Whatever Happened To The Most Interesting Man In The World, Jonathan Goldsmith?

The time was just right in 2006 for a particularly inventive Mexican beer commercial to become a cultural phenomenon. Social media was in its infancy, as were memes and viral marketing, but streaming hadn't yet outpaced network TV. All of that meant people becoming more comfortable using the internet, and they still had no choice but to watch ads all the way through. While Budweiser was making waves with its "Wassup" spots, Dos Equis went in an entirely different direction with a series of promotions about the supposed most interesting man in the world, who just happened to prefer their brew. The concept caught on with the public, so much so that the character at the center of the campaign (if not the actor portraying him) became more famous than the product he was selling. 

As a result, Jonathan Goldsmith will forever be known by that phrase: the most interesting man in the world. You've probably seen Goldsmith — an extremely prolific performer — in more than those Dos Equis commercials, both before and after he landed the iconic role. And this true renaissance man's real life is about as fascinating as the fictional figure he played. But, while the character and his catchphrases live on, Goldsmith did not as a Dos Equis spokesperson. What does the most interesting man in the world do when he's not starring in beer commercials? He might be out of the spotlight, but Goldsmith's life is still pretty, well, interesting. 

Most people are probably more familiar with the "most interesting man in the world" character than with Jonathan Goldsmith himself, which shows that the actor wasn't a household name before he became what you might call a household face. He had to audition for the role in the Dos Equis advertising campaign along with hundreds of other contenders. The actor told Primer Magazine that the producers of the ad campaign were looking for someone young and Latino. He was a Jewish senior citizen. Potential candidates were given the end of a line of dialogue — "...and that's how I arm wrestled Fidel Castro" — and were asked to invent the story that came before it. Goldsmith took off one sock and improvised for 30 minutes about various exotic escapades.

He told NPR that he based his version of the character on his late friend Fernando Lamas. Lamas was, like Goldsmith, a fellow actor and sailor. Goldsmith thought he could do an homage to Lamas that would fit the bill. The casting director loved the performance but thought he was too old for the part (he was well into his late 60s at the time). Thankfully, his agent stepped in to argue on his behalf, reasoning that the most interesting man in the world had to have life experience. Goldsmith got the call that he'd been cast shortly thereafter. The rest is advertising history. Dos Equis sales skyrocketed, and Goldsmith became one of the highest-paid commercial actors in the world. 

Jonathan Goldsmith played the most interesting man in the world for Dos Equis for 10 years until 2016, when the brand produced one last commercial starring the actor. His send-off saw him bidding adieu to Earth and many of its dignitaries as he embarked on a one-way trip to Mars. Other spots he starred in featured lists of hilarious descriptions, such as, "He is fluent in all languages, including three that he only speaks," and, "He gave his father 'the talk.'" In the final ad, the voice-over simply says, "His only regret is not knowing what regret feels like." 

Dos Equis attempted to reboot the campaign with a new most interesting man in the world, played by Augustin Legrand. The company worried that Goldsmith's character wasn't targeted to a millennial audience whose tastes trended toward craft brews rather than mass-produced products. Goldsmith was in his late 70s when his tenure with Dos Equis expired. Legrand was in his mid-40s. 

The second iteration never really took off, and by 2018, Dos Equis had transitioned to merely using the phrase "stay interesting" in its marketing efforts. But Goldsmith had elevated both the brand's status and his own in the decade prior. He was as hot a commodity as he'd ever been in his 50-plus year career, and his most interesting man in the world remains one of the longest-running spokes-characters ever, alongside commercial stars like Progressive's Flo (Stephanie Courtney) and the Verizon "Test Man" (Paul Marcarelli).

Viewers might remember that, in a series of TV spots, the Verizon Guy infamously left the cell service provider for its competition, Sprint. After Jonathan Goldsmith's time with Dos Equis came to a close, he was approached by another brewer, Stella Artois, to co-star in a Super Bowl commercial. Goldsmith agreed. In the ad, which aired in 2019, the most interesting man in the world notices that Jeff Bridges' Dude from "The Big Lebowski" orders a Stella Artois instead of his signature White Russian. "Interesting choice," Goldsmith observes. Sarah Jessica Parker also appears in the commercial as Carrie Bradshaw from "Sex in the City." 

