Zach Woods

Zach Woods (born September 25, 1984) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his roles as a series regular for three seasons as Gabe Lewis on the NBC sitcom The Office, as Jared Dunn on the HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, as Zach Harper on the USA Network sitcom Playing House, and as Matt Spencer on the HBO comedy show Avenue5. He also recurred on the HBO series Veep as Ed Webster, and starred as billionaire Edgar D. Minnows in the Apple TV+ murder mystery series The Afterparty.

Early life Woods was born in Trenton, New Jersey. He is Jewish. The family surname had originally been Widensky. His father, Jonathan, is a psychiatrist who specializes in clinical therapy, and his mother, Lisa, is a nurse practitioner. He grew up in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Pennsbury High School in 2003. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University.

Career

Woods started performing improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre at age 16 and was a part of the improvisational sketch troupe "The Stepfathers", whose members included Bobby Moynihan and Chris Gethard. He has taught improv at Columbia University, Duke University, and Lincoln Center. He has appeared in films such as In the Loop (2009) and The Other Guys (2010), and in the CollegeHumor skits "Adam and Eve in the Friend Zone" and "The Infinisphereb".

He is known for starring as Awkward Boy, the protagonist in the YouTube video series The Most Awkward Boy in the World. In 2010, he appeared as a zombie in a Starburst candy commercial.

Starting in 2010, he portrayed Gabe Lewis on the NBC sitcom The Office. He was promoted to series regular beginning in season 7.

Woods has had roles in a number of HBO shows. From 2014 to 2019, he co-starred as Jared on Silicon Valley. He also had a recurring role on Veep as Ed Webster. Beginning in January 2020, he had a role on the science fiction comedy TV series Avenue 5 as Matt Spencer, Head of Customer Relations.

Woods had a role in the action comedy film Spy (2015), directed by Paul Feig, and appeared in Feig's film Ghostbusters in 2016.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2004 Terrorists Drugstore Cashier 2009 Strangers Man Short film In the Loop Chad The Honkys O.G Short film 2010 The Other Guys Douglas 2011 High Road Tommy Andy and Zach Zach Short film Damsels in Distress Rick DeWolfe 2012 Rich Girl Problems Duncan Short film 2013 The Heat Paramedic 2015 Spy Man in Purple Tie 2016 Other People Paul Ghostbusters Garrett Mascots Mike Murray 2017 The Lego Ninjago Movie Zane Voice Zane's Stand Up Promo VoiceShort film The Post Anthony Essaye 2019 The Angry Birds Movie 2 Carl Voice 2020 Downhill Zach David Short filmDirector, writer and producer 2021 Bud Short filmDirector, writer and producer 2022 Spin Me Round Dana 2025 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey Chrome Dome VoiceShort film 2026 How to Make a Killing Noah Redfellow The Accompanist Director and writer TBA The Statement Post-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 2005 My Wife, the Ghost Geets Wilson Episode #1.05 2006 Sexual Intercourse: American Style Ted Episode: "Incense and Candles" 2009 Washingtonienne Mark TV film 2010–13 The Office Gabe Lewis Main role, 51 episodesNominated – SAG Award for Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2011–12) 2011 Funny or Die Presents Stuart Episode #2.09 Bored to Death Super Ray fan Episode: "Nothing I Can't Handle by Running Away" 2012–15 The League Lane 3 episodes 2013 Arrested Development Trippler Episode: "Off the Hook" Comedy Bang! Bang! The Remarkable Greg Episode: "Cobie Smulders Wears a Black & White Strapless Dress" 2013–14 Veep Ed Webster 3 episodes 2013–16 The Good Wife Jeff Dellinger 4 episodes 2014 Kroll Show Cal Culvers Episode: "Krolling Around with Nick Klown" 2014–17 Playing House Zach Harper Main role, 8 episodes 2014–19 Silicon Valley Donald "Jared" Dunn Main role, 53 episodes 2015 Drunk History Lee Duncan Episode: "Los Angeles" 2016 Animals. Brian (voice) Episode: "Pigeons" Better Things Zach Episode: "Woman Is the Something of the Something" 2017–25 Big Mouth Various voices 5 episodes 2020 The Simpsons Zane Furlong (voice) Episode: "The Miseducation of Lisa Simpson" 2020–22 Avenue 5 Matt Spencer Main role; 17 episodes 2023 The Afterparty Edgar D. Minnows Main role; 10 episodes2024In the Know Lauren Caspian (voice) Main role; also co-creator, writer, director, and executive producer What We Do in the Shadows Joel Episode: "P.I. Undercover: New York" 2025 Beavis and Butt-HeadDoctor (voice)Episode: "Nuts/Bike"2026Mating SeasonJosh the Bear (voice) Main role

Web Year Title Role Notes 2011 The Podcast Gabe Lewis 3 episodes