HGTV John C. Reilly joins Jonathan and Drew Scott on “Celebrity IOU.”
Johnny Agnew is John C. Reilly’s driver and longtime friend. The “Step Brothers” star partnered with Drew and Jonathan Scott to surprise him with a cabin renovation on “Celebrity IOU.”
“Johnny has a very big heart and is a guy who walks the walk in life,” Reilly said in a press release. “He does so much for other people all the time. So when this project came up, I thought this is the perfect person to do this for. I can’t wait to see how he reacts.”
“Celebrity IOU” sees stars like Reilly surprise important people in their lives with renovations. This season’s other celebrities include Tiffany Haddish, Anthony Anderson, Halle Berry, Snoop Dogg, Howie Mandel, Lisa Kudrow and Ali Wong.
Here is what you need to know:
1. Agnew Is a Hollywood Driver
Agnew is a multi-hyphenate but by trade, he is a studio driver in Hollywood. The 60-year-old counts Reilly among his client roster.
“When you spend that much time together, you end up really coming to depend on each other,” Reilly explained in a clip obtained by People. “John’s been there for me so many times.”
Agnew told The Spokesman-Review in 2020, “I’ve been Halle Berry’s driver for 26 years, but mostly I drive set dressers.”
2. Agnew & Reilly Have Been Friends for 20 Years
Agnew and Reilly have been friends for 20 years, HGTV reported. Agnew has worked as the “Winning Time” actor’s driver but the two really bonded over their love of vintage.
“We were lucky enough that we connected right away like brothers — like brothers from another mother. We love the same things and he’s a collector,” Reilly says in a clip obtained by People.
3. Agnew Owns Funky Junk Farms
Agnew is a “collector of all things vintage,” according to his Instagram bio. He has amassed quite the collection that he displays at his Funky Junk Farms in Altadena, California.
Funky Junk Farms offers many services, as listed on their website, including serving as a photo and video shoot location, providing rental services and renting and selling vintage trailers and props.
In a special for the Travel Channel, Agnew explained, “I travel across the country seeking old motor homes, campers, vintage trailers, anything I can find. Yeah, my currency is junk. There’s no doubt about it. I love to rescue these pieces, sell them and buy more. If it’s funky, crazy, wacky, nutty, that’s me. I’m the guy. Just call me the king of junk.”
You can get a look at one of his trailers in the Oscar-winning film, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Brad Pitt’s character Cliff Booth and his dog Brand live in a “retro-cool Spartan” trailer, reported The Spokesman-Review.
4. Reilly & the ‘Property Brothers’ Renovate Agnew’s Cabin
Reilly is teaming up with the “Property Brothers” stars to transform Agnew’s 100-year-old cabin. The dilapidated structure sits on his Funky Junk Farms property.
The “Talladega Nights” actor strives to “preserve the cabin’s rustic vibe but also update the structure with a contemporary design,” according to HGTV. “John, who says he is no stranger to carpentry work, will tear out walls, saw through concrete floors, and hang exterior log veneer boards during the project. The final reveal will be the perfect mix of old and new that incorporates unique items from Johnny’s junkyard into the kitchenette, bathroom and living area.”
“It all hit me like a ton of bricks,” People quoted Agnew after the reveal. “It feels like home already.”
5. Agnew Has a Longtime Girlfriend
Agnew has a longtime girlfriend, Yipsy. He wrote on Instagram of her, “Those of you that know her know how amazingly creative, funny and what an incredible spirit she is.”
As he revealed on Instagram, the couple never had kids but they did mentor Dante who went on to graduate from Stanford.
“In a million years I couldn’t begin to tell you how thankful we are to have Dante in our lives, today he graduated from Stanford Law School with his Law Degree, having never been parents ourselves, for Yipsy and I to have been part of his life for the past few years has meant everything to us,” he captioned photos from Dante’s graduation.
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