Zach Galifianakis Biography
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American comedian, writer, actor Zacharius Knight 'Zach' Galifianakis was born on October 1, 1969, in Wilkesboro, NC. Zach attended North Carolina State University and missed graduating by two credits. He got his television start in 2002, hosting his own talk show "Late World With Zach," and he later went on to have key roles in the films "Bubble Boy," "Out Cold" and "Heartbreakers." Zach has appeared on the TV shows "Reno 911" and "Boston Common" and had starring roles as Davis in "Tru Calling" and as Alan Finger on the Comedy channel's news documentary "Dog Bites Man." When he's not acting, Zach spends a lot of his time in the North Carolina Mountains where he hopes to start a writers' retreat.
North Carolina native Zach Galifianakis emerged as one of the more distinct comedic performers to grace the stage during the mid- to late 2000s. A short, slightly stocky presence with a thick outgrowth of beard that quickly became a personal trademark, Galifianakis used his behind-the-mike stints to riff on everything from veganism to multiple personality disorder, while constantly displaying a lightning-flash wit and marked inventiveness. He debuted with feature roles during the early 2000s, in films including Heartbreakers (2001) and Bubble Boy (2001). He also briefly emceed his own short-lived talk show, Late World with Zach (2002), on the VH1 network.
By 2003, Galifianakis secured a regular role (as a morgue worker, Davis) on the Fox supernatural drama series Tru Calling (2003-2005). Thereafter, the performer spent many years placing his strongest emphasis on standup and on filmed standup specials, such as the 2005 Zach Galifianakis: Live at the Purple Onion and the 2007 Comedians of Comedy: Live at the Troubador, but continued to tackle occasional feature work from time to time. Among other screen accomplishments, Galifianakis ushered in a rare dramatic turn in Sean Penn's biographical drama Into the Wild (2007) and then played a socially maladroit friend of Ashton Kutcher in the sex farce What Happens in Vegas (2008). Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
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