Comedian, actor, writer, producer, and rapper James Harvey “Jamie” Kennedy was born on May 25, 1970, in the small town of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, USA. His zodiac sign is Gemini, and he is Catholic with Irish roots.
Appearance
- Height: 1.84 m (6 ft)
- Weight: 80 kg (176 lbs)
1. Biography of the Star
Jamie is the youngest of six children in the Kennedy family, raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Despite his famous last name, he has no connection to either the relatives of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy or Oscar nominee George Kennedy. His father worked as a train operator, and his mother was a legal assistant, both practicing Catholics. At the age of 15, Jamie became interested in an acting career. After graduating from Monsignor Bonner High School in 1988, he enrolled in Delaware County Community College, though he was later expelled.
Kennedy landed his first small role at 19 in the Oscar-winning drama Dead Poets Society (1989). His next on-screen appearance was in 1994 with the TV series Unhappily Ever After. Realizing there were limited opportunities in Pennsylvania, Jamie moved to Los Angeles. During his early years there, he took on various jobs, including telemarketing, waiting tables at Red Lobster, and performing voice impressions in clubs. His talent soon caught attention. Kennedy created a fictional character, “PoopyPower,” to pique the interest of agents and managers. His early performances were later compiled into a collection.
In 2003, Jamie co-wrote an autobiography with Ellen Rapaport, titled Wannabe: A Hollywood Experiment, which details the challenges he faced in the entertainment industry. His rise to fame was tough—he had to overcome poverty, recover from accidents, and deal with stress. For years, he couldn’t find an agent and worked as an “extra” actor with no chance of breaking into stardom.
Kennedy’s breakthrough came in the late 1990s when he starred in the Scream trilogy. Today, Jamie is a well-recognized Hollywood comedian, attracting attention from directors. He also runs his own production company, Wannabe Producers, and co-launched shows such as The Starlet, Blowin’ Up, and Living with Fran. His project, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, aired from 2002 to 2004 on The WB Television Network, but was canceled due to declining ratings. In 2012-2013, he hosted Oh Sit! on CW, which was also taken off air for similar reasons.
Kennedy has also shown his skills as a writer. He co-wrote the screenplay for Malibu’s Most Wanted (2003) with Stu Stone and played a role in the film. In 2006, Jamie released a hip-hop album titled Blowin’ Up.
2. Personal Life of the Actor
Jamie has quite the reputation as a ladies’ man. He had a short romance with socialite and model Paris Hilton and has dated actresses Mena Suvari and Heidi Mueller. From March 2009 to March 2010, Kennedy was in a relationship with Jennifer Love Hewitt, whom he met on the set of the TV series Ghost Whisperer. At the time, Jennifer had a boyfriend, but she broke up with him to date Jamie. Rumors about their potential wedding circulated, but the couple eventually split, with no clear reason given to the press.
Some reports, like one from Spletnik.ru, suggested that Kennedy was unfaithful to Hewitt, cheating on her with his ex-girlfriend Shannon Funk, which allegedly led to their breakup. As of now, Jamie is not married and has no children. He spends most of his time on his career and performing as a comedian.
3. What Jamie Kennedy Is Doing Now
Jamie currently runs his production company, Jamie Kennedy Entertainment. He hosts the latest season of the stand-up show Coming to the Stage, aired on Pluto TV. His main goal is to support young talent. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy adapted the format of his show to use video chats, reflecting the new reality of the entertainment industry.
He also participates in campaigns aimed at promoting tourism in California, including filming commercials with former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Before the pandemic, Jamie frequently toured, but the virus forced him to adjust his plans. Nowadays, he focuses more on podcasts and fun Zoom sessions.
Several projects featuring Jamie are slated for release in 2020, including the comedy Crabs in a Bucket, where Kennedy plays a lead role, and a stand-up special titled Jamie Kennedy: Stoopid Smart.
4. Interesting Facts About the Celebrity
Jamie Kennedy’s life and career are filled with surprising details that many fans might not know:
- He attended a Catholic school, where nuns often mistreated him.
- For his role in the comedy Unwashed (2006), Jamie didn’t shower for an entire month.
- Eddie Murphy is his role model.
- Jamie won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor for his role in Son of the Mask.
- He had to go through numerous auditions to land his role in Scream, and his selection was championed by director Wes Craven.
- Jamie’s voice is featured in the video game ESPN NFL 2K5.
- He embarrassed himself while hosting the 2007 Electronic Entertainment Expo when he appeared drunk and insulted attendees.
- His First Night 2013 New Year’s Eve show, aired on December 31, 2012, was deemed one of the worst TV programs ever by critics.
5. Filmography
Kennedy’s career breakthrough came with his role in the American slasher Scream (1996) and its sequels. He played Randy Meeks, a video store clerk and horror film expert, a standout and memorable character. Kennedy also appeared in the romantic drama Romeo + Juliet (1996) with Leonardo DiCaprio. In 2007, Jamie appeared in the popular TV series Criminal Minds, playing a vicious serial killer.
One of his best-known roles is in the series Ghost Whisperer (2008-2010), where he played Eli James, a doctor and university professor who could communicate with spirits. Jamie also starred in the 5th and 6th installments of the sci-fi thriller Tremors.
Jamie Kennedy on Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamieKennedy