Joshua David Duhamel (; born November 14, 1972) is an American actor and former fashion model. After various modeling work, he made his acting debut as
Leo du Pres
Leonardo "Leo" du Pres is a fictional character from the American ABC Daytime soap opera ''All My Children''. The role was portrayed by actor Josh Duhamel from November 22, 1999, to the character's death onscreen on October 17, 2002. Duhamel repr ...
on the
ABC daytime soap opera ''
All My Children'' and later starred as
Danny McCoy on
NBC's ''
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
''.
Duhamel has ventured into film, appearing as one of the main protagonists in four of the
''Transformers'' films, most recently in the fifth entry, ''
Transformers: The Last Knight'' (2017). He has also appeared in ''
When in Rome'' (2010), ''
Life as We Know It'' (2010), ''
New Year's Eve
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
'' (2011), ''
Safe Haven
Safe haven may refer to:
* Sanctuary
Arts and entertainment
* ''Safe Haven'' (novel), a 2010 American novel by Nicholas Sparks
** ''Safe Haven'' (film), a 2013 American film adapted from the novel
* ''Safe Haven'' (short film), a 2009 American ...
'' (2013), and ''
You're Not You'' (2014). In 2015, Duhamel co-starred on the short-lived
CBS crime drama ''
Battle Creek
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which e ...
''. He has also starred in several video games, most notably ''
Call of Duty: WWII'' (2017). In 2018, he appeared in the romantic comedy-drama film ''
Love, Simon
''Love, Simon'' is a 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Greg Berlanti, written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, and based on the novel '' Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda'' by Becky Albertalli. The film stars Nick R ...
''. In 2021, Duhamel starred in the role of Sheldon Sampson in the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
superhero series ''
Jupiter's Legacy''.
He also played the role of Jacob Lee in the 2022 survival horror game ''
The Callisto Protocol''.
Early life
Duhamel was born in
Minot, North Dakota. His mother, Bonnie L. (Bachmeier) Kemper, is a retired teacher and local businesswoman, and his father, Larry Duhamel, is an advertising salesman. He is of
French-Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fre ...
,
Irish,
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
,
Austrian
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
,
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
and
Norwegian ancestry. Duhamel's family is
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
.
His parents divorced during his youth. Although he remains close to both of them, he grew up with his mother and his three younger sisters, Ashlee, Kassidy and Mckenzee Duhamel. After graduating from
Minot High School
Minot High School (MHS) is the public high school in Minot, North Dakota, divided between two main campuses: Magic City (grades 11-12) and Central (grades 9-10). MHS also includes an alternative campus: Souris River Campus.
Athletics
The boys ...
in 1991, Duhamel attended
Minot State University
Minot State University (MSU or MiSU) is a public university in Minot, North Dakota. Founded in 1913 as a normal school, Minot State University is the third-largest university in North Dakota, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
...
and played as the backup quarterback for the
university's football team.
[ He planned to attend dental school,] but dropped out one-and-a-half credits shy of his undergraduate degree. He later completed his credits, and received his degree in 2005.
Career
Duhamel has stated, "After college, I followed an ex-girlfriend to northern California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, did a bunch of odd jobs." He won the title of Male Model of the Year in an International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA) competition in 1997 (the runner-up was actor Ashton Kutcher).
Duhamel began his acting career as an extra in the music videos for Donna Summer's "I Will Go With You (Con te partirò
"Con te partirò" (; "With You I Shall Depart") is an Italian song written by Francesco Sartori (music) and Lucio Quarantotto (lyrics). It was first performed by Andrea Bocelli at the 1995 Sanremo Music Festival and recorded on his album of the ...
)" and Christina Aguilera's " Genie in a Bottle" in 1999. Josh trained with Scott Sedita Acting Studios. Later that year, he won the role of Leo du Pres
Leonardo "Leo" du Pres is a fictional character from the American ABC Daytime soap opera ''All My Children''. The role was portrayed by actor Josh Duhamel from November 22, 1999, to the character's death onscreen on October 17, 2002. Duhamel repr ...
on the ABC soap opera '' All My Children''. His work on the show, especially his character's pairing with Greenlee Smythe
Greenlee Smythe is a fictional character from the American daytime drama, ''All My Children''. She was originally portrayed by actress Rebecca Budig from August 11, 1999 to November 30, 2005, and was portrayed by actress Sabine Singh from April 2 ...
(portrayed by actress Rebecca Budig
Rebecca Jo Budig (; born June 26, 1973) is an American actress and television presenter. Her career began in 1993, and in 1995, she was cast in the role of Michelle Bauer on the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light''. In 1999, she was cast as Greenlee ...
), garnered critical acclaim. In 2000, he posed fully nude for Greg Gorman's ''As I See It'' photography book.
In 2003, he received a Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
nomination for the Special Fan Award for America's Favorite Couple in 2002, shared with Budig, and a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Leo du Pres. Duhamel left ''All My Children'' in 2002 to pursue other acting opportunities. In 2003, Duhamel landed a primetime role on the NBC show ''Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
'', playing the head of security for the Montecito Casino, Danny McCoy. His character succeeded James Caan's as head of the casino after Caan departed the series at the end of the fourth season. The series ended in 2008.
Duhamel made his big-screen acting debut in 2004's '' Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!'', then starred in the thriller ''Turistas
''Turistas'' (; English: ''Tourists'', released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as ''Paradise Lost'') is a 2006 American horror film produced and directed by John Stockwell and starring Josh Duhamel, Melissa George, Olivia Wilde, Desmond Askew ...
