JON VOIGHT

Jon Voight: A Storied Career in Hollywood

Jon Voight, born Jonathan Vincent Voight on December 29, 1938, in Yonkers, New York, is an esteemed American actor whose career has spanned over six decades. Renowned for his compelling performances and versatility, Voight has left an indelible mark on the film industry.

Early Life and Education

Raised in a family with artistic inclinations—his father, Elmer Voight, was a professional golfer, and his brother, Chip Taylor, is a noted singer-songwriter—Voight developed an early interest in acting. He attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1960. Further honing his craft, he studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City under Sanford Meisner.

Breakthrough and Acclaim

Voight's breakthrough came with his portrayal of Joe Buck, a naive Texan hustler, in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy. The film, which remains the only X-rated movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, earned Voight an Oscar nomination and established him as a leading actor in Hollywood. His subsequent role as a paraplegic Vietnam War veteran in Coming Home (1978) won him the Academy Award for Best Actor, further cementing his status in the industry.

Diverse Roles and Continued Success

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Voight showcased his range in various films, including Deliverance (1972), The Champ (1979), and Runaway Train (1985), for which he received another Oscar nomination. In the 1990s and 2000s, he appeared in blockbuster films such as Mission: Impossible (1996), Enemy of the State (1998), and Pearl Harbor (2001). His role as Howard Cosell in Ali (2001) earned him critical acclaim and another Oscar nomination.

Television and Recent Work

Voight's television career includes notable performances as Nazi officer Jürgen Stroop in Uprising (2001) and as Pope John Paul II in the 2005 miniseries. From 2013 to 2020, he starred as Mickey Donovan in the Showtime series Ray Donovan, a role that garnered him a Golden Globe Award and multiple Emmy nominations. In 2024, he portrayed a key role in the biographical drama Reagan, depicting the life of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

Personal Life

Voight has been married twice: first to actress Lauri Peters in 1962 (divorced in 1967), and later to actress Marcheline Bertrand in 1971, with whom he had two children—actors James Haven and Angelina Jolie. The couple divorced in 1980. Voight has been known for his outspoken political views and has been involved in various initiatives to support the American film industry.

Legacy

With a career that has seen both critical acclaim and controversy, Jon Voight remains a significant figure in Hollywood. His contributions to film and television continue to influence and inspire new generations of actors and filmmakers.