Jon Voight is one of the most famous actors in Hollywood, and he’s been in the spotlight for more than 50 years. The Academy Award-winning actor is well-known for his performance as Joe Buck in the movie Midnight Cowboy screened in 1969. However, he went on to star in tons of top-notch films moving forward.
The actor often makes headlines because of his involvement in both show business and politics. Needless to say, he’s been at the center of topics that continue to spark interest and controversy. In that vein, here are a few interesting facts about Jon Voight.
1. He Always Knew He Wanted To Act
Not everyone knows what they want to do when they grow up right off the bat. But, as he’s proven countless times, Jon Voight isn’t everyone. The actor was raised Catholic and attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in New York — that’s where he first took an interest in acting. Voight graduated in 1960 from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and then he moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.
2. Jon Voight Has Had A Superb Acting Career
With over five decades in showbiz, it’s clear that Voight has had nothing short of a superb career. In the early 60s, he started off in TV shows such as Gunsmoke (1963 and 1968) and was even a guest star on Naked City and The Defenders (1963). He was also in shows like Twelve O’Clock High (1966) and Cimarron Strip (1968).
As mentioned earlier, it was his role in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy that really took his career to the next level. However, there have been other top-notch movies in his portfolio, like Pearl Harbor (2001), National Treasure (2004), and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016).
3. Jon Voight Is A Member of the Board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center
On March 26, 2019, Voight was appointed to a six-year term on the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees in Washington, DC. The center is a vibrant cultural hub that connects thousands of artists with millions of people each year. Needless to say, it’s a fitting role for someone who’s been in the industry as long as he has.
4. His Political Views Have Cost Him Quite A Lot
Being a Trump fan rubs lots of people the wrong way, which is why Voight isn’t, particularly Mr. Congeniality. In 2021, he once shared that his political views caused a rift between him, the Hollywood elite, and his own family. Voight has even sworn his undying support for Donald Trump‘s presidential race in 2024.
5. None Of His Marriages Lasted Long
In true Hollywood fashion, Voight hasn’t been too successful in the romance department. His first marriage was to actress Lauri Peters in 1962. The pair first met during the original Broadway production of The Sound of Music. However, their marriage didn’t last long, and they divorced in 1967. Soon after, in 1972, he went on to marry another actress, Marcheline Bertrand. Again the marriage went down the drain, and they first separated in 1976, then divorced in 1980. That was the end of the road for the actor and holy matrimony altogether, as he’s been single ever since.
6. But He Hasn’t Given Up On Love
Though his marriages haven’t stood the test of time, that doesn’t mean the star has completely withdrawn from the dating pool. Over the decades, he’s dated a handful of actresses and models. A few of them include Linda Morand, Nastassja Kinski, Barbra Streisand, and Diana Ross.
7. His Children Went Into Showbiz
It’s no secret that Jon Voight has children. More specifically, the star has two children with his second wife, Marcheline Bertrand. It seems that the apples didn’t fall too far from the tree in his case, as both his children are in showbiz. James Haven and Angelina Jolie are big fixtures in the industry, they both act and produce.
8. Jon Voight And Angelina Jolie Weren’t Always On Good Terms
The rift between Voight and Jolie has been famous for decades now. In 2004, the actress told French film magazine Premiere that she and her father weren’t on speaking terms. She went on to add that she held no anger against him. Apparently, their strained relationship is a result of Jon’s affair while he was married to her mother. However, the pair have since mended fences and have mutual respect.
9. He Has Bagged A Handful Of Awards
No doubt, Voight has a great career in film and TV and won numerous awards to show for it. Case point, in the 70s, his roles in Deliverance (1972) and Coming Home (1979) earned him good recognition. In fact, the latter bagged him an Academy Award for Best Actor. He also received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film in 2014 for his work on Ray Donovan.
10. National Medal Of Arts and National Humanities Medal
On November 21, 2019, Trump awarded Voight with the National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal. He received this award for his exceptional capacity as an actor to portray deeply complex characters. Needless to say, Voight is a credit to Hollywood and his industry as a whole.Midnight Cowboy
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