Danny McBride

Daniel Richard McBride (born December 29, 1976 ) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, director and producer. Known for his unique acting and writing style, the accolades he has received include nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and four Satellite Awards.

McBride made his film debut with a supporting role in the romantic drama All the Real Girls (2003), which was directed and written by his later longtime collaborator David Gordon Green. After his first starring role in a film with The Foot Fist Way (2006), McBride gained mainstream recognition with starring roles in comedy films such as Hot Rod (2007), Pineapple Express (2008), and Tropic Thunder (2008). He had his breakout with a lead role as Kenny Powers on the HBO television series Eastbound & Down (2009–2013), which he also co-created with frequent collaborator Jody Hill. Following Eastbound & Down, McBride also starred in the films Land of the Lost (2009) and Up in the Air (2009).

In the 2010s, McBride starred in the comedy films Your Highness (2011), 30 Minutes or Less (2011), This Is the End (2013), and Aloha (2015), and had a main role as Neal Gamby on the HBO dark comedy series Vice Principals (2016–2017), which he co-created with Hill. McBride had starring voice roles in the animated feature films Despicable Me (2010), Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), The Angry Birds Movie (2016), Sausage Party (2016), and The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019), and played against type with starring roles in the drama film As I Lay Dying (2013) and the science fiction horror film Alien: Covenant (2017). He also provided the voice of Duane Earl, the fictional host of a conservative radio talk show in the video game Grand Theft Auto V (2013). In the late 2010s, he created and starred as Jesse Gemstone on the HBO series The Righteous Gemstones (2019–2025).

Outside of acting in and creating comedic works, McBride was a writer for Blumhouse Productions' Halloween film trilogy (2018–2022) and co-wrote the story for the supernatural horror film The Exorcist: Believer (2023). As an executive producer for the HBO true crime documentary series Telemarketers (2023), he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.

Early life McBride was born in Statesboro, Georgia. His mother, Kathy Rudy, and his stepfather both work at Marine Corps Base Quantico, as civilian support. McBride has Irish, Scottish, English and Jewish ancestry, with Catholic ancestors from Ulster who immigrated to Virginia in the 1870s. He was raised Baptist and has said, "church was very much part of my life when I was a kid. My parents were really involved and went all the time." His mother performed sermons in church using puppets, and McBride stated that his "interest in telling stories comes from her."

Career McBride was a second unit director for David Gordon Green's feature film debut George Washington, released in 2000. McBride made his acting debut in 2003, appearing in a supporting role in Green's second film All the Real Girls.

In 2006, McBride played Fred Simmons in the low-budget comedy film The Foot Fist Way, which he co-wrote with collaborators Jody Hill and Ben Best. His character later appeared in Late Night with Conan O'Brien on February 26, 2008. McBride wrote and starred in the HBO original comedy series Eastbound & Down (also a collaboration with Hill and Best), as Kenny Powers, a washed-up former major league baseball pitcher with anger management issues. The series was produced by Gary Sanchez Productions, and the pilot episode premiered in February 2009, featuring Will Ferrell and Craig Robinson.

HBO renewed the series for a second season in April 2009, and a fourth in July 2012. The series ended in November 2013. In March 2009, because of his role as Powers, he received an offer to play semi-professional baseball from the Pensacola Pelicans, a team in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.

In 2010, he signed an endorsement deal with K-Swiss shoes. He played the eponymous roadie in the Tenacious D music video for "Roadie" in 2012. McBride co-created and co-starred in the HBO comedy series Vice Principals from 2016 to 2017.

McBride voiced Duane Earl, a fictional talk radio host in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V. Earl is the host of Beyond Insemination, a satirical show where he converses with callers.

In 2017, McBride appeared in the prequel film Alien: Covenant, alongside Katherine Waterston, Michael Fassbender and Billy Crudup. McBride told Vanity Fair in an interview that he was both surprised and glad for the opportunity to be involved with the Alien movie since he had been a longtime fan of the franchise.

In January 2018, two trailers were released online for what was supposedly a Crocodile Dundee sequel, titled Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home, and purportedly starring McBride as Brian Dundee, the son of the original Crocodile Dundee. The trailers feature cameo appearances by Australian actors Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Margot Robbie and Ruby Rose. From the beginning, various aspects of the campaign made some publications believe that film was an elaborate hoax. It was later reported that these ads were actually part of a lead-up to a Super Bowl commercial for Tourism Australia.

Since 2018, McBride has been the face of bookmaker Coral's television commercials in the United Kingdom, playing a character called "Sports Rodstein", described as "the world's biggest sports fan (although not the savviest)".

In late 2018, HBO ordered The Righteous Gemstones, from McBride and his Rough House Pictures label, straight to series. The series also stars John Goodman, Adam Devine and Edi Patterson. It follows a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work.

In 2021, McBride voiced Rick Mitchell in the Sony Pictures Animation film The Mitchells vs. the Machines. In 2026, McBride published a collection of short stories titled Thrilling Tales of Modern Men that explores masculinity.

McBride will make his feature directorial debut with a film based on the G.I. Joe franchise, for which he will also pen the script.

Personal life McBride married art director Gia Ruiz in 2010. They have a son and a daughter.

Filmography Film

Television

Music videos Year Title Artist(s) Role Notes 2011 "Make Some Noise" The Beastie Boys MCA 2012 "Roadie" Tenacious D Sebastian / "The Roadie" 2013 "YOLO" The Lonely Island featuring Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar Drug dealer Cameo

Video games

Awards and nominations