24 Facts Fans Ignore About Jonah Hill
Emily Bell Quick Links
There is no question that Jonah Hill is one of Hollywood's best comedic actors. From starring in one of his very first roles in the very hilarious film The 40-Year-Old Virgin, to landing his iconic lead role in Superbad, Hill has continued to make his fans laugh and has continued to impress us with his movie resume.
Besides being known for starring in a bunch of comedies, Hill proved how good his acting skills are with a dramatic role in 2015's True Story, starring alongside James Franco. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in the films Money Ball and The Wolf of Wall Street.
While Jonah Hill has easily proven that he's a talented actor, how much do you really know about the star? Did you know he really wanted to pursue a career as a hip-hop producer and that he's got some pretty famous family members? We bet you didn't. Check out this list of 24 facts fans totally ignore about Jonah Hill.
His Legal Name Is Jonah Hill Feldstein (And He Doesn't Like It)
Many people may not know this, but Jonah Hill's full name is actually Jonah Hill Feldstein, and the young star was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. While his family still goes by the family name, Jonah chooses not to. During an interview with The Guardian, when he was asked why he dropped his family name, Hill fell silent and simply said, "Can we just not?" While it isn't clearly sure why he isn't a fan of his legal name, one article pointed out that it might be because he wants to hide his ethnicity (he's Jewish) because sometimes, it can make the difference between success and failure in the acting world.
His Dad Was The Tour Accountant For Guns N' Roses
Jonah Hill grew up in a well-off family in a wealthy neighborhood called Cheviot Hills in Los Angeles. His mother, Sharon Lyn, is a costume designer and fashion stylist, and his father, Richard Feldstein, is a tour accountant for none other than Guns N' Roses. In fact, Jonah Hill's father is considered one of Hollywood's most trusted men. Not only did his dad work with Guns N' Roses, but his clients include a variety of other notable stars, including celebrities like Madonna, Maroon 5, and Lenny Kravitz, whose all financial affairs have been managed by Jonah's dad, Feldstein.
He's A Pretty Educated Guy
Jonah Hill had big dreams of being a writer and was really interested in becoming a writer for shows like The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live. Hill attended the Brentwood School in Los Angeles and later graduated from Crossroads, a college preparatory school located in the Santa Monica area. He continued his dreams of becoming a writer and then decided to move to New York. Once in New York, he studied drama at The New School where he began to write and perform in some plays. Hill became pretty popular with his plays, performing them at the Black and White bar in the East Village.
Hill Is Very Good Friends With Dustin Hoffman's Kids
Jonah Hill is actually very good friends with actor Dustin Hoffman's kids. Hoffman's two kids, Rebecca and Jake, introduced Hill to their famous father, and he asked Jonah to audition for the film I Heart Huckabees, which starred Dustin Hoffman himself. It would be Jonah's film debut. Hill's career grew from then on out, making an appearance in the very funny movie, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, starring Steve Carell and going on to be in bigger films and even landing a lead role in another very popular comedy. At one point, Jonah even dated Hoffman's daughter, Ali Hoffman, for nine months.
His Brief Appearance In The 40-Year-Old Virgin Landed Him In Bigger Roles Later On
After appearing in the film I Heart Huckabees in 2004, Jonah Hill would go on to make a brief appearance in Judd Apatow's popular comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin. This eventually led Hill to appear in the 2006 comedy Grandma's Boy, where he portrayed a virgin video game tester. Hill continued to make us laugh in Knocked Up, where he had a larger supporting role. He really hit it big when he received the lead role in 2007's Superbad and would later show his fans that he can do more than just act in comedies, starring in films like The Wolf of Wall Street (alongside Leonardo DiCaprio) and Moneyball (alongside Brad Pitt).
Jonah Hill Split With Roommate Justin Long Over 'Martial Issues'
Both Justin Long and Jonah Hill were trying to make it in Hollywood and actually shared a California home together. When Hill was 25 years old, he and Long decided to move in together. However, Long admitted that the two would fight like an old married couple and he was forced to move out. "We're still great friends but it got to be like an old married couple. We fought over recycling. He would recycle everything. I would find banana peels and shards of glass in the recycling bin. We started getting in little fights like that, he left the bathroom door open, didn't clean up after himself. Little things like that. It was time for a separation," Long said.
He's A 'Hardcore Hip-Hop Head'
Jonah Hill is a huge hip-hop fan. He actually wanted to be a hip-hop producer at one point and was so passionate about the music genre that he would compose rap songs all by himself. "I made beats," Hill told MTV News, going on to add, "I was a beatsmith." In an interview with Vibe, Jonah said he was a "hardcore hip hop head." He stated, "I had on my Rawkus t-shirt everyday. Soundbombing II is like one of the greatest albums ever recorded. I'm talking Mos Def, Common, Sadat X, Pharoahe Monch, High & Mighty ... all that stuff." We think Jonah could have made it big as a recording artist. Maybe it's his next project.
