{{Short description|American comedian and actor (born 1989)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Use American English|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox person | name = James Austin Johnson | image = James Austin Johnson.jpg | alt = James Austin Johnson smiling at the camera. | caption = Johnson in 2022 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|07|19}} | birth_place = Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | occupation = {{Hlist|Comedian|actor}} | alma_mater = Trevecca Nazarene University (BA) | years_active = 1990s–present | spouse = Rebekah Lain | children = 1<ref>{{cite web| url=https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/saturday-night-live-star-welcomes-new-baby-with-adorable-instagram-post/| first=Russ| last=Burlingame| title=Saturday Night Live Star Welcomes New Baby with Adorable Instagram Post| date=January 10, 2022| website=ComicBook.com}}</ref> | website = {{URL|jamesaustinjohnson.com}} }}
'''James Austin Johnson''' (born July 19, 1989),<ref>{{cite web |last=Rodgers |first=D. Patrick |date=July 25, 2022 |title=James Austin Johnson on Old Nashville, SNL and Trump |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture/comedy/james-austin-johnson-on-old-nashville-i-snl-i-and-trump/article_63d09f4e-0c47-11ed-87c8-9f5cd0b78fd7.html |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=Nashville Scene |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=JAMES AUSTIN JOHNSON: Saturday Night Live featured-player |url=https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/credits/featured-player/james-austin-johnson |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=NBC |language=en-US}}</ref> occasionally known by his initials, '''JAJ''', is an American comedian and actor. He is a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy television series ''Saturday Night Live'', which he joined as a featured player for the show's 47th season in 2021. On ''SNL'', he has impersonated both Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Johnson was promoted to a repertory player{{what|date=May 2026}} in 2023.<ref name="Deadline">{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/snl-pete-davidson-bad-bunny-new-cast-chloe-troast-whos-returning-1235562215/ |title='SNL': Pete Davidson & Bad Bunny Among Hosts As NBC Show Sets Returns With SAG-AFTRA Blessing, Full Cast Comes Back For Season 49 & Chloe Troast Joins |first1=Peter |last1=White |first2=Matt |last2=Grobar |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=October 4, 2023 |accessdate=October 4, 2023}}</ref>
== Early life == Johnson was born on July 19, 1989, in Nashville, Tennessee. As a child, he appeared in various productions by Lifeway Christian Resources.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Maloney |first=Sean L. |date=2024-08-01 |title=The Book of James: Hometown Boy James Austin Johnson Makes Good |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture/coverstory/james-austin-johnson-nashville-saturday-night-live/article_456d0ba8-4dec-11ef-97a0-139e1ac4a960.html |access-date=2024-08-08 |newspaper=Nashville Scene |language=en}}</ref> He began performing stand-up comedy as a teenager.<ref>{{cite web |last=Levy |first=Matt |date=2024-08-01 |title=Exclusive: Nate Bargatze tour 2024: Where to buy tickets, best prices, Atlantic City |url=https://nypost.com/2024/08/01/entertainment/nate-bargatze-tour-2024-where-to-buy-tickets-best-prices-atlantic-city/ |access-date=2024-12-09 |newspaper=New York Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Encinias |first=Joshua |date=2022-09-27 |title=James Austin Johnson: New kid at the Rock |url=https://www.bkmag.com/2022/09/27/james-austin-johnson/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=Brooklyn Magazine}}</ref> He attended Davidson Academy and graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2011. Johnson regularly performed at open mics in Nashville before moving to Los Angeles in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beckner |first=Grace |date=2021-12-07 |title=Trevecca alum makes it to the Saturday Night Live Stage |url=https://trevechoesonline.com/2021/12/07/trevecca-alum-makes-it-to-the-saturday-night-live-stage/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=TrevEchoes Online}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Rodgers |first=D. Patrick |date=2022-07-25 |title=James Austin Johnson on Old Nashville, SNL and Trump |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture/comedy/james-austin-johnson-on-old-nashville-i-snl-i-and-trump/article_63d09f4e-0c47-11ed-87c8-9f5cd0b78fd7.html |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=Nashville Scene}}</ref>
== Career == Johnson began his acting career starring in independent Christian films.<ref name=":0" />
He has appeared in television series such as ''Adam Ruins Everything'', ''Better Call Saul'', and ''All Rise''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Meet the 3 new 'SNL' cast members joining season 47 |url=https://ew.com/tv/snl-season-47-aristotle-athari-james-austin-johnson-sarah-sherman/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> In 2016, he appeared in a DirecTV television ad alongside National Football League veteran Peyton Manning.<ref name="Manning">{{cite news |last=Organ |first=Mike |date=August 6, 2016 |title=Peyton Manning 'just like George Clooney,' commercial co-star says |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2016/08/06/peyton-manning-commercial-nashville/88294902/ |access-date=October 2, 2021 |newspaper=The Tennessean |location=Nashville}}</ref>
In August 2020, Johnson's impression of President Donald Trump went viral in a video uploaded to Twitter, amassing over one million views.<ref name=":0" />