Goldsmith's collaboration with Stella Artois was a one-time affair. However, Astral Tequila had a more permanent relationship with the actor in mind when they scooped him up in 2017 following his departure from Dos Equis. Again, he played the debonair character he'd created for his previous employer, but this time, the campaign riffed on the idea that the most interesting man in the world had said that he didn't always drink beer. Goldsmith signed on for a series of 10 commercials with Astral Tequila. They didn't become as meme-worthy as his original appearances for Dos Equis had, but they were nevertheless a smart move on the part of the smaller-scale liquor maker. 

Jonathan Goldsmith didn't start out as a commercial actor. In fact, he has hundreds of appearances across television and film. After moving to Los Angeles as a young man, he worked various odd jobs to support himself while pursuing his dream. Eventually, he found work in Westerns like "Hang 'Em High" and procedurals like "Perry Mason." Goldsmith often appeared as an extra or guest star, and prior to the Dos Equis ad campaign, his steadiest work came in shows like "Gunsmoke" (he can be seen in 14 episodes) and "Dallas" (19 episodes). 

Goldsmith was already well past the average retirement age when he stepped back from being the most interesting man in the world, but he continued to work on screen. He was cast as Don Rafael Cienfuegos, the brother of Ruby's lost love Fernando (Andy Garcia), in 2018's "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again." In 2023, he guest starred on "Grey's Anatomy." Goldsmith will always be associated with the character he embodied for Dos Equis, but he's been a part of so many classic films, series, and franchises that audiences are likely to see his face again whenever they revisit old favorites, even though his career as an actor has slowed down as of late. 

Jonathan Goldsmith got the part that changed his life thanks to a great audition and a great agent. That agent, then named Barbara Jacobson Buky, has since become his wife. It was shewho submitted him for the role of the most interesting man in the world in 2005, even though he didn't exactly fit the description. At that point, he was broke and practically living in his car. He revealed in an interview with his alma mater, Boston University, that he wanted to skip the appointment out of a fear of failure, but his soon-to-be-wife set him straight. "She said, 'Don't run away from this. You're a good actor, give it your best shot. You'll never forgive yourself," Goldsmith said. She was also the one who nudged the casting director and ad executives in the right direction about the character's age. 

Goldsmith became a client of Barbara's in 2001. By 2006, the year the first commercial aired, the two had tied the knot. Though Goldsmith has stepped away from Hollywood on multiple occasions, including for a period of time just prior to his tenure as the Dos Equis spokesperson, it was usually because work was hard to come by. After he found fame as the most interesting man in the world, he and his wife sought out privacy purposefully because he was so frequently recognized while out in public. The couple moved from California to Vermont, where they spend time with their two rescue dogs Willy and Joey. 

It stands to reason that the most interesting man in the world would have a lot of great stories to tell. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that Jonathan Goldsmith penned a memoir. "Stay Interesting" hit bookshelves in the summer of 2017. The title and the subtitle, "I Don't Always Tell Stories About My Life, but When I Do They're True and Amazing," capitalize on and poke fun at the slogans of the character he played for Dos Equis. The book, however, is full of foul language and salacious anecdotes. It seems the young Goldsmith was interesting in an entirely different way than the refined but mysterious gentlemen he pretended to be in beer commercials. 

"Stay Interesting" deals mostly with Goldsmith's life before he found fame. He's candid about his failures as an actor, his bad behavior, and his many affairs. He refers to himself as "naughty" and "unmanageable" as a child (which might be why his mother once abandoned him at a market) and includes the tale of how he lost his virginity in high school to a sex worker. He regularly picked up wannabe actresses who waited around bars for the likes of marquee actors like Warren Beatty, and somewhat controversially, he names names when discussing his sexual exploits. 

