Jimmy Tatro's Most Popular Roles So Far
Few could've expected 2012's "21 Jump Street" to become the sensation that it did, but Phil Lord and Chris Miller managed to turn the dormant '80s TV series into one of the best comedies of the last decade. That streak continued with the debut of "22 Jump Street" in 2014, which fulfilled the original movie's promise of sending Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) to college. The new mission brought in an assortment of zany new characters, such as Zook (Wyatt Russell), as well as Rooster.
As a major character in "22 Jump Street," Rooster likely looks familiar to many viewers of recent films, television, or internet content. That's because he is portrayed by Jimmy Tatro, an early pioneer of internet content who has leveraged his popularity to amass a robust IMDb page of credits. With all of that said, let's dive in and take a look at some of the most important roles of Tatro's career so far.
He made a name for himself with LifeAccordingtoJimmy
Some of the earliest roles that fans will likely know Jimmy Tatro from were his online performances on his "LifeAccordingtoJimmy" YouTube channel. Kicking off in 2011, the influential content creator quickly earned a name for himself with a wide variety of videos related to fraternity life, relationship problems, sports, partying, and much more. He created content targeted at the increasingly-online millennial generation. It was here that his well-known SoCal bro personality became a calling card that would define much of his early career.
Unlike many social media content creators, Jimmy Tatro has remained relatively committed to his online presence. Rather than fully transition to a Hollywood career, he has continued to post videos and skits to his various platforms. However, his resume has dramatically expanded since his "LifeAccordingtoJimmy" days, with the star earning many more traditional film and television roles since his rise to fame in the early 2010s.
He played his first (but not last) big screen frat boy in Grown Ups 2
Jimmy Tatro's work on the "LifeAccordingtoJimmy" YouTube channel quickly made him a fixture within the collegiate Greek life community, frequently appearing on websites such as Total Frat Move. As such, Hollywood quickly took note and began casting him in roles to suit that persona. One such role was a brief cameo performance in 2013's "Grown Ups 2," where he plays a member of a fraternity that squares off against the film's aging protagonists.
Of course, Tatro was not the only young actor to be cast as a frat boy in the Adam Sandler-led comedy. His crew of frat boys also included appearances by "Twilight" alum Taylor Lautner, as well as Patrick Schwarzenegger. From his appearance in "Grown Ups 2," Tatro would go on to play college party boys in other subsequent projects, such as "Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland" (the long-awaited sequel movie to the college football-focused Spike series) and the aforementioned "22 Jump Street."
He was framed on American Vandal
Jimmy Tatro has a long history of successfully playing dimwitted jock-type characters. Perhaps no role epitomizes this idea better (or has received more critical acclaim) than his performance as the charming slacker Dylan Maxwell in Season 1 of the Netflix series "American Vandal." The mockumentary, which skewers the true crime genre (the same genre the streaming giant helped return to prominence through docuseries like "Making a Murderer"), follows an intrepid team of high school reporters (Tyler Alvarez, Griffin Gluck) investigating who drew a series of phallic images on cars at the fictional Hanover High in San Diego, California. Though Tatro's Dylan is initially presented as the prime suspect, the show slowly unravels its mystery and reveals a far more dramatic truth.
"American Vandal" was a major critical success upon the release of the first season in 2017. As such, a second season received a green light from Netflix and the series returned the following year. However, in keeping with the true crime, anthology format of the series, the overall story of "American Vandal" Season 2 moved away from Hanover High to focus on an entirely different school in a new part of the country. Because of that change, Tatro did not return as Dylan Maxwell. Despite the success of Season 2, Netflix opted to cancel "American Vandal," with no sign of Season 3 anywhere in sight.
