Jon Favreau.

Jonathan Favreau

Jon Favreau — Actor

Born 19 Oct 1966 Queens, United States

Citizenship United States

Age 59 yr Today

8 min read

Reading time

1,488

Words

Jul 2, 2026

Published

106

Film credits

1

Book

TL;DR

Jon Favreau wrote and starred in the 1996 indie hit Swingers, which launched his career. Directing the 2008 blockbuster Iron Man, he launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He created the Star Wars series The Mandalorian and directed live-action Disney remakes of The Jungle Book and The Lion King.

Identity & family.

KIN · 5

Names, aliases, and relatives of Jon Favreau — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Jonathan Favreau

Nicknames Favs, Mark Johnstan

Aliases John Favreau

Spouses: Joya Tillem
Children: Max Favreau Madeleine Favreau Brighton Rose Favreau
Siblings: Andy Favreau

At a glance.

STATS

Jon Favreau by the numbers — life, work, and family.

59 Age

106 Film credits

1 Book

1 Marriage

3 Children

Who is Jon Favreau?

BIOGRAPHY

Jon Favreau — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Jon Favreau’s father, Charles Favreau, a special education teacher, had French-Canadian, German, and Italian ancestry, and his mother Madeleine, an elementary school teacher, came from a Russian Jewish family. Born on October 19, 1966 in Queens, New York, he attended the Bronx High School of Science, graduating in 1984, then enrolled at Queens College but dropped out just credits shy of a degree. Afterward, he moved to Chicago to pursue comedy at the ImprovOlympic and the Improv Institute.

Career

His breakout came in 1996 with Swingers, which he wrote and co-produced, starring alongside his friend Vince Vaughn, whom he met on the set of Rudy 1993. TV visibility increased with a recurring role on Friends 1997 as Pete Becker and he played the title role in the 1999 biopic Rocky Marciano. Directing the 2003 comedy Elf starring Will Ferrell, he then helmed Iron Man 2008 starring Robert Downey Jr., which launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He directed its sequels Iron Man 2 2010 and Iron Man 3 2013, and appeared as Happy Hogan. In 2014, he wrote and directed the food road movie Chef, starring himself. He directed the live-action Disney remakes The Jungle Book 2016 and The Lion King 2019, and created the Star Wars series The Mandalorian 2019.

Personal life

He married physician Joya Tillem on November 24, 2000. They have three children: Max born July 25, 2001, Madeleine born April 2003, and Brighton Rose born August 30, 2006. He enjoys playing poker and has participated in the World Poker Tour. His mother died of leukemia in December 1978 when he was 12.

Legacy

Favreau directed Iron Man 2008, which the Library of Congress selected for the National Film Registry for being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. He was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2019 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 13, 2023. As creator of The Mandalorian, he revitalized the Star Wars franchise on television. He is best remembered for writing and acting in Swingers, directing the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film, and bringing Disney animations to life.

Filmography.

FILMS · 106

The complete filmography of Jon Favreau — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

TV

Family Guy

1999

TV

Friends

1994

TV

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014

TV

The Daily Show

1996

TV

The Sopranos

1999

TV

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015

TV

Seinfeld

1989

TV

Monk

2002

TV

The Mandalorian

2019

TV

Conan

2010

TV

Star Wars: the Clone Wars

2008

TV

Real Time with Bill Maher

2003

Movie

Avengers: Endgame

2019

Movie

Spider-Man: No Way Home

2021

Showing 14 of 106 View all 106 films

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 1

Jon Favreau's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

Amazon

Swingers

by Jon Favreau

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 1

A wall of memorable lines from Jon Favreau — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

I’ve Always Wanted to Call the Shots Because I Would Rather Fail Than Not Have a Chance to Figure It Out on My Own. I’m a Very Lazy Person by Nature. I Have to Be Really Engaged, and Then I Go Straight from Lazy to Obsessive. I Couldn’t Study Chemistry, but I Could Memorize All the Books for Dungeons and Dragons. It Was Ridiculous. the Trick Is to Find What I Like to Do.

Did you know?

FACTS · 20

Little-known facts about Jon Favreau — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

While both landed supporting roles in Rudy 1993, Favreau met his close friend and frequent co-star Vince Vaughn.
The Walt Disney Company inducted Favreau as a Disney Legend in 2019.
In the 1980s, Favreau began a career at Bear Stearns on Wall Street before quitting and considering becoming a New York City fireman.
Favreau is an alumnus of Chicago’s ImprovOlympic improvisation troupe; fellow members included the late Chris Farley, Ian Gomez, Pat Finn, Tim Meadows, Rachel Dratch, Mike Myers, and Horatio Sanz.
Favreau is the first person to appear in a Marvel comic film adaptation as Foggy Nelson in Daredevil 2003 and to direct one in Iron Man 2008 and Iron Man 2 2010. He also portrayed Happy Hogan in the Iron Man films.
Favreau received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 6840 Hollywood Boulevard on February 13, 2023, with Robert Downey Jr. and chef Roy Choi speaking at the ceremony.
He considered renaming Cowboys & Aliens 2011 after audiences laughed at the trailer, thinking it was a parody.
Favreau and his wife Joya Tillem have three children: Max born July 25, 2001, Madeleine born April 2003, and Brighton Rose born August 30, 2006.
His wife, Joya Tillem, is a physician.
Favreau attended Queens College but dropped out.
The Library of Congress selected Favreau’s directed film Iron Man 2008 for the National Film Registry as being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
Favreau graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1984.
He wrote the script for Swingers 1996 on computer software given to him by his father.
Favreau’s father has French-Canadian, German, and Italian ancestry, and his mother was from a Jewish family.
Favreau grew up at 61-20 Grand Central Parkway in Forest Hills, Queens, New York.
On June 1, 2023, Favreau received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from CUNY-Queens College.
He was going to direct John Carter 2012 when the rights were at Paramount Pictures.
Favreau’s mother died in December 1978 at age 34 from leukemia.
Favreau is the son of Charles Favreau and Madeleine Favreau.
Favreau is the grandson of Joan Favreau.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 27

