Biography
Who is Jón Gnarr?
Early life and education
Jón Gnarr was born Jón Gunnar Kristinsson in Reykjavík, Iceland. During his childhood, he faced significant educational hurdles, including dyslexia and learning difficulties. He was misdiagnosed with a severe intellectual disability and spent time at the children's psychiatry ward at the State Hospital at Dalbraut. He later wrote about these childhood struggles in his autobiographical book titled The Indian.
As a teenager, he adopted the nickname Jónsi Punk and performed as a bass player in a punk band named Nefrennsli. He attended several high schools but did not complete the university entrance exam. Despite this, he later pursued higher education and earned an MFA degree in performing arts from the Iceland University of the Arts. For his graduation work, he performed a rendition of the ancient Icelandic poem Völuspá from the Poetic Edda.
Acting and comedy career
In 1994, he teamed up with Sigurjón Kjartansson to form a radio duo called Tvíhöfði. He later joined the television station Stöð 2 in 1997, where he wrote and performed in the comedy show Fóstbræður. His filmography includes roles in The Icelandic Dream and A Man like Me. He also wrote, starred in, and produced the short film The Man on the Back in 2004.
Jón worked as a creative writer at the advertising agency EnnEmm. He is perhaps best recognized by audiences for his role as Georg Bjarnfreðarson in the television series Næturvaktin, Dagvaktin, and Fangavaktin. He also co-wrote these programs. In 2009, he starred in the feature film Bjarnfreðarson, which increased his popularity with the Icelandic public. He holds memberships in the Icelandic Actors Guild and the Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild.
Political career and mayoralty
Jón founded the Best Party in 2009 alongside other individuals with no prior political experience. The party began as a satirical project to parody Icelandic politics following the 2008 financial crisis. In the 2010 municipal elections in Reykjavík, the Best Party achieved a plurality, winning six out of 15 seats on the City Council. This victory was considered a significant reaction against the established political order at the time.
He served as the Mayor of Reykjavík from 2010 to 2014. During his term, he famously appeared at the 2010 Gay Pride parade as a drag queen. His administration saw the granting of permission for the construction of Iceland's first purpose-built mosque. After leaving office, he continued to engage in politics, including running as a candidate in the 2024 Icelandic presidential election, where he finished in fourth place. He later joined the Viðreisn party and won a seat in the Althing for the Reykjavík South constituency.
Family and personal life
Jón Gnarr is married to Jóhanna Jóhannsdóttir. She maintained a close friendship with the singer Björk, who wrote the song Jóga about her for the 1997 album Homogenic. Jón is the father of one child, Margrét Edda Gnarr. His personal interests include the HBO series The Wire, which he has cited as a factor in his coalition-building decisions.
Birthday and age
Jón Gnarr was born on January 2, 1967, which makes Jón 59 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Jón shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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