- Born
- Birth nameJeremiah O'Connell
- Nickname
- Jerry
- Height6′ 2¼″ (1.89 m)
- Jerry O'Connell was born in New York City, to Linda (Witkowski), an art teacher, and Michael O'Connell, a British-born advertising agency art director. He spent his early years in Manhattan, with his parents and younger brother, Charlie O'Connell, who is also an actor. He is of one half Irish, one quarter Italian, and one quarter Polish, descent. Jerry began his acting career at a very young age. He did commercial work and TV work before getting the role of "Vern Tessio" in the popular film Stand by Me (1986) opposite River Phoenix and Corey Feldman. After that, he worked on several TV-Movies and TV-series and had a starring role in My Secret Identity (1988). From 1991 to 1994, Jerry attended New York University where he majored in film, but he didn't graduate.
In 1993, he starred in the film Calendar Girl (1993) opposite Jason Priestley. In 1995, he starred in the TV-movie western The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky (1995) and, in 1996, he landed the role of "Frank Cushman" in the successful film Jerry Maguire (1996) opposite Tom Cruise. Over the next few years, he starred in Scream 2 (1997), had a small uncredited role in Can't Hardly Wait (1998), as well as appearing in several TV-movies and having starring roles in the TV-series Sliders (1995) and the film Body Shots (1999) opposite Sean Patrick Flanery and Tara Reid.
In 2000, he appeared in the Brian De Palma film Mission to Mars (2000) with Gary Sinise, among others. He has also appeared in movies such as Tomcats (2001), Buying the Cow (2002), Kangaroo Jack (2003), Yours, Mine & Ours (2005), Man About Town (2006) and Room 6 (2006). In 2007, he married actress/model Rebecca Romijn, and they have twin girls.
- IMDb mini biography by: A.G.
- SpouseRebecca Romijn(July 14, 2007 - present) (2 children)
- Children
- ParentsLinda WitkowskiMichael O'Connell
- RelativesCharlie O'Connell(Sibling)Charles S. Witkowski(Grandparent)
- During his junior year at NYU film school (for screenwriting), Jerry went to Los Angeles, California, and decided to try out for two TV pilots: Sliders (1995) and a new Fox show called Party of Five (1994). He spent a single day in L.A. and landed the Bailey role in Party of Five (1994), but before he could get back to New York, the studio's first choice for Sliders (1995) backed out. Stuck a day before shooting without a lead, they begged Jerry to fill in. The rest is teen-idol history.
- Married his girlfriend of 2 1/2 years, Rebecca Romijn, in a surprise backyard ceremony. The couple exchanged vows in front of 100 family and friends that thought that they had been invited to a barbecue.
- While attending NYU, he was saber captain of the varsity fencing team. He was ranked as high as #17 in the country.
- While practicing his lines for Stand by Me (1986), was completely impressed that, as an 11-year-old, he was being allowed to swear.
- Father is British and mother is American.
- "Playing professional football is something I'll never be able to do. So getting this part was like a dream come true." --on his role in Jerry Maguire (1996).
- I'm the kind of guy who can't keep a plant alive for a week, let alone a relationship.
- What I really love about Rebecca is that she's a character...she's the most entertaining person I've ever met.
- Once in a while, I blow my wife's hair out. I learned from watching some of those reality hairstyling shows like Shear Genius (2007)!
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