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Jon Favreau.

When was Jon Favreau born?

He was born on October 19, 1966 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
Where was Jon Favreau born?

He was born in Queens, New York City, New York, USA, and grew up at 61-20 Grand Central Parkway in Forest Hills, Queens.
How old is Jon Favreau?

As of 2025, he is 59 years old. He was born on October 19, 1966.
What is Jon Favreau's real name?

His real name is Jonathan Favreau. He was given the nickname Favs by colleagues.
What does Jon Favreau do for a living?

He works as a producer, actor, and writer. He has also directed major films and created television series.
What is Jon Favreau's nationality?

He is an American. He holds United States citizenship.
What language does Jon Favreau speak?

His native language is English. He has not been recorded speaking other languages in his work.
Who is Jon Favreau married to?

He is married to Joya Tillem. They wed on November 24, 2000, and she is a physician.
Does Jon Favreau have children?

Yes, he has three children with his wife Joya Tillem. They are Max born July 25, 2001, Madeleine born April 2003, and Brighton Rose born August 30, 2006.
Does Jon Favreau have any siblings?

He has one sibling, a brother named Andy Favreau.
Where did Jon Favreau go to school?

He attended the Bronx High School of Science, graduating in 1984, and later enrolled at Queens College but dropped out.
What is Jon Favreau best known for?

He has had roles in Family Guy and Friends, and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Daily Show. He also voiced Paz Vizsla in The Mandalorian.
What is Jon Favreau's Instagram handle?

His Instagram handle is @jonfavreau. He posts about his projects and behind-the-scenes content.
How tall is Jon Favreau?

He is 6 feet 1 inch tall, which is 1.85 meters. His height is notable in many of his film roles.
What are Jon Favreau's nicknames?

He is known by the nicknames Favs and Mark Johnstan. Favs is commonly used by his friends and colleagues.
Why is Jon Favreau sometimes credited as John Favreau?

He has been credited as John Favreau on some occasions, possibly due to a misspelling or alternative name usage. It is listed as an alias in his biography.
What was Jon Favreau's breakout film?

His breakout film was Swingers 1996, which he wrote and starred in alongside Vince Vaughn. The film was a critical success and launched his career.
How did Jon Favreau meet Vince Vaughn?

He met Vince Vaughn when they both had supporting roles in the film Rudy 1993. They became close friends and later collaborated on Swingers and other projects.
What was Jon Favreau's role in Friends?

He played Pete Becker on Friends, a wealthy suitor for Monica Geller’s character. He appeared in several episodes in 1997.
What awards has Jon Favreau received?

He was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2019 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. He also directed Iron Man, which was added to the National Film Registry.
Who are Jon Favreau's parents?

His parents are Charles Favreau, a special education teacher, and Madeleine Favreau, an elementary school teacher. His father has French-Canadian, German, and Italian ancestry, and his mother was from a Jewish family.
What is Jon Favreau's connection to Disney?

He has a strong connection to Disney, having directed live-action remakes of The Jungle Book 2016 and The Lion King 2019. He was also inducted as a Disney Legend in 2019.
What TV series did Jon Favreau create?

He created the Star Wars series The Mandalorian, which premiered on Disney+ in 2019. He also served as an executive producer and voiced the character Paz Vizsla.
Where did Jon Favreau grow up?

He grew up at 61-20 Grand Central Parkway in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. He later moved to Chicago to pursue comedy.
Did Jon Favreau work on Wall Street?

Yes, he briefly worked at Bear Stearns on Wall Street in the 1980s. He quit to pursue acting and even considered becoming a fireman.
What is Jon Favreau's favorite hobby?

He enjoys playing poker and has participated in the World Poker Tour. He also enjoys cooking, as seen in his film Chef and the TV series The Chef Show.
What honorary degree did Jon Favreau receive?

On June 1, 2023, he received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from CUNY-Queens College, where he had previously been a student.

View all 27 questions View fewer questions

Audited & updated by

Sophia has 4 years of editorial experience and a habit of becoming the person any team leans on when they need to know where something stands. At Famousy, she manages the content pipeline, coordinates reviews, and handles the detail work that keeps a large editorial operation from falling apart. She reads a lot of profiles in the process and she's developed a sharp instinct for when something doesn't feel right. She flags it. It usually is.

Published on July 2, 2026

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