Chuck

Background:

“I’m more Chuck than I’m not Chuck. Pretty much my whole life, actually, I’ve felt like a nerd. Growing up I was always the best friend to the girls, never the boyfriend.” Zachary Levi.

Beginning acting on stage in community and regional theater when he was just 6, Zachary Levi began acting on television in his early twenties and got his first big break while portraying the quick-witted, scheming Kipp Steadman, Sara Rue's enemy at work, in the ABC sitcom "Less Than Perfect" (2002-2006).

However, it was his turn as the titular twenty-something computer geek by day and government secret agent by night in the NBC action-comedy series "Chuck" that has launched his name toward prominence. Premiered on September 24, 2007, the show received a full season pickup in November 2007 despite the fact that the writers' strike was still in play. It was eventually picked up for a second season in 2008/2009. Zachary himself received a Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical for his work in the show.

Meanwhile, he has guest starred in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The Division," as well as appeared in the pilot of the American version of the British sitcom chronicling the week leading up to a couple's wedding, "Worst Week of My Life" (2005).

Moviegoers could also catch him in such films as "Big Momma's House 2" (2006) and "Spiral" (2007), which he also executive-produced. He will soon star in the upcoming films "Shades of Ray" and "Wieners."

The 6' 4" rising star was chosen by People Magazine as one of the "8 Hottest Guys on Fall TV" and one of their "Sexiest Men Alive" in 2007. He also ranked #22 on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' the actors list in 2008.

“The money and the power and the fame and all of the things that come with Hollywood, they can twist up real quick.” Zachary Levi.

Video Games Freak

Childhood and Family:

The middle child between two sisters, Zachary Levi Pugh was born on September 29, 1980 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He began acting, singing and dancing in school and local theater productions at the early age of six and would pack for Los Angeles to pursue his dream of acting after graduating from Buena High School.

Zachary is a good poker player and likes to ride motorcycles (he owns two motorcycles, a Harley-Davidson FXDX and a Ducati Monster), play video games (he had to get 14 stitches on his hand after putting it through a light fixture in his living room during a game of tennis on his Nintendo Wii), go snowboarding, skydiving and spend time with his family and friends in his spare time.

"It’s a big year for calling up companies and saying: 'Hey can you give me a couple of those to kick down to my family and friends?' Honestly, I just want sleep, and more time to play the video games that I own. And that’s actually one of the cool things about this job and the way it’s all worked out is that, the stuff that I would ask for like Rock Band, Harmonix, who makes it brought it to the set the other day and said: “Here you go, this is for you.” And I was like: ”Oh, thank you Jesus.” And I brought it home and hooked it up and me and my buddies have been playing it for like 3 days." Zachary Levi.

Zachary, whose icon is the late John Ritter, enjoys waching the TV shows “Lost,” “Heroes,” and “Seinfeld.” As of 2007, he resides in Los Angeles and remains single.

“I have simple jeans tastes: Gap 1969, Guess, Banana Republic, and Diesel.” Zachary Levi.

Less Than Perfect

Career:

“I can destroy the dance floor. I think life should be a musical. I always hate it when people watch a musical and they go, 'Oh, it's so unrealistic, no one just breaks into song in the middle of their day.' Yeah they do - if they're me.” Zachary Levi.

Beginning acting on stage in community and regional theater when he was just a kid, Zachary Levi decided to move to Los Angeles after graduating from high school in a bid to pursue his dream career as an actor. He began performing in theater, playing roles in such regional productions like “Grease,” “The Outsiders,” “Oliver,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “Big River.” However, it was his portrayal of Jesus in “Ojai's Godspell” that brought him to the attention of Hollywood. Meanwhile, the struggling actor has worked as a busboy and at a car wash.

In 2002, Zachary made his television debut in the made-for-television movie “Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie,” alongside David Krumholtz, Jennifer Morrison, and Nicholas Turturro. That same year, he landed his first break, playing the quick-witted, scheming Kipp Steadman, Sara Rue's enemy at work, in the ABC sitcom "Less Than Perfect," where he stayed until 2006.

