# Jonathan Van Ness
**Jonathan Van Ness** (born 1987 in [Quincy, Illinois](https://www.edgepedia.org/quincy-illinois)) is an American television personality, hairdresser, podcaster, and author, known as the grooming and self-care expert on Netflix's *[Queer Eye](https://www.edgepedia.org/queer-eye-2018-tv-series)* reboot, host of the podcast *Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness*, and known for the web series parody *Gay of Thrones*.[1](https://www.illinoisauthors.org/php/getSpecificAuthor.php?uid=10190) They came to television through a Los Angeles salon career and a 2013 web series, joined the rebooted *Fab Five* in 2018, and have since built a portfolio spanning books, a hair-care brand, and stand-up comedy touring.[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Quincy, Illinois, 1987; raised there[1](https://www.illinoisauthors.org/php/getSpecificAuthor.php?uid=10190) |
| Breakthrough | *Queer Eye* (Netflix, February 2018) as the Fab Five's grooming guru[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/) • [3](https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Jonathan-Van-Ness/151752114) |
| *Gay of Thrones* | Web series launched 2013, eight seasons, Emmy nominations in 2016, 2018, and 2019[4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness) |
| Podcast | *Getting Curious*, launched 2015; over 300 episodes; iHeartRadio Award for Best LGBTQ Podcast; a Time top podcast of 2018[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview) • [4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness) |
| Books | *Over the Top* (2019, New York Times bestseller, Goodreads Choice Award winner); *Love That Story* (2022); *Let Them Stare* (2025, with Julie Murphy)[1](https://www.illinoisauthors.org/php/getSpecificAuthor.php?uid=10190) • [2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/) |
| Business | JVN Hair, launched 2021: sustainable, cruelty-free, non-gendered hair care[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/) |
| Advocacy | Publicly disclosed living with HIV in 2019; campaigns with The Trevor Project, Planned Parenthood, and Equality Texas[6](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/22/ive-finally-put-my-life-together-jonathan-van-nesss-rise-to-inspirational-star) • [2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/) |
## Early life and education
Van Ness was born and raised in Quincy, Illinois, in 1987.[1](https://www.illinoisauthors.org/php/getSpecificAuthor.php?uid=10190) As a child they collected rocks and stamps, and watching [Tonya Harding](https://www.edgepedia.org/tonya-harding)'s 1991 triple axel ignited a lifelong love of figure skating and gymnastics.[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview) At high school, joining the junior varsity cheerleading squad at age 14 was, in their telling to *The Guardian*, an epiphany: they felt at home immediately.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/22/ive-finally-put-my-life-together-jonathan-van-nesss-rise-to-inspirational-star)
## Hairdressing and Gay of Thrones
Van Ness worked full-time as a hairdresser in Los Angeles, and in 2013 launched *Gay of Thrones*, a web series parody recapping *Game of Thrones* from the salon chair.[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview) • [1](https://www.illinoisauthors.org/php/getSpecificAuthor.php?uid=10190) The series ran for eight seasons before wrapping, and earned Emmy nominations for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series in 2016, 2018, and 2019.[4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness)
## Queer Eye and television work
In February 2018 Van Ness began starring in Netflix's *Queer Eye*, the reboot of the Emmy-winning *Queer Eye for the Straight Guy*, which returned after an 11-year hiatus from the original series.[3](https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Jonathan-Van-Ness/151752114) • [6](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/22/ive-finally-put-my-life-together-jonathan-van-nesss-rise-to-inspirational-star) The 2018 Fab Five comprised Van Ness, Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, and [Tan France](https://www.edgepedia.org/tan-france), with Van Ness cast as the grooming guru.[7](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/queer-eye-fab-five-where-are-they-now) Their role is framed on their own site as the show's beauty and self-care expert.[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/)
The series won four consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Structured Reality Program, an Emmy for Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program, and three consecutive GLAAD awards for Best Reality Program; Van Ness individually won a Critics Choice Award as Break Out Star of the Year in 2019.[8](https://jonathanvanness.com/tv/) Van Ness and their cast mates were nominated together four times for Outstanding Host of a Reality or Competition Show, including a 2022 Primetime Emmy nomination.[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/) • [4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness) Van Ness was also a 2020 People's Choice Award nominee for Favorite Reality TV Star, their second consecutive year in that category.[4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness)
## Podcasting
In 2015, while still working as a hairdresser, Van Ness launched the *Getting Curious* podcast, a weekly exploration of subjects they were curious about.[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview) The podcast format brings one expert together with Van Ness for about an hour each week.[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview) It reached its 250th episode in the week the television adaptation premiered on January 28, 2022, and has since passed 300 episodes.[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview) • [4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness) The TV version, filmed primarily in Manhattan, compresses the format to multiple experts in about half an hour, and marked the first time Van Ness served as executive producer of a television show.[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview) The podcast won the iHeartRadio Award for Best LGBTQ Podcast and was named one of Time magazine's top podcasts of 2018.[4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness)
