Jeff Hiller

Jeff Hiller (born December 7, 1975) is an American actor, improvisor and comedian. He is best known for his portrayal of Joel on the television series Somebody Somewhere, for which he won the 2025 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Early life and education Hiller grew up in San Antonio, Texas. He has a sister, Melissa, and was raised Lutheran. He enrolled at Texas Lutheran University with the intention of becoming a pastor, and though he completed theology coursework, his love of performing deepened and he earned a bachelor’s degree in theater in 1998. During his junior year of college, he studied in Namibia.

Career Hiller started performing improv comedy with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in 2001 where he was part of the improv teams People People, The Scam, Creep, Rumpleteaser and Police Chief Rumble. He taught improv comedy for a decade.

His memoir, Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success, was released June10, 2025. On the first printing of the book, the spine was misspelled, missing an "R" in the word Certain; Hiller joked about it on The Daily Show with Desi Lydic.

In the 2025 revival of Urinetown, Hiller played the role of Mr.McQueen.

In June 2025, Hiller served as a panelist on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and was interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air in August 2025.

Personal life Hiller is gay and founded the all-gay improv troupe Neely O'Hara.

Hiller has a medical condition called morphea, which causes hair loss, as well as other dermatological changes. His character on the series Somebody Somewhere, Joel, also has the condition.

Memoir

Filmography Films

Television

Podcasts

Awards and nominations