Biography
John J. Vogel is a multi-award-winning actor, director, and advocate for the Special Needs community, with a career spanning Hollywood and Nollywood. He earned widespread acclaim for his powerful portrayal of Joe Krazinsky in Scott Hoffman's award-winning short film Post Graduate, which brought him numerous Best Actor honors from top-tier festivals including Marina del Rey, Silicon Beach, Indie Short, IndieFEST, Short Film Breaks, Kansas Arthouse, and the Vancouver Movie Awards, among others.
John stars in the critically acclaimed TV series Production Incorporated, which won Best Series at both the Los Angeles and New York International Film Festivals. He recently won Best Actor for his role in Favour Abu's inspirational film I Rise at the Christian Online Film Festival, starring alongside Tamara Eteimo, who won Best Actress. The film also received Best Director and Best Film honors.
His breakthrough in Nollywood came when he co-starred with international icon Ramsey Nouah in Tempting Fate, the first Hollywood/Nollywood collaboration. He went on to appear in A Soldier's Story: Return from the Dead, directed by Frankie Ogar and produced by Martin Gbados, alongside Eric Roberts and Nollywood star Daniel K. Daniel (DKD). I Rise marks his third Nollywood project, further cementing his international appeal.
Born in Akron, Ohio, John is the son of WWII veteran and lifelong artist John J. Vogel Sr. and Anne Vogel, an RIT graduate and the daughter of Stanton Cahill, once the last private commercial fisherman on Lake Ontario.
John began his career in entertainment as a musician. After studying at The Ohio State University and Berklee College of Music, he moved to Los Angeles, joining the rock band Future Underworld Kings, produced by Grammy-nominated Garth Richardson (Taylor Swift, Rage Against the Machine). His first major on-screen appearance came as the house drummer on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show. Acting soon took center stage, with roles in Soldier of Fortune, Inc. (produced by Jerry Bruckheimer), the Syfy series Sightings, and the award-winning short Jesus 2000.
As a director, John has received multiple Telly, Summit, and Communicator Awards, producing over $10 million in direct sales. He also co-produced Blue Neon Night, a documentary featuring bestselling crime author Michael Connelly.
For over 21 years, John has been a passionate advocate for individuals with special needs. His commitment began with Celebrity Winterfest, benefiting Special Olympics Northern California/Nevada, where he's helped raise nearly $500,000 in services and donations. He later formed The Fresno Crew, a group of Special Needs Athletes trained to work alongside him on set, demonstrating his belief in creating inclusive opportunities within the entertainment industry.
John has studied acting under the legendary Alfred Molina and renowned coach Sal Romeo.
