Danny Pudi

Early life Daniel Mark Pudi was born in Chicago on March 10, 1979, the son of programmer and analyst Teresa and Abraham Lazarus Pudi (1955–2018). He has a sister, Katherine, and a brother, Adam. His parents immigrated to the U.S. and became naturalized citizens: his mother came from the village of Pokośno, Poland, Pudi grew up speaking Polish with his mother and grandmother.

He grew up on the South Side of Chicago with brother Adam and sister Katherine and attended Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, a northern suburb. In 2013, he gave the commencement address at Notre Dame College Prep.

Pudi studied dance in Chicago and attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, graduating with a degree in communication and theatre in 2001. At Marquette, he was the first winner of the Chris Farley Scholarship.

Career Pudi became a recruiter for an executive search firm before moving to Los Angeles in 2005 to seek television and film roles. His job, whereby he was a remote worker, permitted him to attend auditions, helping him avoid the "struggling actor thing in terms of waiting tables, temping and so on". He performed in several television pilots before joining the cast of Community, which he starred in for six seasons from 2009 to 2015.

He has appeared in television advertisements for such products as Snickers, Verizon, McDonald's, T-Mobile, and Far Cry 4. In 2012, he appeared as a celebrity contestant on GSN's version of The Pyramid with fellow Community cast member Yvette Nicole Brown.

In film, he portrayed Arash in the comedy film Road Trip: Beer Pong, and starred in the comedy horror film Knights of Badassdom, which was one of the highlights of Comic Con 2011, according to HitFix.com. He starred in the Jones Street Station music video for "The Understanding". He has made cameo appearances in many internet videos, including BriTANicK's "A Monologue for Three". Pudi had a cameo appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the live episode of Hot in Cleveland, as well as a cameo in Star Trek Beyond.

In the autumn of 2014, Pudi appeared in the off-Broadway musical Found. He played the lead role in The Tiger Hunter, an independent film directed by Lena Khan in 2016 and funded through a Kickstarter campaign. In 2017, Pudi began voicing Huey Duck in the DuckTales reboot. He also appeared as Teddy on the NBC sitcom Powerless in the same year.

Pudi plays Brad Bakshi in the TV series Mythic Quest, which premiered in February 2020. His first play, entitled Running, was created for the En Garde Arts' series Uncommon Voices and made public in August 2020. The production tackles his attempt to piece together his relationship with his father, which affected his personal identity, cultural background, and his experience with racism throughout his personal life and career. The play was turned into a short film, directed by Arpita Mukherjee, and released in 2022.

He reunited with Community co-star Alison Brie in the 2022 film Somebody I Used to Know, co-written by Brie.

In 2024, Pudi began his role of The Mechanist in Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Personal life Pudi is married to Bridget Showalter. They met while attending Marquette University in their freshman year. Their twins, a son and a daughter, were born in January 2012.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2007 Cop Show Saffa Short films 2009 Road Trip: Beer Pong Arash Nilam Auntie: An International Treasure Melvin Short film 2010 Blowout Sale Glen Short film; also writer 2011 Fully Loaded Danny Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil Little Boy Blue Voice Where the Magic Happens Unknown role Short film; also writer 2012 Leader of the Pack Doug Short film Flatland 2: Sphereland PunctoVoice 2013 Dr. Rao Vijay and I Rad Lando 2014 Untucked Documentary short; also director, producer and writer Captain America: The Winter Soldier Com Tech #1 Cameo 2015 Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant Nathan Vignes 2016 Sami Malik Taken to the Cleaner Billy Short film Star Trek Beyond Fi'Ja Cameo After the Sun Fell Adam 2017 Smurfs: The Lost Village Brainy Smurf Voice 2021 Flora & Ulysses Miller 2022 Corner Office Rakesh American Dreamer Craig 2023Somebody I Used to Know Benny

Television Year Title Role Notes 2006 ER Mahir Kardatay Episode: "Lost in America" Gilmore Girls Raj 4 episodes Santos Aide Episode: "Two Weeks Out" 2007–2008 Greek Sanjay 4 episodes 2008 Josh Episode: "A Reptile Dysfunction" 2009–2015 Community Abed Nadir Main cast: 110 episodesTV Guide Award for Favorite Ensemble (2012) Nominated–TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy (2011)Nominated–Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2011–2013) 2011 Robot Chicken Various voices Episode: "The Core, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" Chuck Vali Chandrasekaren Episode: "Chuck Versus the Hack Off" 2012 Danny 6 episodes; also producer 2013 Hot in Cleveland Tommy Episode: "It's Alive" Royal Pains Garrett Episode: "Pregnant Paws" 2014 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Levander Hart Voice, episode: "Unstank My Hart" 30 for 30 Shorts Documentary short; also director, producer and writer 2015 Newsreaders Ivan Folange Episode: "How the Sausage Is Made; Lottery Winners Lose" TripTank Luger, Matt, Football Player #2, Navigator Voice, 4 episodes 2024 Krapopolis Orphan Voice, episode: "Ice Week" Pupstruction Dusty Whiskers Voice, episode: "The Big Baby Build"Rock Paper ScissorsRecyclable PrinceVoice, episode: "Trash" 2025-2026 Going Dutch Abraham Shah Main role2025 Chibiverse Huey Duck Voice, 2 episodes Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol Chef Geoff Voice; television special The Simpsons Jonathan Bryans Voice; episode: "Bart 'N' Frink"

Video games