Jonah's First Leading Role Was In The Comedy Superbad
After starring in small roles for The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Grandma's Boy, Jonah Hill proved that he could carry a lead role and was cast in the coming-of-age teen comedy film Superbad. Jonah and pal Michael Cera starred as Seth and Evan, two teens who want to be part of the 'in' crowd and want to score booze and babes but are having a harder time than they would have imagined. The film was a box office success in the United States, and it proved that Jonah Hill was not only a great actor, but could also do comedy right. He would go on to do much bigger things in Hollywood after starring in this film.
His Brother, Who Was A Music Manager For Maroon 5, Sadly Passed Away
On December 22nd of 2017, Jonah Hill's brother, Jordan Feldstein (who went by his real name), sadly passed away at the age of 40 of a heart attack (some documents released recently claim that obesity sadly played a large role in Hill's brother's death). Feldstein was the longtime manager for Maroon 5, and his other clients included artists such as Robin Thicke, Iggy Azalea, Elle King and rapper Big Boi. He was also the founder and CEO of Career Artist Management in California. Feldstein was married twice, including one brief marriage to Clint Eastwood's daughter, Francesca.
He Officiated Adam Levine's Wedding
Jonah Hill and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine are such good friends that the singer had Hill officiate his wedding. Levine married model Behati Prinsloo in 2014, and Hill opened up about the pressures he experienced when officiating his childhood friend's wedding. "I’m writing all these things and I realize I have no jokes in the whole thing because I’m just trying to be thoughtful and respectful and loving to these people who asked me to do this main honor," he told Howard Stern. "And then the f****** sick egomaniac inside of you goes, ‘Well I gotta kill a little bit, too,’ you know? And then Adam’s like, ‘Yeah you should be funny, be funny, you know?'"
He Turned Down The Hangover
Jonah Hill walked away from starring as Shia LaBeouf's sidekick in the Transformers films and also turned down the very funny The Hangover, because he didn't want to be known as "The Guy from Superbad" all his life and just be known as the funny guy in every movie. According to Hill, the director of the film, Todd Phillips, told him he could have played any of the three main parts in the movie. However, he couldn't accept the roles. He stated, "A genuine fear of mine was that I was going to be known as 'The Guy from Superbad' for the rest of my life. They were both really big decisions and ones that most people didn't understand. I knew I could be a dramatic actor, but I also knew I couldn't go from Superbad to Schindler's List.'"
He's Getting Fit To Get More Serious Roles
All eyes were on Jonah Hill when he made an appearance at ESPN's ESPY awards in 2011, looking slimmer and barely recognizable. He's managed to keep the weight off and is doing a fantastic job, crediting his new diet, which consists of lots of sushi. Hill reportedly got himself a nutritionist and a personal trainer to shed the extra pounds. In many interviews, Hill expressed that he wanted to lose the weight and make a lifestyle change for a chance to get more serious acting gigs in his career. After filming War Dogs, he asked Channing Tatum, his 21 Jump Street co-star for some fitness tips. "I called Channing Tatum and said, 'Hey, if I ate less and go to a trainer, will I get in better shape?'" Tatum replied, "Yes, you dumb mother f*****, of course you will. It's the simplest thing in the entire world."
He Has Tattoos Dedicated To His Grandmother And To His Sister
Jonah Hill was so proud of his sister, Beanie Feldstein, for co-starring in the Oscar-nominated film Lady Bird and snagging a leading role in Broadway's Hello, Dolly that he decided to show his love and pride for her success by getting a tattoo. The tattoo, which he posted to his Instagram page, reads, "Hello, Beanie!" written in the Broadway musical's font. Now that's true sibling love. Jonah also has a tattoo on his forearm of a heart and inside it reads "Nancy Rules," dedicated to his grandmother, who he is reportedly very close to. Seems Jonah is quite the family man.
Jonah Agreed To Get Paid The Minimum To Be In The Wolf Of Wall Street
Jonah Hill was so desperate to work with director Martin Scorsese in his film The Wolf of Wall Street that he accepted being paid the minimum wage for actors, which is $60,000. Hill spent seven months working on the film, which co-starred Leonardo DiCaprio. In an interview with Howard Stern, Jonah revealed the amount he was paid and mentioned that he would have done it for less because he was desperate to work with Scorsese. "They have me the lowest amount of money possible, that was their offer. And I said, 'I will sign the paper tonight. Fax me the papers tonight. I want to sign them before they change their mind,'" Hill told Stern, adding, "I would sell my house and give all my money to work for him (Scorsese)."
He Was Hospitalized While Filming The Martin Scorsese Film
Jonah Hill portrayed stockbroker Donnie Azoff in the 2013 film and had to be hospitalized after taking large amount of fake coke, which was actually vitamin powder. Hill recalls his trip to the ER during an interview for Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons. "If you ingest that much matter into your lungs you'll get very sick, and we were literally doing fake coke for, like, seven months, everyday," Hill said. As a result of the fake drug consumption, Hill develop bronchitis for three weeks. "I never had more vitamin D in my entire life; I could have lifted a car over my f****** head," he added.
