Jacob Batalon Biography

Jacob Batalon is a Filipino-American actor best known for playing Peter Parker's loyal best friend Ned Leeds in Marvel's Spider-Man films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Jacob was born on October 9, 1996, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Filipino parents Nestor Batalon and Vangie Andres, and grew up in a large blended family with seven half-siblings. He attended St. Anthony's School and Damien Memorial School, then enrolled at Kapiʻolani Community College to study music theory before leaving to pursue acting at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.

While at acting school, Jacob auditioned for a then-untitled Marvel project and was flown to Burbank to read with Tom Holland, ultimately winning the role of Ned Leeds in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), his first major film role. He quickly became a fan favorite, reprising Ned in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) and related tie-in content such as the web series The Daily Bugle.

Outside the MCU, Jacob has built a diverse résumé with roles in films including the horror-comedy Blood Fest (2018), teen romance Every Day (2018), indie feature The True Don Quixote (2019) as Sancho Panza, holiday ensemble Let It Snow (2019), followed by projects like Shortcomings (2023), Lift (2024), and the horror film Tarot (2024). He also moved into leading-man territory on television as the title character in Syfy's dramedy Reginald the Vampire (2022–2024), allowing him to spotlight both his comedic timing and more dramatic beats.

Jacob has been open about his significant weight loss ahead of Spider-Man: No Way Home, noting he shed over 100 pounds as part of his broader focus on health. Proud of his heritage, he has woven his Filipino background into his work, even speaking Ilocano and using his mother's surname for his character in an episode of Reginald the Vampire as a tribute to his family. Known for his easygoing demeanor, self-deprecating humor, and onscreen warmth, he has come to represent a more inclusive image of the modern blockbuster sidekick-turned-leading man.