Goldsmith's memoir is grittier than some might expect, but it's also meant to be inspirational. Despite the more tawdry details, his story is one about overcoming obstacles, relentlessly pursuing ambitions, and enjoying life's journey. 

Jonathan Goldsmith made the most of his time in the spotlight by cementing himself as the true most interesting man in the world, even after his Dos Equis commercials ceased to play on TV. The actor began using social media around 2016 (the same year his relationship with Dos Equis ended) under accounts that reference the character he portrayed and use the hashtag #stayinteresting. Until recently, Goldsmith was active on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Cameo. He regularly posted status updates in which he shared the interesting things he was doing. Sometimes he'd upload photographs and stills of himself as a younger actor. Sometimes he participated in memes. For example, on April 8, 2023, he got in on the viral trend of turning himself into a "Barbie" character poster. His Ken is, of course, always interesting. 

Goldsmith used his social media platforms, which reach tens of thousands of followers, to encourage his fans to stay active, to check out his previous work, to contribute to the many charities he holds close to his heart, and to vote. His last post was on April 28, 2023. Goldsmith reminded his followers that to have a life well-lived, they must be well-read. The accompanying photo, shot from behind his head, shows him reading an unknown book. Also unknown is why Goldsmith, who's been a fairly consistent user of social media, stopped sharing his thoughts and pictures on Instagram and Facebook. The actor does still appear to be available for Cameos. 

Jonathan Goldsmith has admitted that he wasn't always a model citizen, especially when times were tough. But he has always had a soft spot for those in need. Once he had the notoriety and resources, the journeyman actor used his celebrity and fortune to advocate for a great many causes. 

A lifelong lover of animals, Goldsmith has been involved with charities devoted to both wildlife and pets since before he became famous. He's both donated to and volunteered for organizations that help protect the endangered Siberian Tiger and work to cure cancer in dogs. But the now-recognizable actor told Edible Vermont that he's most proud of his efforts aimed at improving life for kids. Goldsmith began giving his time to groups like the Herald Tribune Fresh Air Fund Camp when he was still a teenager. He has since supported Free Arts for Abused Children, a program designed to enrich artistic skills and social and emotional health in kids who've suffered abuse, neglect, and trauma. He's also an arts educator and advocate for the Global Teaching Project, an organization that provides rural schools with access to experts and resources. He was the state chairperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organization he's worked with for more than 10 years.

Goldsmith also gives his time and attention to programs like the Los Angeles Mission, where he's served dinner on Christmas Eve, and Hunger Free Vermont — a group that provides free hot lunches to students. He's even collaborated with the Nobel Prize-winning Mines Advisory Group, which works to clear land mines from former war zones.

Being handsome, especially in one's golden years, and having a cool job (like beer and liquor spokesperson) undoubtedly makes someone interesting. What makes them the purported most interesting man in the world, however, is having a resume full of captivating abilities and extracurriculars. In his 84 years, Jonathan Goldsmith has dabbled in just about every possible pastime. By his own account, he's an avid sailor and fisherman (a hobby he shared with his father). He's a confident gardener and home cook. His go-to meal is spaghetti carbonara. Speaking with Edible Vermont, Goldsmith shared that he and his wife host cocktail hours during which he serves drinks in his mother's Waterford crystal. He loves to read. He writes. Besides his memoir, he's also authored poetry, and he's something of a gearhead who likes to drive his vintage Jaguar. 

Having interesting friends is another part of being an interesting person. Goldsmith is so interesting that none other than the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was interested in him. They'd met previously, as Goldsmith was once on a welcome committee when Obama visited Vermont, after which the man from the ads was invited to be a surprise guest of honor at Obama's 50th birthday celebration. The two chatted over cigars and hit it off well enough that, Goldsmith told Politico, they saw each other two more times. During one visit, the former Commander in Chief gifted him with a little blue box that contained gold cuff links bearing the presidential seal.