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Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes (portrait).jpg
Hayes in 2010
Born
Sean Patrick Hayes

(1970-06-26) June 26, 1970 (age 54)
Education Illinois State University
Occupation
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • musician
  • producer
Years active 1996–present
Spouse(s)
Scott Icenogle
(m. 2014)

Sean Patrick Hayes (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, musician and producer. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he gained acclaim for his role as Jack McFarland on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also received nominations for six Golden Globe Awards and two Tony Awards, winning one of the latter.

He also runs a television production company called Hazy Mills Productions, which produces shows such as Grimm, Hot in Cleveland, The Soul Man, and Hollywood Game Night. He portrayed Jerry Lewis in the CBS film Martin and Lewis (2002). He is known for his appearances in films such as Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998), Cats & Dogs (2001), Pieces of April (2003), The Cat in the Hat (2003), Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004), The Bucket List (2007), Igor (2008), The Three Stooges (2012), Monsters University (2013), and Am I OK? (2022). Since July 2020, he has co-hosted the comedy podcast SmartLess alongside Jason Bateman and Will Arnett.

Hayes made his Broadway debut playing Chuck Baxter in the musical Promises, Promises in 2010, for which he received a Tony nomination. He portrayed God in the comedy An Act of God from 2015 to 2016 and Oscar Levant in the Doug Wright play Good Night, Oscar in 2022, the latter of which earned him the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He hosted the 64th Tony Awards in 2010 for which he was awarded a Primetime Emmy Award.

Early life

Hayes was born in Evergreen Park, Illinois, the youngest child of five of Mary Hayes (1939–2018), the director of a non-profit food bank called the Northern Illinois Food Bank, and Ronald Hayes, a lithographer. He is of Irish descent and was raised as a Roman Catholic in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. His father left the family when Hayes was five years old, leaving his mother to raise him and his siblings. He has been estranged from his father for many years.

After graduating from Glenbard West High School, Hayes attended Illinois State University, where he studied piano performance. He left "two or three classes short" of graduation when he became music director at the Pheasant Run Theater in St. Charles, Illinois.

Hayes worked as a classical pianist. He practiced improv at The Second City in Chicago. He also composed original music for a production of Antigone at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. He moved to Los Angeles in 1995, where he found work as a stand-up comedian and an actor on stage and on television, including a commercial for Doritos which aired during Super Bowl XXXII in 1998.

Career

As a teenager, Hayes was an extra in the film Lucas (1986), which was filmed at his high school. He made his professional debut in the independent film Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998), which brought him wide attention. The same year, he was cast as Jack McFarland, a flamboyantly gay and frequently unemployed actor, in the NBC comedy series Will & Grace. The show became a long-running hit and Hayes' performance earned him seven consecutive Emmy Award nominations as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He won the award for his first nomination. He was also nominated for six Golden Globe Awards for his performances.

Hayes also made film appearances in Cats & Dogs (2001), as Jerry Lewis in Martin and Lewis (2002), Wayne in Pieces of April (2003), The Cat in the Hat (2003), and Win a Date With Tad Hamilton! (2004). He was also the voice of Brain in the 2008 film Igor, and has guest-starred in television shows such as Scrubs and 30 Rock. In 2005, he was executive producer for Bravo's Situation: Comedy, a reality television series about sitcoms. He also executive produced Stephen's Life, chosen by NBC. He guest-starred in 2006 in the Adult Swim cameo-filled show Tom Goes to the Mayor (S2E15, "Bass Fest"). Hayes appeared as Thomas in the film The Bucket List (2007). On July 5, 2008, he made his New York stage debut as Mr. Applegate / Devil in New York City Center's Encores! production of Damn Yankees.

He also appeared as Mr. Hank Humberfloob and provided the voice of "The Fish" in The Cat in the Hat. In a 2008 interview in The New York Times, Hayes talked about a television project, BiCoastal, about "a guy with a wife and kids in California and a boyfriend in New York" for Showtime. He made his Broadway debut in the April 2010 Broadway revival of the musical Promises, Promises. He received a nomination for the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Hayes was host of the 64th Annual Tony Awards on June 13, 2010, on CBS. In 2010, he reprised the role of Mr. Tinkles, the evil white Persian cat, in Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. On November 15, 2010, he appeared in a satirical PSA for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He played Larry Fine in the film The Three Stooges (2012).

Aware that his role in Will & Grace "wouldn't go on forever," Hayes teamed up with friend Todd Milliner, whom he met at Illinois State University, to create the television production company Hazy Mills Productions in 2004. Hayes was co-executive producer of the TV Land original comedy series Hot in Cleveland, which premiered in June 2010 and ran for six seasons. He was also a co-executive producer of the NBC series Grimm, as well as creator and executive producer on another NBC series, Hollywood Game Night. Other television series produced by the company include The Soul Man and Sean Saves the World.

Hayes and his husband, Scott Icenogle, produce lip-sync videos under their YouTube channel, The Kitchen Sync. They lip-synced to songs such as Trouble and Burnitup! He was the host of An All Star Tribute to James Burrows. Hayes starred in the Broadway production An Act of God, June 6 to September 4, 2016, after engagements in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

In 2017, Hayes played the role of Steven, the devil emoji in The Emoji Movie. He and his husband wrote a book named Plum, which is about how the sugar plum fairy got her wings. Hayes has always had an interest for the Nutcracker and memorized the whole musical piece. Hayes has also guest starred as Buddy Wood on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation.

In July 2020, Hayes, along with Will Arnett and Jason Bateman, created a comedy and talk podcast called SmartLess. He also hosts another podcast with Dr. Priyanka Wali called HypochondriActor. Hayes starred in and was one of the executive producers for the Netflix Series Q-Force, released September 2, 2021.

