Jon Favreau was born on October 19, 1966, in Queens, New York, to Madeleine (Balkoff) and Charles Favreau. His father has French-Canadian, German, and Italian ancestry, while his mother was of Russian Jewish descent.
Favreau attended the Bronx High School of Science and later Queens College, where he dropped out just credits away from receiving his degree. He then moved to Chicago, where he focused on comedy and performed at several improvisational theaters, including the ImprovOlympic and the Improv Institute.
Favreau began his acting career with small roles in films, including Rudy (1993) and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994). He also had a recurring role on the TV series Seinfeld (1989) and appeared on several episodes of Friends (1994).
In 1996, Favreau co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the film Swingers, which became a breakout hit and defined his character type on film. He went on to appear in a range of films, including Notes from Underground (1995),Batman Forever (1995),and Very Bad Things (1998).
Favreau also directed and wrote the film Made (2001),in which he starred alongside Vince Vaughn. He also directed the popular comedy Elf (2003) and co-wrote and co-starred in The Break-Up (2006),Four Christmases (2008),and Couples Retreat (2009).
In recent years, Favreau has made a name for himself as a writer, producer, and director in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, working on films such as Iron Man (2008),Iron Man 2 (2010),and Iron Man 3 (2013). He has also directed and produced the films Chef (2014),The Jungle Book (2016),and The Lion King (2019).
Favreau is married to Joya Tillem, with whom he has three children: Max, Madeleine, and Brighton Rose. He is also a World Poker Tour player and enjoys playing poker in his free time.
Throughout his career, Favreau has been known for his versatility as an actor, writer, and director, and has established himself as a respected figure in the entertainment industry.
