Who is Jonathan Joss? A look back at the San Antonio actor through the years
San Antonio actors tend to be prolific, with Eva Longoria, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Rodriguez, Richard Echavarria, Carol Burnett, and Jesse Borrego making their mark on the screen, big or small. Character actor Jonathan Joss,
who died following a shooting on the city’s Southside
was no different.
Born on December 22, 1965, Joss went on to star in
several high-profile projects that he grew synonymous with
including his role as John Redcorn in
King of the Hill
from 1997 to 2009. His turn as Chief Ken Hotate in
Parks & Recreation
was similarly iconic.
Where was Jonathan Joss born?
Joss was born in San Antonio. He graduated from Harlandale ISD’s McCollum High School as well as Our Lady of Our Lake University. Joss also attended
Gillette Elementary School
in his youth.
What acting roles did Jonathan Joss portray?
Joss’ film and TV credits date back to the early 1990s. He was cast as Kicking Wolf, in
Comanche Moon
, Larry McMurtry’s prequel to Lonesome Dove, opposite Val Kilmer and Steve Zahn. In 2008, when the miniseries premiered, Joss told Jeanne Jakle, then the TV critic for the San Antonio Express-News that filming the show in New Mexico was a highlight of his career.
“I loved how Kicking Wolf wasn’t your typical stoic Native American. He was allowed to smile and add some humor to the story,” Joss, who also did most of his own stunts, said during an S.A. visit.
From 2011 to 215, Joss played Ken Hotate on NBC’s
Parks & Recreation
, where the character proved a fun foil to Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope.
At the time
Aubrey Plaza
, who played April on the show, noted Joss’ improv talents, telling the Express-News, “”His relationship with Leslie Knope (Poehler) is one of the funniest dynamics because of how weird their exchanges are. Jonathan is a really talented improviser. He’s always making us crack up.”
In 2015, Joss resurfaced after being cast in the
Magnificent 7
, as a “Native American” named Denali, “whom he described as the right-hand man of the main villain, Bartholomew Bogue, played by Peter Sarsgaard (TV’s “The Slap”),”
according to reports
at that time. His tenure in the business was not lost on him. He told the San Antonio Express-News at that time, “”As human beings, there’s so much out of our control,” he said. “But sometimes good things just happen and fall together nicely.”
In 2017, when rumblings starting about a
King of the Hill
reboot, Joss was immediately on board. Though the show was not officially greenlit for a comeback until 2023.
He told the
Express-News
, “”It’s exciting!” Joss said in a phone chat. “I’ve heard rumors. I definitely would love to be part of such a return. It’s a great show, nothing like it on TV, and I’m sure viewers will embrace it once again.”
Joss was part of the reboot voice recordings, but was not invited to attend the reunion panel hosted in Austin on May 30.
King of the Grill
In 2011, Joss took to the kitchen to create a line of barbecue rubs and spices aptly named “King of the Grill.” The line featured a mix called “King of the Grill Massage Meat Rub,” with chili peppers, onion, garlic and other spices, as well as “King of the Dill” spice rub for fruit and vegetables.
“The rubs are all made in San Antonio, I’ve been working with a local company,” said Joss, a 1984 graduate of McCollum High School told the
Southside Reporter
at that time. “My spice rubs capture the big native flavors of San Antonio.”
Jonathan Joss loses home in fire
In January 2025, Joss lost two dogs and a home in a South Side house fire, according to multiple reports. At that time, Joss told
KSAT 12
, that the home was built in 1957.
“This is a house I grew up in. I’m more concerned about my dog that died, but you know what? The good Lord will protect us,” Joss told KSAT. “I don’t know which one is dead yet, man. They won’t let me go in the house.”
Fans rally around Jonathan Joss
Following the fire, fans of the character actor launched a
GoFundMe campaign
to help raise funds to secure housing. The fund raised more than $10,000 as of this writing.
Jonathan Joss sounds off on King of the Hill reunion
In March 2025, Joss shared a lengthy post to his social media account noting
he was not invited to the reunion special
. Though he later deleted the post, he noted, “I wasn’t invited to the ‘King of the Hill’ event. It’s hard to find the words but I felt like I needed to say something not entirely out of anger, but also out of the deep ache in my heart,” Joss wrote.
“This show was a part of my life for many years,” Joss continued. “That character, that voice, that story…they were my home, my pride, my connection to something bigger than myself. To not be invited felt like being shut out of a place I helped build.”
Joss would later go on to attend the reunion
, but was part of the audience, not the panel.
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