He Wanted To Live In Springfield When He Was 7
At the age of seven, Jonah Hill begged his parents to move to Springfield, the hometown of The Simpsons. "They said, 'You can't live there. It's not a real place. There are people who write what Homer says, and there's a guy that is Homer's voice, and there are people that animate all those characters,'" Hill said. After he realized that he couldn't live in the animated world, he set his sights on wanting to write for the show. "And I said, 'I want to write what Homer says.' So that says a lot that a 7-year-old, my ambition as a 7-year-old was to be a writer on a prime-time animated series. Most kids that age, they say they want to be a fireman or whatever,'" he added.
Speaking Of The Simpsons, Jonah Was A Guest Voice On The Show
Jonah Hill never got the chance to write for The Simpsons (just yet), but he did get the chance to voice one of the characters on the animated series as a guest. He voiced Andy Hamilton in the twenty-first season of the show. Hill did achieve his dream of writing for an animated series though—his own, in fact. Jonah created and starred in the TV cartoon Allen Gregory, a show about a 7-year-old boy who doesn't see himself as a child but as a very intelligent young man. Unfortunately though, the show only lasted for one whole season.
Hill And Seth Rogen Have Been In 7 Films Together
Jonah Hill and funnyman Seth Rogen seem to really like working alongside one another on big projects. The duo has been seen in a total of seven movies together (thus far)! The seven movies are actually all comedies (no real surprise there) and include "The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Horton Hears a Who!, Funny People, This is the End, and last but certainly not least, Sausage Party. These two sure do love making people laugh, that's for sure. We really hope to see these guys continue to make movies (or maybe even a TV show?) together.
He Accidentally Emailed Drake His Diet Plan
When Jonah Hill appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the actor revealed that he accidentally emailed rapper Drake his diet plan instead of sending it to his doctor. Hill told Fallon that he had a food diary he had to send to his doctor and noticed hours later that it actually was sent to the rapper. "Drake, who I don't know well at all, just got an email that said, 'yogurt, salad, chicken.' And then it just said 'Jonah' at the end of it," Hill said laughing. "He didn't write back. Never spoke to the guy. Another guy I got to duck for the rest of my life! A long laundry list of people I can never speak to [again]," Jonah stated.
He's Been Nominated For An Oscar Twice
Jonah Hill's career as an actor is quite impressive. In 2012, Hill was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Moneyball and, in 2014, received the same nomination in the same category for The Wolf on Wall Street. While he didn't win, it definitely showed his fans that he's more than his Superbad character and can take on serious roles. For Moneyball, Hill apparently knew nothing about sports but understood obsession, which was why Hill perfected his role as GM assistant Peter Brand. Later, when we watched him on The Wolf of Wall Street, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, fans knew he didn't have to prove his acting abilities to anyone anymore.
To Prepare For His Roles He Curates Music Playlists
He mentioned in an interview for the New York Times, that to get into character for whatever film he's starring in, Jonah Hill apparently has to compile "mood-appropriate" playlists which he would listen to until they stuck with him. For example, for the film War Dogs, the playlist had "a lot of cheesy, baller-y Miami booty bass," Hill said, adding, "I imagined him listening to music that revved him up to lie to someone." We wonder what his playlists were like for funny movies such as Sausage Party and 21 and 22 Jump Street!
The Only Criticism He Took Bad
Besides being known for his acting abilities, Jonah Hill has been called Hollywood's "funny fat guy" because of his appearances in his early films like Superbad and Get Him to the Greek. However, he didn't ever let that get to him and his weight loss transformation is downright amazing. Hill even shot back at an interviewer who so bravely asked Hill if he was still perceived as the "fat guy" at Hollywood parties even after he lost a large amount of the weight. Hill shot back at him and said, "Do you have any other questions, that are smart?"
He's Directing His First Film
Jonah Hill has made a name for himself in Hollywood. He has shown that he can switch from comedic roles to serious ones, he's been nominated for two Oscars, and he's currently directing his own film. Hill is directing the film Mid '90s, a coming-of-age movie that he also happened to write. The film follows a group of California teens who make some bad choices and try to navigate drinking, drugs, fighting, and s**. This isn't the first time Hill has written a film though. He co-wrote the comedy 21 Jump Street and created his own TV cartoon named Allen Gregory.
He's Taken, Ladies!
Sorry ladies, but Jonah Hill is currently not available. Us Weekly magazine confirmed that the star is now dating a woman named Erin Galpern. The two have been spotted locking lips on the beach together and taking strolls in New York City. Jonah Hill split from his long-time girlfriend, Jordan Klein, in 2011 after the two met in high school. After that, he went on to date Dustin Hoffman's daughter (as we mentioned previously), Ali Hoffman, for a short period of nine months. He's also been linked to Isabelle McNally and Brooke Glazer.
