Joel McKinnon Miller attended UMD from 1979- 1983. He then moved to Hollywood and began an astounding acting career. He returned to UMD in 2007 to complete his BFA in Theatre, Acting emphasis.
After attending UMD he joined John’s Houseman’s The Acting Academy, a touring theatre company based in New York. He began touring the United States for three years performing in a wide range of productions, from Much Ado about Nothing to the world premiere of the production Orchards. After touring he continued to work off-Broadway. Joel moved to Los Angeles in 1991 and made his television debut on Murphy Brown. He has also acted in many well known television shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond, Bones, Cold Case, and American Horror Story. In 2010 Joel completed filming his fifth and final season of the HBO series Big Love. He currently is playing the role of Detective “Scully” on the hit Fox comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which is in it's fifth season.
He will be returning to Minnesota to be part of the March 26 production of The 24 Hour Plays. The UMD School of Fine Arts, in partnership with Hennepin Theatre Trust, presents "The 24 Hour Plays." Other UMD alumni cast include Serena Brook from Live From Here with Chris Thile, and Kasano Mwanza from Chanhassen Dinner Theatre'sGrease and Sister Act. Proceeds benefit SFA's UMD Theatre scholarships and Hennepin Theatre Trust's Spotlight Education. 8 pm, Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis.