{{Short description|American actor (born 1985)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Jake Choi | image = Jake Choi Cinequest 2026.jpg | caption = Jake Choi at the Cinequest Film Festival in 2026 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|01|14}} | birth_place = Queens, New York City, U.S. | other_names = | alma_mater = Yonsei University | occupation = Actor | years_active = 2010–present | known_for = ''Front Cover'', ''Single Parents'' | notable_works = }}
'''Jake Choi''' (born January 14, 1985) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Miggy on the ABC comedy ''Single Parents''. He previously starred in ''Front Cover'', an LGBTQ independent film. Choi has also appeared in ''Younger'', ''EastSiders'', and ''The Sun Is Also a Star''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://concreteplayground.com/sydney/event/golden-koala-chinese-film-festival-2017|title=Golden Koala Chinese Film Festival 2017|work=Concrete Playground|access-date=December 4, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/alannabennett/new-girl-single-parents-comedy-tv-recommendation|title="Single Parents" Is The Successor To "New Girl" We Deserve|work=BuzzFeed News|access-date=December 4, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thewrap.com/fall-tv-2018-13-stars-to-watch-photos/|title=Fall TV 2018: 13 Stars to Watch in New Series (Photos)|date=May 20, 2018|work=TheWrap|access-date=December 4, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Choi was born January 14, 1985,<ref>{{cite news|last=Rose|first=Mike|title=Today's famous birthdays list for January 14, 2023 includes celebrities Dave Grohl, Carl Weathers|work=The Plain Dealer|date=January 14, 2023|accessdate=January 14, 2023|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/01/todays-famous-birthdays-list-for-january-14-2023-includes-celebrities-dave-grohl-carl-weathers.html}}</ref> and raised in Elmhurst, Queens, New York. He is Korean American.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://alist-magazine.com/jake-choi-sees-silver-lining-on-the-silver-screen/|title=The Silver Lining: Jake Choi {{!}} ALIST|website=alist-magazine.com|language=en-US|access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> He was raised by his single mother, and came from "working-class immigrant roots."<ref name="Yam">{{cite news |last1=Yam |first1=Kimberly |title=Why Jake Choi Of 'The Sun Is Also A Star' Represents The Invisible Asian America |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jake-choi-the-sun-is-also-a-star_n_5cdf1acee4b00e035b8ff69e |accessdate=May 24, 2019 |newspaper=HuffPost |date=May 24, 2019}}</ref> During high school he played in the AAU.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=June 1, 2016|title="Asian men in media are so desexualized": Rising star Jake Choi fights the Hollywood odds aga...|language=en-US|work=Salon|url=https://www.salon.com/2016/06/01/asian_men_in_media_are_so_desexualized_rising_star_jake_choi_fights_the_hollywood_odds_against_asian_american_actors/|access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> He graduated from Newtown High School in 2004, where he played on the school varsity basketball team.<ref name=":2" />
After graduating, he moved to South Korea to play basketball at Yonsei University, and subsequently played in the Korean Basketball League.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.verygoodlight.com/2018/09/26/jake-choi/|title='Single Parents' star Jake Choi is the sexually fluid actor paving the way in Hollywood|date=September 26, 2018|work=Very Good Light|access-date=December 4, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> He returned to the States and pursued acting, taking classes at Lee Strasberg Institute.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
== Career == In 2015, Choi played his first lead role as Ryan in the independent film ''Front Cover'',<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.frontcoverthemovie.com/ |title=Front Cover |language=en-US |access-date=September 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405051903/https://www.frontcoverthemovie.com/ |archive-date=April 5, 2016}}</ref> an LGBTQ romantic comedy that featured two Asian male leads.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-capsule-front-cover-review-20160808-snap-story.html|title='Front Cover' is a handsome, if wobbly, gay rom-com|last=Goldstein|first=Gary|website=Los Angeles Times|date=August 11, 2016 |access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Front Cover|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/front_cover_2016/|language=en|access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/in-front-cover-a-gay-chinese-american-comes-to-terms-with-his-cultural-identity/2016/09/29/b4e8b07a-857e-11e6-a3ef-f35afb41797f_story.html|title=In 'Front Cover' a gay Chinese American comes to terms with his cultural identity|last=Merry|first=Stephanie|date=September 29, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> Choi's performance received positive critical reviews.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/05/movies/front-cover-review.html|title=Review: In 'Front Cover,' Struggling for Self-Acceptance|newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 4, 2016 |access-date=December 4, 2018|language=en|last1=Catsoulis |first1=Jeannette }}</ref> According to Sheri Linden at ''The Hollywood Reporter:'' "Chen's career-driven Ning defies easy labels, but ultimately the movie is about Ryan's transformation, one that Choi deftly conveys."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/front-cover-film-review-912998|title='Front Cover': Film Review|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=December 4, 2018|language=en}}</ref>
Choi has appeared in guest roles on several television shows since 2015, including ''Broad City'', ''Younger'', and ''Hawaii 5-0''.<ref name=":2" /> He played a recurring role on HBO's ''Succession'' in 2018.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/single-parents-kimrie-lewis-jake-choi-cast-abc-comedy-pilot-1202314089/|title='Single Parents': Kimrie Lewis & Jake Choi Cast In ABC Comedy Pilot|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=March 7, 2018|work=Deadline|access-date=December 4, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>
Choi gained wider prominence after he was cast as a series regular on the fall 2018 ABC show ''Single Parents'' in the role of Miggy, a 20-year-old single dad.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/the-wrap/article/Fall-TV-2018-13-Stars-to-Watch-From-Jay-12926996.php|title=Fall TV 2018: 13 Stars to Watch, From Jay Hernandez to Madeleine Mantock (Photos)|date=May 20, 2018|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=December 4, 2018|archive-date=December 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204102040/https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/the-wrap/article/Fall-TV-2018-13-Stars-to-Watch-From-Jay-12926996.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> The show was cancelled in May 2020 after two seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Liz Meriwether Calls 'Single Parents' & 'Bless This Mess' Cancellations Her "Red Wedding"; Adam F. Goldberg Says Goodbye To 'Schooled'|url=https://deadline.com/2020/05/liz-meriwether-single-parents-bless-this-mess-adam-f-goldberg-schooled-abc-cancelations-reactions-1202941266/|last=Ramos|first=Dino-Ray|date=May 22, 2020|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=May 22, 2020}}</ref>
As of January 2019, he has a recurring role on ''EastSiders'', a Netflix dark comedy.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/television/2019/1/08/jake-chois-coming-out-was-happy-accident|title=Jake Choi's Coming Out Was a Happy Accident|date=January 8, 2019|website=advocate.com|language=en|access-date=January 9, 2019}}</ref> The same year, he played Charles Bae, brother of Charles Melton's Daniel Bae, in the film adaptation of the YA novel ''The Sun Is Also a Star''.<ref name=":3" />
== Personal life == In 2018, Choi came out as sexually fluid.<ref name=":3" />