'' (2006). After watching an episode of ''Las Vegas'' in which Duhamel's character had just returned from the war in Iraq, Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Sp ...
handpicked him for the role of Captain William Lennox in 2007's summer blockbuster film ''Transformers
''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms, ...
''[ (a film for which Spielberg was the ]executive producer
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights ...
). Duhamel reprised the role in three of the sequels: '' Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'', released in June 2009, '' Transformers: Dark of the Moon'', released in June 2011, and '' Transformers: The Last Knight'', released in June 2017.
Duhamel was the official pace car driver for the 2009 Indianapolis 500
The 93rd Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 24, 2009. It was the 14th Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and the premier event of the 2009 IndyCar Series season.
Hélio C ...
, driving the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro pace car. In 2010, he played the lead role in the film ''When in Rome'' as Nick Beamon. In 2014 Duhamel starred in the touching drama '' You're Not You'' (2014) playing the husband of Kate ( Hilary Swank), who has the degenerative disease ALS.
On March 23, 2013, Duhamel hosted the 2013 Kids' Choice Awards, which was broadcast live from Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
. He and his co-star from ''Safe Haven
Safe haven may refer to:
* Sanctuary
Arts and entertainment
* ''Safe Haven'' (novel), a 2010 American novel by Nicholas Sparks
** ''Safe Haven'' (film), a 2013 American film adapted from the novel
* ''Safe Haven'' (short film), a 2009 American ...
'', Julianne Hough, performed a ''Safe Haven''-themed showcase appearance via video on '' The Price is Right'' with Drew Carey.
In 2016, he starred as Frank Dunning in the Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television series ...
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
thriller
Thriller may refer to:
* Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television
** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre
Comics
* ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...
miniseries '' 11.22.63''.
In 2018, he was used on a Taco Bell commercial to advertise Mexican spiced fries with nacho cheese sauce called ''Web of Fries''.
In March 2018, it was announced that Duhamel will be starring alongside Megan Fox, in the independent family comedy ''Think Like a Dog''. In the same year, he starred in the romantic comedy-drama film, ''Love, Simon
''Love, Simon'' is a 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Greg Berlanti, written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, and based on the novel '' Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda'' by Becky Albertalli. The film stars Nick R ...
''.
On February 11, 2019, it was announced that Duhamel had been cast as Sheldon Sampson in the Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
superhero series, '' Jupiter's Legacy''. The series premiered on May 7, 2021, and was canceled less than a month later.
In February 2021, it was announced that Duhamel would co-star opposite Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series '' In Living Color'', where she re ...
in the upcoming film '' Shotgun Wedding'', replacing Armie Hammer, who had left the project in January, following controversy concerning sexually explicit social media activity. In August 2021, it was announced that Duhamel joined Renée Zellweger in ''The Thing About Pam'' limited series on NBC. He was to play a defense attorney, Joel Schwartz, on this show based on a real-life crime story.
In early 2022, it was announced that Duhamel had been cast as a series regular on '' The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers'', for its second season, as Gavin Cole, a former NHL player-turned-coach who runs the hockey institute.
On September 23, 2022, Duhamel's film '' Bandit'', based on the best-selling novel and true story about ''The Flying Bandit'', was released in theatres and on demand. The film received positive reviews with critics calling it a career-best performance for Duhamel.
Personal life
Duhamel met and began dating singer Stacy Ann Ferguson, better known by her stage name Fergie, in September 2004 after Ferguson appeared on Duhamel's show ''Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
'' with her then-band The Black Eyed Peas. The couple wed on January 10, 2009, in a Catholic ceremony at the Church Estate Vineyards in Malibu, California. They have a son born in August 2013. On September 14, 2017, the couple announced that they had separated earlier in the year. On June 1, 2019, the couple filed for divorce after two years of separation. As of late-November 2019, their divorce was finalized.
Duhamel is a practicing Catholic and attends church regularly.
In 2005, he became the co-owner of 10 North Main, a restaurant in Minot, North Dakota.
In 2012, Duhamel was inducted into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame, a signature event of Norsk Høstfest
Norsk Høstfest (Norwegian language: "''Norwegian Autumn Festival''") is an annual festival held each fall in Minot, North Dakota, US. It is North America's largest Scandinavian festival.
History
The event is held on the North Dakota State Fair gr ...
.
He dated Mexican actress Eiza González in 2018.
In late 2018, Duhamel began dating former Miss World America Audra Mari
Audra Diane Mari (born January 8, 1994) is an American model, television host, and beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned Miss World America 2016 on July 8, 2016, and represented the United States at Miss World 2016. She also represented the ...
. On January 8, 2022, Duhamel announced his engagement to Mari. They married on September 10, 2022.
On May 19, 2022, Minot State University
Minot State University (MSU or MiSU) is a public university in Minot, North Dakota. Founded in 1913 as a normal school, Minot State University is the third-largest university in North Dakota, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
...
named their Summer Theatre stage the "Josh Duhamel Stage" in his honor.
Duhamel is a longtime fan of the Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
.
Filmography
Film
Television
Video games
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
10 North Main
Duhamel's restaurant
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duhamel, Josh
Fergie (singer)
1972 births
Living people
Male actors from North Dakota
People from Minot, North Dakota
People from Ward County, North Dakota
Minot State University alumni
American people of French-Canadian descent
Male models from North Dakota
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male soap opera actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
Daytime Emmy Award winners
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series winners
American people of English descent
American people of German descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of Norwegian descent
American restaurateurs
American Roman Catholics
Minot State Beavers football players
People from Brentwood, Los Angeles
20th-century Roman Catholics
21st-century Roman Catholics
Catholics from North Dakota