TJ Miller is an American actor cum stand-up comedian who began his career in 2007 and has been active in the entertainment industry for over a decade and counting. He is best known for his outstanding performances in several films and television shows such as Silicon Valley and Deadpool 2, just to mention a few. As a result of his outstanding performances, Miller has earned massive critical acclaim and international recognition. In addition to being an actor and comedian, TJ is also acclaimed as a film producer and writer. The talented stand-up comedian is one of many notable individuals who hail from Denver, Colorado.
TJ Miller Picked Interest In Acting As A High Schooler
The prolific actor was born Todd Joseph Miller to a Christian father and a Jewish mother, on June 4, 1981. At the time of his birth, his father, Kent Miller, was an attorney while his mother, Leslie Miller, worked as a clinical psychologist. Both parents have a rich family heritage spanning many generations. TJ is of English, German, Scottish, Austrian, Russian, Jewish, and Swedish ancestry.
The comedian had his elementary education at Graland Country Day School located in his hometown of Denver. He then proceeded to Denver’s East High School, where he served as a head boy in his senior year. It was during his time at East High School, that Miller developed a knack for acting and theatre. He joined the production team where he participated in various drama productions.
Upon graduating high school, TJ got admitted to George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, D.C. There he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a specialty in situation theory and social influence graduating in 2003. As an undergrad, he acquired more knowledge of drama and plays by attending the British-American Drama Academy in London during his summer holidays.
Kick-Starting His Comedy Career As A Stand-up Comedian
After graduating from the university, TJ relocated to Chicago with the aim of kick-starting his career. He started out by doing improvisations and stand-up comedy. Miller also collaborated with many local troupes including The Second City improvisation comedy enterprise.
The Colorado native’s exploits in the comedy industry never went on unnoticed at the time. In 2008, Variety magazine named him on its list of 10 Comics To Watch, and in the subsequent years, the comic star continued to thrill his fans, he silenced critics with the release of his comedy special, No Real Reason in 2011.
The following year, he released his debut comedy album which he titled ‘Mash Up Audiofile‘. He was later seen among the Funny or Die comedy touring show group in 2015. TJ went on to start a stand-up special titled, T.J. Miller: Meticulously Ridiculous premiered on June 17, 2017. The show which aired on HBO was filmed in his native Denver. In October that year, he headlined his own tour which he called “Touring In Perpetuity Tour”.
Millers Has Made Notable Film Appearances
TJ Miller has appeared in many critically acclaimed films and television shows starting with the TV series, Carpoolers in which he had played the recurring role of Marmaduke Broke in 13 episodes between 2007 to 2008. He also made his debut film in the 2008 Cloverfield portraying the role of Hudson Platt.
In the subsequent years, he was seen in films like The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, How to Train Your Dragon, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Deadpool, and Deadpool 2. He was also in notable TV productions like DreamWorks Dragons (2012-2018), and Silicon Valley (2014-2017) among several others.
However, it is known that Miller garnered international prominence following his role in Silicon Valley. In 2015, the widely acclaimed actor won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. TJ was nominated for the same award the following year but came second to Louie Anderson. More so, Silicon Valley which ran for 6 seasons received a lot of award nominations including 5 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. It also landed several awards for best comedy series from film associations like Critics’ Choice Television Award and Satellite Award amongst others.
Why He Left Silicon Valley
Sometime in 2017, the internet went abuzz after news surfaced that TJ Miller who portrays the character of Eric Bachman will not return to the show’s season 5. Meanwhile, the comic actor was among the fans’ favorite characters on the show which explains why his sudden departure raised several questions among his many fans.
When quizzed about the reason for his exit, the actor said that his shortened screen time in the series informed his decision to leave the production entirely plus the fact he has a very busy schedule. It was also revealed that the creators of the show decided to leave his character open in case he decides to return in the future.
However, there have been some reports that Miller’s departure may not have been amicable as we were made to believe. The comedian was alleged to have shown signs of not taking the production seriously and posed a danger to other crew members on set. His erratic and nonchalant behavior was believed to be the reason why the showrunners to let him go after season 4.
The Physical & Sexual Allegations That Defined TJ Miller’s Career
The outstanding actor has been mixed up in several legal issues including work-related controversies, physical assault, and sexual assault allegations. Miller was arrested on December 9, 2016, for allegedly assaulting an Uber driver. The matter was settled out of court in March 2018.
While the assault case was ongoing, news of his sexual assault allegation surfaced on the media in late 2017 during the ‘Me Too Movement’. The comedian was accused of sexual assault by an anonymous woman who claimed to be his girlfriend while at George Washington University. She alleged that TJ Miller in 2001 when they were dating became violent with her when they had sexual intercourse, she said that he’d hit and choke her without her express permission.
In reaction, TJ discarded the claims saying she was a vindictive former colleague of his college drama troupe who was dismissed because of inappropriate behavior. After his response, nothing much was heard from the lady to date. However, the comedian faced another backlash in July 2018, when fellow Silicon Valley star, Alice Wetterlund accused the actor of unprofessional and inappropriate behavior. Wetterlund made the allegations via Twitter on July 18, 2018, and HBO had to tender an apology to her stating they had no prior knowledge of such an incident nonetheless they apologize for how she was treated.
He Raised A False Bomb Alarm
There was also another incident where the stand-up comedian was apprehended by law enforcement for making a fake bomb threat. The incident occurred on April 9, 2018, at the LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, and Miller was alleged to have committed the offense aboard an Amtrak train.
According to the authorities, he called 911 and reported that a lady in another Amtrak train had a bomb in her bag. It was later discovered that TJ was heavily intoxicated and had been involved in an altercation with the lady in question. He was charged accordingly but later released on a $100,000 bond.
The Comedian Is Married To A Fellow Entertainer
The talented comic star is happily married to his heartthrob Kate Gorney. Just like her husband, Kate is also an actress and a mixed media artist. She is also a poet, a trait she got from her father who was a poet. She currently runs the Rose Petal Pistol website where she uploads her artistic works.
The couple has been together for over three years and counting. They came out publicly about their relationship sometime in 2014 when they announced their engagement. The following year, they exchanged marital vows and their wedding took place at Denver Botanic Gardens in September 2015.
Over the years, Kate has stood by her beau through all the allegations he has faced. She usually maintains a very calm outlook whenever any of such heated allegations arise and according to an interview she was in, she stated she can’t leave Miller because of what he says in public. The pair continue to stand firm by each other to date.
