"Last Man Standing" Star Shares His Foundational Faith
Actor, plays the neighbor Chuck Larabee in Fox’s Last Man Standing starring Tim Allen
Has appeared in numerous TV series and shows including NBC’s American Dreams, Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family
Movies such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Justice League Action, etc.
Studied theater at Carnegie-Mellon university
Flourishing voice over career includes narration, animation and radio/television commercials
Married to Monica, 1994
2 daughters
FINDING PRIORITIES
Jonathan grew up in Pittsburgh as the youngest of 5 children. His parents divorced when he was 15 so it was just him and his mom for awhile. “We didn’t have much money,” he says. Occasionally they would attend church – mostly on Christmas and Easter. (“CEO-Christians,” he says, which means Christmas and Easter Only) After high school, Jonathan gave up on God and became agnostic. As he pursued his acting career, Jonathan met Monica who was a strong Christian. He started going to church with her. One day, Jonathan asked Jesus into his heart. Life was good but the in 2007/2008, the recession hit Jonathan and his family hard. “We were about to lose our house,” he says. So he prayed. “I thought the circumstances would change,” he says. “But they didn’t. Instead my attitude towards my problems changed. God hit the reset button on my heart.” Jonathan decided to show an outward reflection of his love for God and got baptized. “We still had hard times,” he says. At the time, God told Jonathan he would change his financial circumstances. “It took him 3 years, but He did it and I never lost faith even during those tough times.”
It’s no secret that it isn’t easy being a Christian in Hollywood. But Jonathan doesn’t hit anyone over the head with his faith. Instead he leads with his actions. “I don’t tell people I go to church,” he says. One day, someone said, “You don’t curse!” Jonathan says he chooses other words in his vocabulary. “People notice and see your example of faith on a daily basis,” he says. “I try to be as positive as possible. Things get me down but I try to look at the bright side of things.”
RARE HOLLYWOOD VIEWS
Last Man Standing is the comedy show that stars Tim Allen who gives his rare Hollywood conservative views a platform. Jonathan says his character and Tim Allen’s characer have different beliefs, but they are not polar opposites in every way. “They have a lot of stuff in common,” he says. “But they would never tell anybody they were friends. They’re at odds politically, but they have a lot in common that connects the characters together. Jonathan was a recurring guest in the second season of the show. Since then, he became a regular in season 4.
