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King of the Hill was finally coming back. After years off the air, the animated series that meant so much to so many was gearing up for a fresh start. Fans were ready. And so was Jonathan Joss, the voice of John Redcorn. But just weeks before the revival’s return, everything shifted. Joss was shot and killed on June 1st.
He didn’t just die. He was taken, in an act of hatred, in front of his husband, outside a burned-down home where they’d already lost so much. And now, as the show returns, it carries a shadow.
A Voice You Knew, and One That Shaped King of the Hill
You didn’t need to see his face to know who he was. For anyone who watched King of the Hill, John Redcorn was unforgettable. A Native American character in a white, suburban Texas world, he often stood on the edges, observing, quiet, saying just enough to make you stop and think.
Jonathan Joss took over the role in season two and gave Redcorn something no script could write: dignity. With just a line or two per episode, he made the character feel grounded and wise. He turned pauses into statements.
Outside of King of the Hill, Joss built a career that quietly challenged stereotypes. From Parks and Recreation to The Magnificent Seven, he picked roles that mattered, not because they were loud, but because they had something to say.
The Revival That Won’t Feel the Same
The King of the Hill revival, announced by Hulu, was set for August 2025. Jonathan had already recorded lines for it, four episodes, maybe more. He was ready to return, and fans were eager to hear him again.
The buzz around the revival wasn’t just nostalgia. It was about seeing how these characters, after all this time, would fit into the world we live in now. The show had always been subtle, never flashy, and John Redcorn’s presence, always off to the side but never out of place, was something viewers were looking forward to revisiting.
Now, when the new season airs, there’ll be a weight to every word he speaks. His voice will still be there, but knowing it’s the last time… it changes everything. What was meant to feel nostalgic now feels like a goodbye. And that’s hard to prepare for.
The show will go on. But it won’t be whole.
A Hate Crime on the First Day of Pride
Jonathan and his husband, Tristan, were back at their old property to check the mailbox. The house had burned months earlier. As they stood near the ruins, they found the remains of one of their lost dogs, a discovery that left them shaken.
Then came the neighbor. He’d hurled slurs before. This time, he didn’t just yell, he pulled a gun. Jonathan reacted instantly. He pushed Tristan away. He took the bullet. He saved his partner’s life.
It happened on June 1st. The first day of Pride Month. A moment that should’ve been about love, safety, and joy, stolen by hate.
What Jonathan Joss Meant to Fans of King of the Hill
He wasn’t a celebrity in the way most people think of one. He didn’t chase cameras. But he was known. Trusted. Admired, especially by those who saw themselves in the characters he played. His work on King of the Hill helped make space for Native voices in animation, and did it with humor, patience, and grace.
He didn’t just play Redcorn. He understood him. And maybe that’s why it stuck.
He’s Gone, but the Voice Remains
There’s something about hearing someone’s voice after they’re gone. It’s intimate. Unexpected. A little haunting. When King of the Hill returns, we’ll hear Jonathan one last time, steady, composed, probably saying something wiser than everyone else in the room.
And that voice will hit differently now. Because behind it was a man who lived with quiet courage. A man who stepped up when it mattered most. A man who loved out loud, even if the world wasn’t always kind in return.
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For many fans, he’ll always be Redcorn. But those who knew him, or simply paid close enough attention, saw much more. A musician. A truth-teller. A soft-spoken rebel.
He didn’t need a spotlight to matter. He just needed a microphone. And for a while, he had one.
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