He’s a multi-talented actor, comedian, voice artist, producer, and musician who made a huge splash in Hollywood—especially after earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for his standout role in School of Rock. That performance really put him on the map, and since then, he’s built an impressive filmography that includes hits like High Fidelity, King Kong, Saving Silverman, Goosebumps, and the hilarious Tropic Thunder.
Before all the fame and red carpets, he was just a student at UCLA, where he got his start performing with Tim Robbins in a theater troupe. That early experience helped shape his career. His big-screen debut came in 1992 when he played Roger Davis in Bob Roberts—a small but significant step that launched his journey in film.
Interestingly, his parents were both engineers who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, so you could say he comes from a family of brilliant minds. In his personal life, he dated fellow comedian Kathy Griffin back in 1992, adding another quirky chapter to his story. Then in 2006, he married Tanya Haden, and together they’ve built a loving family. They have two sons, Thomas and Samuel, who keep life busy and joyful off-camera.
Through every phase of his career and life, he’s stayed grounded, funny, and endlessly creative—proving time and again why he remains such a beloved figure in entertainment.
He started the band Tenacious D alongside Kyle Gass, and yeah, he really played a key role in shaping what Tenacious D became. It was definitely one of those moments where you could see his passion for music and comedy coming together. He and Kyle Gass just clicked, and from there, Tenacious D took off. He’s often talked about how much fun it was building the band from the ground up. Honestly, he deserves a lot of credit—Tenacious D wouldn’t be what it is today without his energy and creativity. He brought something totally unique to the table, and that’s why Tenacious D stands out so much.