore, Heder lent his voice for animated movies such as Monster House (2006), Surf's Up (2007), and Thelma the Unicorn (2024), along with the Napoleon Dynamite (2012) animated series. Heder's work includes comedic performances, dramatic roles, voiceovers, and personal projects. He worked with Jared Hess on the short animated film Peluca, which later expanded into Napoleon Dynamite. Heder's career highlight, Napoleon Dynamite, shot in Preston, Idaho, grossed $44.5 million. For this role, he was awarded the MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Performance and Breakthrough Male Performance in June 2005. In 2013, Heder appeared in the music video for On Top of the World and in 2014, for the Chromeo song Old 45s. In 2022, it was announced that Heder would star in the comedy film Plan B. In 2024, Heder reunited with Hess in Thelma the Unicorn, an animated film starring Brittany Howard.