Born on April 22, 1966 in Seattle, Washington, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is best known for his many high-profile roles in different television programs. While living in Seattle, he was a basketball player in school, until he was sidelined by an injury. He then became a graphic artist until he moved to Los Angeles, where he started his acting career.
Morgan has starred in 15 feature films, the first being the 1991 independent erotica film Uncaged. To date he has appeared in films such as Dillinger and Capone, Road Kill, Something More, Six: The Mark Unleashed, Chasing Ghosts and P.S. I Love You.
However, most of his acting credits were for television. His first television appearance was in the 1996 film In the Blink of an Eye. It was followed by a role in the 1996 UPN drama The Burning Zone, about a group of American agents fighting off natural or man-made biological hazards. The program only lasted for one season; he continued appearing in guest roles on other television shows, like Walker, Texas Ranger, ER, Angel, Tru Calling, JAG and CSI.
From 2005, Morgan appeared simultaneously in three high-profile roles on television. He was first cast as John Winchester, the mysterious father of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jense Ackles), in Supernatural. He then appeared in a recurring role as heart transplant patient Denny Duquette in Grey’s Anatomy; his character, who carried a relationship with Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), died in the second season finale. Finally, he played Judah Botwin in Weeds.
Morgan was also cast in a new project headed by Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, titled Correspondents. The future of the series, however, was placed in doubt after ABC picked up the Grey’s Anatomy spin-off series, Private Practice. He is slated to appear as cigar-chomping vigilante The Comedian in the upcoming action film Watchmen.