John Cameron Mitchell (born April 21, 1963) is an American actor, writer and director, best known for originating the title role in the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and reprising it in the 2001 film adaptation, as well as for his films which include Shortbus and Rabbit Hole.
Mitchell was born in El Paso, Texas. His father was a U.S. Army Major General, and Mitchell grew up on army bases in the U.S., Germany, and Scotland, attending Catholic schools, including St. Xavier High School (Junction City, Kansas) and St. Pius X High School (Albuquerque, New Mexico), graduating from the latter in 1981. His mother is a native of Glasgow, Scotland, who immigrated to the United States as a young schoolteacher. His brother Colin is also an actor, writer, and filmmaker.