He played a firefighter in The King of Staten Island
Jimmy Tatro has appeared in several studio comedies over the course of his career, with one notable role coming in the form of Judd Apatow's 2020 dramedy "The King of Staten Island." The film centers on Scott (Pete Davidson) as he struggles to navigate his 20s and reconnect with the legacy of his father, a Staten Island firefighter who died in a fire when Scott was a child. "The King of Staten Island" is loosely based on Davidson's own life, reworking details about his own father — a member of the FDNY who died on 9/11 (via Esquire). In the Apatow-directed feature, Tatro portrays Savage, a young firefighter at the house where Scott's dad once worked and where Ray Bishop (Bill Burr), his mom's (Marisa Tomei) new boyfriend, currently works.
Tatro's role in the film is small, but he gets a few moments to shine as one of the more dimwitted members of the firehouse led by Papa (Steve Buscemi). "The King of Staten Island" debuted to mostly positive reviews in June 2020, earning a commendable 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the film premiered in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was one of the first movies to go straight to PVOD with a limited theatrical release (via Deadline). As a result, "The King of Staten Island" only earned back a fraction of its $35 million budget at the box office.
He stars as Connor on ABC's Home Economics
One of Jimmy Tatro's most fleshed-out characters to date also happens to be one of his most recent. Avid ABC viewers may recognize him as Connor in the network's sophomore comedy, "Home Economics." The series focuses its story on a group of siblings in San Francisco as they each navigate different levels of wealth. As Connor, Tatro portrays the youngest sibling in the family who has also achieved the highest degree of financial success, much to the dismay of his older brother and sister. In addition to Tatro, the show's ensemble also includes "That '70s Show" alum Topher Grace and "Mythic Quest" actor Caitlin McGee.
"Home Economics" debuted to largely positive reviews upon its debut on ABC in 2021. The show was subsequently picked up for a second season. It's a smart comedy that's earned a number of positive reviews, largely because of performances from talented stars like Tatro.
He played the first victim's boyfriend in The Wolf of Snow Hollow
In the 2020 werewolf movie "The Wolf of Snow Hollow," Jimmy Tatro's PJ Palfrey and his girlfriend Brianne (Annie Hamilton) decide to go on a weekend getaway in Snow Hollow, Utah. Unfortunately, the idyllically named town quickly turns out to be disappointing, and before long, deadly.
The bad business begins when some local hunters start verbally harassing PJ. He and Brianne decide not to let the incident drag them down and instead use the hot tub where they're staying to try to relax. After a bit, PJ heads in for a shower, thinking that Brianne won't be far behind. However, while he's inside, she's attacked by a mysterious creature. Hearing a growl, PJ heads back out to investigate, but all he finds is her dead body and a bloody paw print.
Ultimately, PJ ends up providing a key piece of evidence in the case when he offhandedly mentions an item left behind that didn't belong to him or Brianne. Despite being a relatively minor thing, it makes a big difference. "The Wolf of Snow Hollow" is a rare serious role for Tatro, but he does well with it, hinting at a much bigger range than some fans might expect.
He accidentally exposed a school scandal in Bad Education
Jimmy Tatro plays James "Jim Boy" McCarden in "Bad Education," the son of a Long Island school district assistant superintendent named Pam Gluckin (Allison Janney). A bit of a screw-up, Jim Boy tries to do better and throws himself into renovating his mother's home. While buying supplies for the project, he uses one of her credit cards, which is linked to the Board of Education. The irregularity is flagged, and it quickly leads back to Pam when everyone realizes Jim Boy is related to her. Worse for her, it prompts people to dig deeper into the account, revealing years and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fraudulent activity.
When the smoke finally settles, Jim Boy's mom and the superintendent, Dr. Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman), are both sentenced to lengthy prison terms. It all starts with Jim Boy buying tools and lumber — a gesture meant to help his mother, not put her behind bars.
He played a delightfully dim and arrogant manager in Stuber
Director Michael Dowse's "Stuber" follows the titular Stu (Kumail Nanjiani), an Uber driver struggling to make ends meet. Stu's boss at his other job –a sporting goods store — is a vain and relatively dim man named Richie Sandusky, played by Jimmy Tatro. Vastly overestimating how funny and charming he is, Richie's the one who gives Stu his nickname and the movie its title — a portmanteau of Stu and Uber.
Richie is revealed, in pieces, to be far less confident than he appears. The blowhard is actively concerned about losing his hair — despite protests to the contrary — and admits that he thinks of Stu as his good friend, even though they spend almost no time together outside of work. When Stu becomes more assertive with Richie during the film's climax, his boastful persona almost immediately dissolves. It turns out, Richie's unable to maintain his act once Stu starts standing up for himself.
He played a well-intentioned friend in The Now
Originally meant as a Quibi series before the platform shut down, "The Now" focuses on a young man named Ed Poole (Dave Franco). After his brother's suicide, Ed inherits a lot of his sibling's baggage, including a significant amount of debt to a local loan shark. Miserable and afraid to end up like his brother, Poole decides to start living in and for the present. He wants to forget the past and not obsess over the future — a strategy that's often challenged by the world around him.
Jimmy Tatro's Hal, however, proves a strong ally in Ed's mission. That's mainly because he's one of the blessed few who mostly lives in the moment naturally. He isn't dragged down by his past or overwhelmed by his future because his brain simply doesn't seem to work that way. So while this might not make him the most effective at, say, saving Ed's finger for reattachment — Hal packs it in ice from a urinal and includes the urinal cake — it does make him oddly inspirational.
He's a classic himbo in The Guest Book
Jimmy Tatro appears in Season 2, Episode 1 of "The Guest Book" and returns in every successive episode. He plays a local handyman named Bodhi who works around the beachy Barefoot Retreat vacation resort. When Bodhi shows up to help out at Barefeet Retreat, he and visitor Eddie (Eddie Steeples) become fast friends. He also attracts the romantic attention of Vivian (Carly Jibson), a former strip club owner turned waitress.
Bodhi is kind and generous, but he isn't especially quick-witted — a classic example of Tatro's signature archetype. For example, in one episode, he attempts to search for a missing Eddie, who goes to great lengths to not be found. Bodhi is oblivious to this fact, however, and continues his quest to no avail. Reviewer Latoya Ferguson of Uproxx referred to Bodhi as "a simple puppy of a human being who actually gives Eddie a run for his money as the purest, sweetest character on this show." Tatro is great in the role, which falls perfectly within his wheelhouse.
He played Alex's firefighter boyfriend in Modern Family
A late addition in the "Modern Family" timeline, Jimmy Tatro's Bill arrived in Season 9. Alex (Ariel Winter) falls asleep in the middle of a Bagel Bites binge, drowning her sorrows in carbs after learning that her professor crush is dating her sister. While she snoozes, her snack burns, setting off the fire alarm. Bill is the first one on the scene in his full fireman gear, sweeping Alex up off her bed and into his arms.
The two start dating almost immediately, and Bill quickly proves himself to be a good guy. While not as bright as Alex and certainly not as smart as her previous crush, he's kind and genuine, and he truly seems to care for her. Bill also has a true respect for Alex's parents and even acknowledges at one point that it's hard to live up to the standard set by Phil (Ty Burrell). While Tatro never became a member of the main cast, he continued to appear through the end of the series.
He gave Lil Dicky an identity crisis
Although he only briefly appears in the music video for Lil Dicky's "Freaky Friday," Jimmy Tatro makes a big impact. Playing an unnamed fan, Tatro approaches the rapping comedian's table at a Chinese restaurant and excitedly recognizes him. When Lil Dicky confirms his identity, Tatro enthusiastically explains to the woman with him that Lil Dicky is one of his favorite rappers. Unfortunately, he then quickly explains that Lil Dicky isn't a "real" rapper, but rather a funny one whose music is largely self-deprecating.
Dejected by the interaction, Lil Dicky comments to his friends that he wishes he was cool like other hip-hop artists. The waiter overhears his statement of longing, and, in an homage to the movie "Freaky Friday," conducts a magic spell that places Lil Dicky in the body of Chris Brown. As the video goes on, the rapper also jumps into the bodies of Ed Sheeran, DJ Khaled, and Kendall Jenner.