Jamie Kennedy
About
Biography
Biography
Jamie Kennedy was best known for his breakthrough performance as Randy Meeks, the video store clerk well-versed in the conventions of scary movies, in Wes Craven's 1996 self-referential horror film "Scream" and its follow-up "Scream 2" (1997). The Pennsylvania native headed west after high school and began performing stand-up comedy while supporting himself in a variety of odd jobs. Kennedy was spotted at one of the comedy clubs and cast in the little-seen 1995 indie comedy "The Road to Flin Flon." An appearance as a punked-out rival to John Leguizamo in "William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet" (1996) and as a street hustler who attacks Greg Kinnear in the Oscar-nominated "As Good As It Gets" (1997) can be counted among his smaller roles. This offbeat, high-energy actor frequently sported a shock of peroxide blond in his short brown hair and cultivated a rumpled hipster look complete with colorful eye-catching shoes reportedly culled from the set of "Scream." His laid-back yet edgy persona and dynamic performances earned him an impressive fan following. Following his success in "Scream," Kennedy took on roles in the 1997 films "Sparkler," as one of a trio of youths headed to Las Vegas, and "Clockwatchers," as the office mailman who develops a crush on a temp worker. He continued to add to his gallery of eccentric characters with a dramatic turn as a heroin addict in "Bongwater" and a novice screenwriter in the comedy "Starf*cker" (both 1998). He added much-needed comedy in the dramas "The Three Kings" (1999) and "The Boiler Room" (2000). After years of obtaining his fair-share of supporting and featured roles, Kennedy was given his own sketch comedy show, "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (WB, 2002-04), which quickly became The WB's highest-rated new show. Among the wacky characters (played by Kennedy), one became across the board an all-time favorite: Brad Gluckman, the Malibu rapper. The character was such a hit that Kennedy decided to take it, naturally, to the next level. Thus, in 2003, "Malibu's Most Wanted" was released starring Kennedy as the white "wanna-be rapper" from Malibu. Kennedy next appeared in the cult comedy "Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle" (2004) before starring in the critically-reviled flop "Son of The Mask" (2005). The extreme reaction to that setback hurt the trajectory of Kennedy's career, which soon found him reduced to occasional low-budget films and TV guest spots until a recurring role on Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Ghost Whisperer" (CBS 2005-2010) regained some respect. His voiceover career took off during this period as well, with a recurring role on "Fanboy and Chum Chum" (Nickelodeon 2009-2014) and various voices on "The Cleveland Show" (Fox 2009-2013). Against type, Kennedy was cast as a surgeon on the medical drama "Heartbeat" (NBC 2016), but the series was canceled after its first season.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Film Production - Main (Feature Film)
Director (Special)
Cast (Special)
Writer (Special)
Producer (Special)
Special Thanks (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1989
Worked as an extra in "Dead Poets Society"
1995
Had recurring roles on The WB's "Unhappily Ever After" and ABC's "Ellen"
1995
Feature debut in "The Road to Flin Flon"
1996
Played Sampson in Baz Luhrmann's stylized adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo + Juliet"
1996
Breakthrough screen role, playing horror film buff Randy Meeks in Wes Craven's "Scream"
1997
Reprised role of Randy for the sequel "Scream 2"
1998
Co-starred in Tony Scott's "Enemy of the State"
1999
Appeared in David O. Russell's Gulf War-set drama "Three Kings"
2000
Once again played Randy Meeks in "Scream 3"
2001
Played the Evil Ice Cream Man in the children's comedy "Max Keeble's Big Move"
2002
Hosted and starred on comedy series "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (The WB), also wrote and produced
2003
Wrote and starred in "Malibu's Most Wanted," a movie based on his most popular character Brad Gluckman; also co-starred Kal Penn
2005
Created the short-lived reality program "The Starlet" on The WB
2005
Created the short-lived sitcom "Living With Fran," starring Fran Drescher (The WB)
2005
Played the lead role in "Son of the Mask"; co-starred with Kal Penn
2006
Starred in the comedic reality show "Blowin' Up" on MTV
2006
Featured in the stand-up comedy special "Jamie Kennedy: Unwashed" (also aired on Comedy Central)
2007
Appeared as himself in the documentary film "Heckler"
2007
Starred as a 32-year-old breakdancer in "Kickin' It Old Skool"
2008
Cast as psychology professor Eli James on the CBS drama "Ghost Whisperer"
2009
Voiced several characters on the Nickelodeon animated series "Fanboy and Chum Chum"
2010
Produced and featured on the Showtime special "Jamie Kennedy: Uncomfortable"
2012
Cast in Tyler Perry written and directed drama feature "Good Deeds"
2014
Appeared in the comedy "Other Plans"
2015
Nabbed a part in the comedy "Walk of Fame"
2016
Joined the cast of the medical drama "Heartbeat"
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
