John was born in Iowa City where his father, the writer Robert Lacy, studied at the Iowa Writer's Workshop under the mentor-ship of Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Yates, alongside fellow students Andre Dubus, William Kittredge, Theodore Weesner, and detective novelist James Crumley. The family settled in Minneapolis, MN, after Robert took a position working for the State Capitol as a speech writer for the late Senator Nick Coleman.
John's mother, Lyn Ellen Lacy is an accomplished educator and published author, specializing in children's' visual literacy. His older brother, Peter Lacy, heads the Italian translation self-publishing division at Amazon, and his sister, Ruth Grim, coordinates exhibits for the Appleton Museum in Ocala, Florida.
John's acting career began in 1988, initially showing up in beer commercials and music videos. After extensive study, stage work, and commitment to the Meisner technique, his roles improved considerably, booking several guest starring roles on a handful of Miller/Boyett Production situational comedies. Then came John's first significant film role, cast as 'Fector' in Nancy Savoca's anti-war love story Dogfight. Since then, John's stock has risen steadily year after year, appearing in all of television's top rated programs while continuing a substantial and recognizable presence in television commercials, and supporting roles in several notable films.
John Lacy continues to work steadily in television and film, as well as establishing a reputation as a career coach and motivational speaker for aspiring talent getting in to the entertainment business. His mentoring platform, The Artist Process, has been instrumental in developing and cultivating some of the most promising young actors in Hollywood.
John has been married to Karin Lacy since 1994. They have three sons.