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class = "wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Director ! Notes |- |2010 |''Closed'' |Takeout Man |Alex Shin, Christopher Zou |Short film |- |rowspan="4"|2011 |''The Last Farewell'' |Jerry |Girard Tecson |Short film |- |''P-Word Pizza'' | |Yelena Sabel |Short film |- |''Psycho-Path'' |Luke |Geraldine Winters | |- |''Home'' |Restaurant Boss |Seimi Kim |Short film |- |rowspan="3"|2012 |''The Contained'' |Victim |Ryan Kramer |Short film |- |''The Learning Curve'' |Lenny |Scott Eriksson |Short film |- |''The Friend'' |Mark Cobain |Chris Bo Wen |Short film |- |rowspan="4"|2013 |''Walkie Buddies'' |Mike |Martin Rosete |Short film |- |''Benchmark'' |T |Vincent Lin |Short film |- |''Welcome Home'' |Liam |Patrick Chen |Short film |- |''Hypebeasts'' |Danny |Jess Dela Merced |Short film |- |2015 |''Front Cover'' |Ryan |Ray Yeung |Nominated – Golden Koala Award for Best Actor |- |rowspan="4"|2016 |''Wolves'' |Gil |Bart Freundlich | |- |''Money Monster'' |Korean News Anchor |Jodie Foster | |- |''A Bear Lands on Earth'' |Dave |Hiroo Takaoka, Rob Yang | |- |''Meet Ugly'' |Andrew |Yasmine Gomez |Short film |- |rowspan="2"|2019 |''Ms. Purple'' |Johnny |Justin Chon | |- |''The Sun Is Also a Star'' |Charles Bae |Ry Russo-Young | |- |rowspan="2"|2020 |''Keep Home Alive'' |Colton |Laura Murphy | |- |''Definition Please'' |Richie |Sujata Day | |- | 2021 | ''Lust Life Love'' | Daniel | Benjamin Feuer, Stephanie Sellars | |- |rowspan="2"|2022 | ''Please Baby Please'' | Lon | Amanda Kramer | |- |''R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned'' |Slim |Paul Leyden | |- |rowspan=2| 2023 | ''World's Best'' | Mr. Oh | Roshan Sethi | |- | ''The Mattachine Family'' | Jamie | Andy Vallentine | |- | 2025 | ''Idiotka'' | Jung-soo | Nastasya Popov | |}
===Television=== {| class = "wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |2011 |''Mysteries at the Museum'' |MIT Student |Episode: "Annabelle Doll, Bridge Collapse, Whale Attack" |- |2011–2012 |''CollegeHumor Originals'' |Person 4/Son Rearden |2 episodes |- |2012 |''Jest Originals'' |Jeremy Lin |Episode: "Jeremy Lin Picked Last in Pickup Game" |- |2012 |''School Spirits'' |Daniel Hooven |Episode: "Frat House Phantom" |- |2012 |''Steel Wulf: Cyber Ninja'' |Sniper |6 episodes |- |2013 |''Golden Boy'' |Gunman |Episode: "Pilot" |- |2013 |''Unforgettable'' |Waiter/Uncover Agent |Episode: "Day of the Jackie" |- |2014 |''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' |Ty Lee |Episode: "Gridiron Soldier" |- |2014 |''Gotham'' |Gunman #2 |Episode: "Arkham" |- |2015 |''Broad City'' |James |Episode: "Mochalatta Chills" |- |2015 |''Younger'' |Roman |3 episodes |- |2016 |''The Mysteries of Laura'' |Calvin Wu |Episode: "The Mystery of the End of Watch" |- |2016 |''Difficult People'' |Restaurant Host |Episode: "36 Candles" |- |2016 |''Lethal Weapon'' |Richie Kim |Episode: "Fashion Police" |- |2016 |''Next Big Thing'' |Beau |TV movie |- |2017 |''Hawaii Five-0'' |Lee Sung |Episode: "Ka 'Aelike" |- |2017 |''Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders'' |The Booker |Episode: "Pretty Like Me" |- |2018 |''F*ck Yes'' |{{TableTBA|N/A}} |Episode: "Toys" |- |2018 |''Succession'' |Tatsuya |2 episodes |- |2018–2020 |''Single Parents'' |Miggy Park |Main role |- |2018 |''Untitled Gamer Comedy Show'' |Beau Chang |Episode: "Pilot: Clan War" |- |2019 |''EastSiders'' |Clifford |4 episodes |- |2020 |''The Magicians'' |Shinjiro |Episode: "The Wrath of the Time Bees" |- |2021 |''American Housewife'' |J.D. |Recurring role, 5 episodes |- |2021 |''In Treatment'' |Notary |Episode: "Eladio - Week 3" |- |2021 |''American Horror Stories'' |Stan |Episode: "Ba'al" |}
===Music Video Appearances=== {| class = "wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Artist ! Reference |- |2016 |''Good'' |Loco, Gray Ft. ELO |<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOuzcBERbsc</ref> |}
== References == <!--- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags, these references will then appear here automatically --> {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|4007865|Jake Choi}} * [https://www.instagram.com/thejakechoi/?hl=en Jake Choi] on Instagram
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Choi, Jake}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent Category:American LGBTQ male actors Category:American queer male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:Male actors from Queens, New York Category:American male actors of Korean descent Category:Yonsei University alumni Category:People from Elmhurst, Queens Category:Sexually fluid men Category:Korean Basketball League players