Atticus Shaffer

Atticus Shaffer (born June 19, 1998) is an American actor and YouTuber. He is known for playing Brick Heck on the ABC sitcom The Middle (2009–2018), as well for voicing Edgar in the movie Frankenweenie and Ono on the Disney Junior series The Lion Guard (2016–2019), and for his brief appearance in Hancock (2008). Shaffer also voices Morrie Rydell on Focus on the Family's Adventures in Odyssey.

Early life Shaffer was born on June 19, 1998, in Santa Clarita, California to Ron and Debbie (née Solgot) Shaffer and was named after the fictional character Atticus Finch from the book To Kill a Mockingbird.

Career The Middle Shaffer is most known for his role as Brick Heck in The Middle, which he played throughout the series' entire nine-season run, from 2009 to 2018. Brick is the youngest of the three Heck children, and is highly intelligent and smarter than most people at his age. He loves to read and has an ongoing fascination with fonts. Brick is socially awkward, and repeatedly overlooked by the members of his family. The series and its cast were nominated for awards multiple times and won over a dozen collectively.

In a Wired magazine interview published in January 2013, Shaffer said his role as Brick was similar to his own life, as he is also a "big reader" and "nerd out over the weirdest stuff". In May 2011, a TV Guide article had reported the closeness as well. Brick's characterization, including his idiosyncratic palilalian repetition of words and phrases at the end of sentences, is based on Justin Heisler, the son of The Middle co-creator Eileen Heisler.

YouTube and Twitch Shaffer has official YouTube and Twitch video gaming pages, titled "AtticusShafferVlog", the latter of which he announced in December 2019. He plays The Long Dark and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, among other video games.

Personal life Shaffer lives in Acton, California, and has type four osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition involving a defect in collagen that causes fragile bones and short stature. He is tall.

Shaffer is a Christian and as of 2018 had a daily Bible study with his mother, alternating between the Old and New Testaments. As of 2015, the year he was baptized, he was a fan of contemporary Christian rock music and identified several Christian bands among his favorites.

Filmography

Television Year Title Role Notes 2007 The Class Jonah Episode: "The Class Rides a Bull" Days of Our Lives Irish boy Episode 1.10632 Human Giant Wade Episode: "Mind Explosion" 2008 Carpoolers Boy Episode: "Take Your Daughter to Work Day" Out of Jimmy's Head Aaron Episode: "Bad Fad" 2009 My Name Is Earl Space camper Episode: "Chaz Dalton's Space Academy" 2009–2018 The Middle Brick Heck Main role; 215 episodes 2010 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Himself Special guest, 1 episode 2010–2014 Fish Hooks Albert Glass, Kid Fish Voice, 28 episodes 2011 I'm in the Band Eddie Nova Jr. Episode: "Camp Weasel Rock" The Penguins of Madagascar Vesuvius Twins Voice, 3 episodes