In 2021, Johnson was cast as a featured player on ''Saturday Night Live'', alongside Aristotle Athari and Sarah Sherman, for its forty-seventh season.<ref name="cast">{{cite news |last=Gomez |first=Dessi |date=September 29, 2021 |title=Here Are This Season's New 'SNL' Cast Members and Where You've Seen Them Before (Video) |url=https://www.thewrap.com/saturday-night-live-new-cast-where-youve-seen-them/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002173613/https://www.thewrap.com/saturday-night-live-new-cast-where-youve-seen-them/ |archive-date=October 2, 2021 |access-date=October 2, 2021 |work=TheWrap}}</ref><ref name="joining">{{cite magazine |last=Bucksbaum |first=Sydney |date=September 27, 2021 |title=Meet the 3 new ''Saturday Night Live'' cast members joining season 47 |url=https://ew.com/tv/snl-season-47-aristotle-athari-james-austin-johnson-sarah-sherman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928231208/https://ew.com/tv/snl-season-47-aristotle-athari-james-austin-johnson-sarah-sherman/ |archive-date=September 28, 2021 |access-date=October 2, 2021 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> During the season premiere cold open, he portrayed President Joe Biden<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hudak |first=Joseph |date=October 3, 2021 |title='SNL' Debuts New Joe Biden in Cold Open Skewering the Democrats' Bad Summer: James Austin Johnson takes over the role of Biden in a skit co-starring Aidy Bryant as a scene-stealing Joe Manchin |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/snl-cold-open-joe-biden-james-austin-johnson-1236152/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004012735/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/snl-cold-open-joe-biden-james-austin-johnson-1236152/ |archive-date=October 4, 2021 |access-date=October 4, 2021 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> and later portrayed President Trump beginning in the season's fifth episode. Johnson was promoted to repertory status in 2023.<ref name="Deadline" />
In March 2024, Deadline announced Johnson had been cast in the Bob Dylan biopic film ''A Complete Unknown''.<ref name=":2">{{cite news |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2024-03-25 |title=Searchlight's 'A Complete Unknown' Adds Boyd Holbrook, Scoot McNairy, Dan Fogler, Will Harrison & Charlie Tahan |url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/a-complete-unknown-movie-adds-boyd-holbrook-scoot-mcnairy-dan-fogler-more-1235867516/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> Johnson voiced the character Pouchy in the 2024 Pixar animated film ''Inside Out 2''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Aguilar |first=Carlos |date=2024-06-21 |title=We spoke to Bloofy and Pouchy, breakouts of 'Inside Out 2' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-06-21/we-spoke-to-bloofy-and-pouchy-inside-out-2-ron-funches-james-austin-johnson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621185753/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-06-21/we-spoke-to-bloofy-and-pouchy-inside-out-2-ron-funches-james-austin-johnson |archive-date=June 21, 2024 |access-date=2024-08-08 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
== Personal life == Johnson married Rebekah Elisabeth Lain in 2018. Their son, Homer, was born in 2022.
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes !Ref. |- ! scope="row" |2011 |''October Baby'' |Truman | | |- ! scope="row"|2012 |''Blue Like Jazz'' |Drunk Freshman | | |- ! scope="row"|2014 |''Rocket Pack Jack and the Babylon Virus'' |Krane | | |- ! scope="row"|2016 |''Hail, Caesar!'' |Studio Assistant at Action Western | | |- ! scope="row"|2022 |''She Said'' |Donald Trump |Voice | |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2"| 2024 | ''Inside Out 2'' | Pouchy | Voice |<ref name=":1" /> |- | ''A Complete Unknown'' | Gerde’s MC | | |- ! scope="row"| 2025 | ''The Running Man'' | Voice of Announcer | | |- ! scope="row"|2026 |''The Angry Birds Movie 3'' |TBA |Voice |<ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=2025-04-08 |title='Angry Birds 3' Flying To Paramount For 2027 Release |url=https://deadline.com/2025/04/angry-birds-movie-3-release-date-paramount-1236363148/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" !Year !Title !Role !Notes !Ref. |- ! scope="row" rowspan=2|2009 |''Alumni'' |Jeffry |Television film | |- |''Coffeeteria'' |Barrett Klausman |Miniseries | |- ! scope="row"|2015 |''Adam Ruins Everything'' |Farmer Jed |Episode: "Adam Ruins Summer Fun" | |- ! scope="row"|2016 |''The Last Tycoon'' |Movie Theater Usher |Episode: "Pilot" | |- ! scope="row"|2017–2020 |''Future Man'' |Young Gabe Futturman |2 episodes | |- ! scope="row"|2018 |''Better Call Saul'' |Fred Whalen |Episode: "Winner" | |- ! scope="row"|2019 |''All Rise'' |Adam Connolly |Episode: "How to Succeed in Law Without Really Re-Trying" | |- ! scope="row" rowspan=2|2020 |''Kwaczala'' |Dennis (Glenn) |Episode: "I am a Lion" | |- |''Robbie'' |Ninja Turtle |Episode: "Robbie vs. Ava vs. Danielle" | |- ! scope="row" rowspan=2|2021 |''Tuca & Bertie'' |Kyle |Voice; 2 episodes | |- |''Squidbillies'' |Pharmacy Man |Voice; Episode: "One Man Banned" | |- ! scope="row"|2021–present |''Saturday Night Live'' |Various characters | | |- ! scope="row" rowspan=3|2022 |''Fairview'' |Wade Moonman, Pastor Marv |Voice; recurring role | |- |''The G Word'' |Various characters | | |- |''Birdgirl'' |Ed Todd/Kaptain Khaos |Voice; Episode: "With a K" | |- ! scope="row"|2023 |''Barry'' |Pastor #2 |Voice; Episode: "the wizard" | |- ! scope="row"|2024 |''John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA'' |Bob Dylan |Voice; Episode: "Helicopters”<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Busis |first=Hillary |date=2024-06-18 |title=Why Bo Burnham Turned Down John Mulaney's 'Everybody's in LA' |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/john-mulaney-everybodys-in-la-little-gold-men-awards-insider |access-date=2024-08-08 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref> | |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|nm4562498}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, James Austin}} Category:Living people Category:21st-century American comedians Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American impressionists (entertainers) Category:American male comedians Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American male voice actors Category:American sketch comedians Category:American stand-up comedians Category:1989 births Category:Comedians from Nashville, Tennessee