"It’s a little odd. When I was doing 'Less than Perfect,' which was the sitcom I did for ABC, um, we were on for 4 years but nobody ever really watched it although internationally we were a bigger hit than we ever were domestically." Zachary Levi.

During his "Less Than Perfect" stint, Zachary portrayed Grant Asher in the TV movie adaptation of Melissa Senate's novel, "See Jane Date" (2003; Charisma Carpenter in the title role), and guest starred in an episode of HBO sitcom starring Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and in two episodes of Lifetime crime/drama series "The Division." He also played Ian in the short-lived comedy series "Three" (2005) and appeared in the pilot of the American version of the British sitcom chronicling the week leading up to a couple's wedding, "Worst Week of My Life," which was ordered by the Fox network in 2005, but eventually was not picked.

On the big screen, Zachary made his film debut in writer/director Mark Douglas Miller's 20-minute short comedy "Reel Guerrillas" (2005). In the following year, he scored his first major motion picture role, as Kevin Keneally, in John Whitesell's comedy movie "Big Momma's House 2" (2006; starring Martin Lawrence).

“I went from everyday scraping-it-out to Chuck on a show called 'Chuck.' Getting this show was like Chuck getting government secrets implanted in his brain. You just kind of fear it and embrace it.” Zachary Levi.

After the demise of "Less Than Perfect," Zachary rebounded a starring role in "Chuck," an NBC action-comedy television program created by Josh Schwartz and newcomer Chris Fedak and produced by McG. In the show, he portrayed the title character of a twenty-something computer geek by day and government secret agent by night, for which he was nominated a Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical.

"I’ve been doing pilot season for the last nine years. Every year I wasn’t on a show, I got a pilot. They don’t always pan out. The first couple of years, I did pilots for NBC, oddly enough. Then I did the pilot for ‘Less Than Perfect’ the third year and we got picked up and ran for four years. Then I did a few pilots after that that didn’t go anywhere. Then, ‘Chuck,’ it’s really only the second pilot I’ve ever done that’s gotten picked up - which is crazy. It’s a great one to get picked up. It’s the greatest job I’ve ever had." Zachary Levi.

Meanwhile, Zachary's “Chuck” co-star Adam Baldwin commented about him, saying, “You don't get to see him sing and dance on the show, but he'll do that when the cameras aren't rolling. This guy is a song-and-dance man, a crooner and a comic genius. It's wonderful to follow along in his wake. He carries us on his shoulders.”

Premiered on September 24, 2007 on NBC, "Chuck" received a full season pickup in November 2007 despite the fact that the writers' strike was still in play. The show was eventually picked up for a second season in 2008/2009 through official announcement in February 2008.

When asked how it feels to have “Chuck” once again after being halted due to the looming strike, Zachary said, “I’m excited that we’re able to give people a little something to tide them over until the strike is over. It’s nice to have a little bit to chew on and to remind people that we’re still there. Especially for the fans that have been so supportive.”

Meanwhile, Zachary starred as the head of an automobile parts factory, in the romantic comedy TV movie "Imperfect Union" (2007; co-starred with Ashley Williams). He also continued acting in films, in Adam Green and Joel Moore's well-received drama/horror/thriller "Spiral" (2007; he also served as an executive producer), as a telecommuter boss who has dysfunctional friendship with his reclusive telemarketer employee (played by Joel Moore), and in Robert Kirbyson's short comedy "Ctrl Z" (2007).

“To be able to go and just love on your crew and your cast and your fans, it really makes a huge difference.” Zachary Levi.

Zachary has completed his upcoming film with writer/director Jaffar Mahmood, a romantic drama/comedy called "Shades of Ray" in which he starred as the title role of an American-born who comes home one night to find his Pakistani father on his doorstep. He also has wrapped Mark Steilen's road trip comedy movie titled "Wieners," in which he shares the screen with Jenny McCarthy.

"It's as it should be [laughs]. Really, really surreal but not surreal in the sense that it’s like I’ve lived in LA long enough to know that if you get a show and it’s a buzz-worthy show they put pictures up. And not to mention the fact that, again, I was working all day everyday so the only billboards I would ever see where the ones between (my place and work). I mean that was it." Zachary Levi (on seeing himself on billboards).

Awards:
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