In 2022 Hayes portrayed pianist Oscar Levant in the play by Doug Wright entitled Good Night, Oscar which premiered at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. He reprised the role on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre, beginning in April 2023. His received rave reviews for his performance earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He also received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play.

Personal life

Hayes refused to discuss his sexual orientation for many years, saying he believed that audiences would therefore be more open-minded about his characters. In a 2010 interview with The Advocate, he appeared to imply that he is gay, stating: "Really? You're gonna shoot the gay guy down? I never have had a problem saying who I am. I am who I am." He also indicated that he was in a relationship. He feels he has "contributed monumentally to the success of the gay movement in America, and if anyone wants to argue that, I'm open to it."

He received an honorary PhD from Illinois State University in February 2013.

In November 2014, Hayes announced that he had married his partner of eight years, Scott Icenogle.

In October 2017, while appearing on an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Hayes revealed that he had been hospitalized with a rare condition in which his small intestine burst. The intestine was successfully repaired.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1996 A&P Sammy Short film
1998 Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss Billy Collier
2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins Brain Pod #13 Voice
2001 Cats & Dogs Mr. Tinkles Voice
2003 Pieces of April Wayne
2003 The Cat in the Hat Mr. Hank Humberfloob / Voice of the Fish
2004 Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! Richard Levy the Shameless
2005 Roberto the Insect Architect Narrator
2007 The Bucket List Matthew
2008 Soul Men Danny Epstein
2008 Igor Brain Voice
2010 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore Mr. Tinkles Voice
2012 The Three Stooges Larry Fine
2012 Hit and Run Sandy Osterman
2013 Monsters University Terri Perry Voice
2014 How Murray Saved Christmas Edison Elf Voice
2017 The Emoji Movie Steven Voice
2020 Lazy Susan Susan O'Connell
2022 Am I OK? Stu

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Silk Stalkings Roger Episode: "Services Rendered"
1998–2006,
2017–2020
Will & Grace Jack McFarland 246 episodes
2001 Rugrats Talent Show Director Voice, episode: "And the Winner Is.../Dil's Bathtime/Bigger Than Life"
2001 Scrubs Nick Murdoch Episode: "My Super Ego"
2001 Saturday Night Live Himself/host Episode: "Sean Hayes/Shaggy"
2002 Martin and Lewis Jerry Lewis Television film
2006 Tom Goes to the Mayor Tour Guide Episode: "Bass Fest"
2006 Lovespring International Victor Episode: "A Rear Window"
2006 Will & Grace: Say Goodnight Gracie Jack McFarland Television film
2006–2007 Campus Ladies Marshall 2 episodes
2007 30 Rock Jesse Parcell Episode: "Hiatus"
2008 Man Stroke Woman Various Television film
2010 64th Tony Awards Host Television special
2010–2015 Hot in Cleveland Chad Episode: "One Thing or a Mother"
Also executive producer; 124 episodes
2011–2017 Grimm Executive producer; 108 episodes
2012–2016 The Soul Man Executive producer; 11 episodes
2012 Portlandia Sean Episode: "Cops Redesign"
2012 Parks and Recreation Buddy Wood Episode: "Lucky"
2012 Up All Night Walter 4 episodes
2013 Smash Terrence Falls 3 episodes
2013 American Dad! Foster Voice, episode: "Lost in Space"
2013–2014 Sean Saves the World Sean Harrison 15 episodes
Also executive producer
2013–2020 Hollywood Game Night Himself 2 episodes
Also creator, executive producer; 6 episodes
2014–2015 The Millers Kip Finkle 11 episodes
2014 The Comeback Himself Episode: "Valerie Gets What She Really Wants"
2015 The Late Late Show Himself/Guest Host 3 episodes
2016 Crowded Executive producer; 13 episodes
2016 Maya & Marty Himself/various 2 episodes
2016 An All Star Tribute to James Burrows Himself/host Television special
Also executive producer
2016 Hairspray Live! Mr. Pinky Television special
2017–2020 Tangled: The Series Pete the Guard Voice, 21 episodes
2019 Live in Front of a Studio Audience Mr. Frank Lorenzo Episode: "Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons"
2020, 2022 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Himself/host 6 episodes
2021 Q-Force Steve Maryweather Voice, main role
2022 Murderville Santa Claus 1 episode
2022 Lego Masters Himself Episode: "Start Your Engines" (Cameo)

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2008 Damn Yankees Applegate New York City Center, Encores!
2010–2011 Promises, Promises Chuck Baxter Broadway Theatre, Broadway
2010 64th Tony Awards Host Radio City Music Hall
2015 An Act of God God US Tour
2016 Booth Theatre, Broadway
2022 Good Night, Oscar Oscar Levant Goodman Theatre, Chicago
2023 Belasco Theatre, Broadway

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Production Result Ref.
2000 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Will & Grace Won
2001 Nominated
2002 Nominated
2003 Nominated
2004 Nominated
2005 Nominated
2006 Nominated
2011 Outstanding Special Class Program 64th Tony Awards Won
2000 Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actor – Television Will & Grace Nominated
2001 Nominated
2002 Nominated
2003 Nominated
2004 Nominated
2005 Nominated
2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Will & Grace Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Won
2002 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Won
2003 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Won
Outstanding Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Martin and Lewis Nominated
2004 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Will & Grace Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
2005 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
2006 Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Won
2018 Nominated
2011 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical Promises, Promises Nominated
2011 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Nominated
2010 Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales Won
Multi-Voiced Performance
2022 Jeff Award Performer in a Principal Role in a Play Good Night, Oscar Won
2023 Tony Award Best Leading Actor in a Play Won
2023 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Performance in a Play Won
2023 Drama League Award Outstanding Distinguished Performer Nominated
2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play Won

See also

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