Van Ness also starred in and executive produced the Netflix series *Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness*, which was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Series at the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards.[4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness) • [9](https://www.out.com/television/2021/12/16/jvn-getting-curious-brand-new-solo-netflix-show)
## Writing and business ventures
Van Ness's memoir *Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love* (2019) became a New York Times bestseller, an NPR favorite book of the year, an indie bestseller, and the Goodreads Choice Award winner for Best Memoir & [Autobiography](https://www.edgepedia.org/autobiography).[1](https://www.illinoisauthors.org/php/getSpecificAuthor.php?uid=10190) It was followed by the essay collection *Love That Story* (2022) and the young adult novel *Let Them Stare* (2025), co-written with [Julie Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/julie-murphy-author).[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/) Van Ness has also written two children's picture books, *Peanut Goes for the Gold* (2020) and *Gorgeously Me!* (2024).[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/)
In 2021 Van Ness launched JVN Hair, described as a sustainable, cruelty-free, and non-gendered line of hair care products built for every hair type.[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/)
## By the numbers
- 4 consecutive [Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/emmy-awards) for *Queer Eye* as Outstanding Structured Reality Program, plus a casting Emmy and 3 consecutive GLAAD awards for Best Reality Program[8](https://jonathanvanness.com/tv/)
- 4 ensemble nominations for Outstanding Host of a Reality or Competition Show, including the 2022 Primetime Emmy nomination[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/) • [4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness)
- 3 Emmy nominations for *Gay of Thrones* (2016, 2018, 2019) across 8 seasons[4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness)
- Over 300 episodes of *Getting Curious*; 250th episode reached at the January 28, 2022 TV premiere[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview) • [4](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness)
- 1 Goodreads Choice Award and New York Times bestseller status for *Over the Top*[1](https://www.illinoisauthors.org/php/getSpecificAuthor.php?uid=10190)
- 1 milestone cover: in December 2019 Van Ness became the first non-female solo cover star of *Cosmopolitan* UK in 35 years[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/)
## Public image, advocacy, and personal life
In September 2019 Van Ness publicly disclosed that they are living with HIV. In their interview with *The Guardian*, they said the aim of revealing their status was to advance discussion of HIV/AIDS and of living with the virus in a substantial way, while also making it feel human and ordinary.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/22/ive-finally-put-my-life-together-jonathan-van-nesss-rise-to-inspirational-star) That same year, their appearance on *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert* discussing the book and HIV stigma won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode.[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/)
Van Ness has described gravitating as an adult to the term genderqueer to express their place in the world.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/22/ive-finally-put-my-life-together-jonathan-van-nesss-rise-to-inspirational-star) They work on campaigns with [The Trevor Project](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-trevor-project), Planned Parenthood, and Equality Texas.[2](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/) Van Ness married their husband, Mark Peacock, and has continued projects including *Getting Curious*, an essay collection, a global comedy tour, and the JVN hair-care line.[7](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/queer-eye-fab-five-where-are-they-now)
## References
1. [Illinois Center for the Book - Illinois Authors - Jonathan Van Ness](https://www.illinoisauthors.org/php/getSpecificAuthor.php?uid=10190)
2. [About - Jonathan Van Ness (official site)](https://jonathanvanness.com/about/)
3. [Jonathan Van Ness - Simon & Schuster UK author page](https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Jonathan-Van-Ness/151752114)
4. [United Talent Agency: Jonathan Van Ness](https://www.unitedtalent.com/talent/comedy-touring/jonathan-van-ness)
5. [Jonathan Van Ness 'Getting Curious' Interview - Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/jonathan-van-ness-getting-curious-interview)
6. [Jonathan Van Ness on being HIV positive - The Guardian (22 September 2019)](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/22/ive-finally-put-my-life-together-jonathan-van-nesss-rise-to-inspirational-star)
7. ['Queer Eye' Fab 5: Where Are They Now? - Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/queer-eye-fab-five-where-are-they-now)
8. [Television - Jonathan Van Ness (official site)](https://jonathanvanness.com/tv/)
9. [JVN Is 'Getting Curious' in Brand New Solo Netflix Show](https://www.out.com/television/2021/12/16/jvn-getting-curious-brand-new-solo-netflix-show)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Reality television personalities and media celebrities*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license