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Jon Michael Hill

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Jon Michael Hill
EducationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
OccupationActor
Years active2007–present

Jon Michael Hill is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Detective Marcus Bell in the CBS series Elementary (2012–2019) and Detective Damon Washington in the ABC series Detroit 1-8-7 (2010–2011). He is also known for his work on Broadway, and has received two Tony Award nominations. He is an ensemble member at Steppenwolf Theatre Company.[1]

Life and career

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Hill[2] played football and the saxophone during his high school years before focusing on pursuing an acting career, attending a summer drama program at Northwestern University.[3] graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.[3] While at the university, he appeared in stage productions of King Lear, Six Degrees of Separation and Ain't Misbehavin'.[3]

Hill played the role of Puck in the 2007 Shakespeare in the Park production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.[4] In 2009, Hill was nominated for the Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for The Tempest at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois. In 2010, Hill was nominated for a Tony Award as Best Featured Actor in a Play in Superior Donuts opposite Michael McKean.[5] In the same year, he began his role as Detective Damon Washington in the ABC police drama Detroit 1-8-7.

Hill's other television credits include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Person of Interest, and Eastbound & Down. He then went on to star in the CBS series Elementary, wherein he played the role of Detective Marcus Bell. In 2018, he made his directorial debut with the Elementary episode "The Worms Crawl In, the Worms Crawl Out".[6][7]

In 2025, Hill received his second Tony Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in the play Purpose. The play also won the Tony Award for Best Play.[8]

He has been an ensemble member at Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 2007. [1]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Last Stain Brodsky Short film
2011 Falling Overnight Troy
2015 Standing8 Abdul Short film
2016 No Pay, Nudity New Kid
In the Radiant City Richard Gonzalez
2018 Pass Over Moses
Widows Reverend Wheeler
2020 Sanctuary Reggie Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2010–2011 Detroit 1-8-7 Detective Damon Washington Main cast; 18 episodes
2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Tre Davis Episode: "Spiraling Down"
2012 Eastbound & Down Darnell 6 episodes
Person of Interest Curtis Episode: "Wolf and Cub"
2012–2019 Elementary Detective Marcus Bell 153 episodes; also director of "The Worms Crawl In, the Worms Crawl Out"
2020 The Good Fight Jumaane Jenkins Episode: "The Gang Is Satirized and Doesn't Like It"
2022 The Accidental Wolf Episode: "Abyss"
2022–2023 61st Street Pastor Richards 9 episodes
2024 A Man in Full Conrad Hensley Main cast
2026 Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Detective Baxter Main cast

Stage

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Year Title Role Venue Ref.
2006 The Unmentionables Etienne Regional, Steppenwolf Theatre Company [9]
2007 A Midsummer Night's Dream Puck Off-Broadway, Delacorte Theatre [10]
2008 Superior Donuts Franco Wicks Regional, Steppenwolf Theatre Company [9]
Kafka on the Shore Performer
2009 The Tempest Ariel
Superior Donuts Franco Wicks Broadway, Music Box Theatre [10]
2011 The Hot l Baltimore Bill Lewis Regional, Steppenwolf Theatre Company [9]
2013 Head of Passes Crier
2016 Constellations Roland
2017 Pass Over Moses
2018 Off-Broadway, Lincoln Center Theatre [10]
2019 True West Austin Regional, Steppenwolf Theatre Company [9]
2021 Pass Over Moses Broadway, August Wilson Theatre [10]
2022 True West Austin International, Galway International Arts Festival
2023 The Refuge Plays Walking Man Off-Broadway, New York Theatre Workshop
2024 Purpose Nazareth "Naz" Jasper Regional, Steppenwolf Theatre Company [9]
Leroy and Lucy Leroy
2025 Purpose Nazareth "Naz" Jasper Broadway, Helen Hayes Theatre [10]
2026 Windfall Nurse, Cori Regional, Steppenwolf Theatre Company [9]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2010 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play Superior Donuts Nominated [10]
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Won
Theatre World Award Won
2019 Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Pass Over Nominated
2025 Tony Awards Best Actor in a Play Purpose Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play Nominated

References

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  1. 1 2 "Jon Michael Hill". www.steppenwolf.org. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
  2. ↑ McKeough, Kevin (April 2011). "A star on deck: A look at the next big thing". Chicagomag.com. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Jon Michael Hill bio at ABC.com". Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  4. ↑ New-to-TV Actor Jon Michael Hill on Detroit 1-8-7[link removed] by Stefanie Lee - TV.com
  5. ↑ Exclusive: Superior Donuts Tony Nominee Jon Michael Hill Awaiting News of TV Pilot Archived July 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine By Kenneth Jones May 6, 2010 - Playbill.com
  6. ↑ "Elementary: The Worms Crawl In, the Worms Crawl Out (CBS 20 Aug 2018, with Victor Williams) | Memorable TV - Episodes, News & More". August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  7. ↑ Carter, Matt (August 10, 2018). "Elementary season 6 episode 17 spoilers: Jon Michael Hill directs!". CarterMatt. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  8. ↑ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 1, 2025). "2025 Tony Award Nominations: Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending Lead the Pack". Playbill. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Jon Michael Hill". Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Jon Michael Hill (Actor)". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
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