Jack McBrayer (; born May 27, 1973) is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his portrayal of Kenneth Parcell in 30 Rock. For his role in 30 Rock, McBrayer was nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards. He voiced characters such as Fix-It Felix Jr. in the 2012 film Wreck-It Ralph and its 2018 sequel, as well as the title character in the Disney XD series Wander Over Yonder, and in Archer he played a one off character. He has had recurring roles on Phineas and Ferb, Puppy Dog Pals, Amphibia, The Middle, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and the Netflix series Big Mouth.
McBrayer co-created and stars in the Apple TV+ series Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show, which premiered on November 5, 2021.
He also currently hosts the HGTV series Zillow Gone Wild.
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Early life
McBrayer was born in Macon, Georgia, and moved to Conyers, Georgia, when he was 15. He attended Heritage High School and studied theater administration at the University of Evansville. He also spent a semester abroad in England, where he studied at Harlaxton College in Harlaxton, Lincolnshire. At the age of 18 his lung collapsed, the result of a congenital defect. He said that it felt like a heart attack and it was one of the worst pains of his life.
Career
From 1995 to 2002, he worked at The Second City and IO Theater in Chicago, an experience that introduced him to 30 Rock creator Tina Fey and prepared him for his role on her show. McBrayer appeared in over 80 sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (2002–04), often lampooning his own Southern upbringing by playing stereotypical hillbilly characters. On August 10, 2007, and September 20, 2008, he made cameo appearances on Late Night playing Kenneth Parcell from 30 Rock. During the first appearance, O'Brien remarked to him, "I thought you were above this now." McBrayer later reprised his role as Kenneth twice (November 24, 2009, and January 13, 2010) after O'Brien's switch to The Tonight Show. He appeared on O'Brien's Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour at stops in Eugene, Oregon, Universal City, California (on the Universal Studios lot where O'Brien taped Tonight), and the final tour stop in Atlanta.
In 2008, he was featured throughout the video for "Touch My Body" by Mariah Carey. McBrayer said he accidentally hit Carey in the face with a Frisbee during the shooting for the video. McBrayer also appears in the first episode in the fifth season of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! as a spokesman in a spoof advertisement for the fictional "Diarrhea-phragm." He worked as a voice actor in the American animated series Ugly Americans and has voiced Irving DuBois on Phineas and Ferb since 2009.
In 2010, he played a role in Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. He regularly appears in the skit "Knock Knock Joke of the Day" on the hit children's television show, Yo Gabba Gabba! since season 2 and stars in Craig McCracken's TV show Wander Over Yonder on the Disney Channel. In 2011, he also appeared in The Simpsons, in the season 22 episode, "The Great Simpsina" as Ewell Freestone, 'Peach Guy.' In 2012, He had a VA credit of a single episode in Archer "Bloody ferlin", McBrayer lent his voice to the Disney animated film Wreck-It Ralph, playing the title character's video game opponent and eventual friend Fix-It Felix Jr. In 2013, he starred alongside Los Angeles Clippers player Blake Griffin in Kia commercials, and appeared in a commercial for Barnes & Noble. From 2013-2018 McBrayer played Dr. Ted Goodwin on the ABC sitcom The Middle.
McBrayer's Adult Swim series The Jack and Triumph Show premiered in February 2015. He also appeared on the Adult Swim show Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell as Angel in the episode "Shoulder Work" which garnered him a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series. In September 2016, on the season 10 premiere episode of The Big Bang Theory, McBrayer played Penny's older brother Randall.
