John Philip "Jack" McFarland is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes.

He is very mercurial and changes careers rapidly from cater waiter, Banana Republic and Barneys New York sales clerk, to acting teacher, to student nurse, to surfer, to back-up dancer for Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson.

Although he considers all his relationships serious, only one lasted longer than a few weeks (with Stuart, a client of Will's played by Dave Foley), and even that one ended with Jack's cheating.

Jack's character is unashamedly vain and self-absorbed, and adores all gay icons, particularly Cher, of whom he has a rare doll.

Jack was born February 16, 1969, and was raised by his mother Judith (Veronica Cartwright) and stepfather Daniel (Beau Bridges).

Since the first season, Jack has established a close bond with alcoholic socialite Karen Walker (Megan Mullally), who works as Grace's secretary.

At the end of season one, Jack agrees to marry Karen's maid Rosario (Shelley Morrison) to secure her green card.

Jack does, however, meet Elliot (Michael Angarano), his own biological son, whom he fathered by depositing at a sperm bank as a teenager so that he could buy a leather jacket.

[7] He later discovers that the boy's mother Bonnie (Rosie O'Donnell) is a lesbian; she was a nurse at the sperm bank who stole Jack's deposit and was inseminated with it.

[8] Jack's most consistent vocation results from his taking over the class of his acting teacher Zandra (Eileen Brennan) after she is fed up with his lack of talent.

In season eight, however, Jack loses his job at the network after he speaks out against the new right-wing ownership of the show, which has given him a conservative co-host named Amber Louise (Britney Spears).

Feeling depressed and rejected at the time, he displays real emotion instead of his usual over-dramatic acting style, and ends up getting the lead role of Chuck Rafferty, a straight, alcoholic, womanizing cop.

In the new continuity, Jack was never engaged to Beverly Leslie, is not rich, is still living across the hall from Will and Grace, and is still pursuing an acting career while throwing himself at every available man in sight.

[15] During the ninth season, he takes up a part-time job as rehearsal pianist and acting teacher at the Bronx Boys and Girls Club.

During the ninth season, Jack enters into a relationship with Drew (Ryan Pinkston) after realising he fears growing old and lonely.

They also provide each other with emotional support (in their own self-absorbed fashion), with Karen defending him from people who treat him unkindly and Jack giving her a shoulder to cry on when her marriage falls apart.