Simon Helberg
Simon Helberg | |
---|---|
Birth name | Simon Maxwell Helberg |
Born | Los Angeles, California, USA | December 9, 1980
Medium | Stand up, Film, Television |
Nationality | American |
Years active | 2002–present |
Spouse | Jocelyn Towne (2007-present) |
Notable works and roles | Howard Wolowitz in The Big Bang Theory, Moist in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog |
Simon Maxwell Helberg (born December 9, 1980) is an American actor and comedian best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, currently in its sixth season. He has appeared on the sketch comedy series MADtv and is also known for his role as Moist in the Joss Whedon-led web miniseries Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.
Personal life
Helberg was born in Los Angeles, California, He is the son of actor Sandy Helberg. Inspired by the film The Karate Kid, Helberg trained in karate extensively during his childhood and earned a black belt at the age of 10.[1] He was raised in Judaism, "Conservative to Reform but more Reform as time went on".[2]
Helberg attended middle and high school at the Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California, with Jason Ritter, who later became his roommate at NYU.[3] He attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he trained at the Atlantic Theater Company.
Helberg is married to actress Jocelyn Towne (also a Crossroads School grad and then University of California Berkeley grad); they dated for several years before finally tying the knot in 2007. They purchased a $3,000,000, 4,200 square feet Hollywood estate from Charlie Sheen, in a posh suburb of Los Angeles. Helberg and Towne had their first child on May 8, 2012, when their daughter Adeline was born.[4]
Career
Helberg is one half of the comedy duo Derek & Simon, along with Derek Waters. The two most recently starred together in the web series Derek & Simon: The Show on the comedy website Super Deluxe, which they created with comedian Bob Odenkirk. Helberg officially joined the cast of MADtv in 2002 as a feature performer. His tenure on MADtv was limited to one season as his contract was not renewed.
Helberg appeared in the 2002 feature film National Lampoon's Van Wilder as one of the geeky students for whom Van Wilder was throwing a party. He had a minor role in the 2003 movie Old School. In 2004, he was in two episodes of Reno 911!: Student Driver in Raineesha X and Hooker Buying Son in Not Without My Mustache. He had a small role in Quintuplets, episode 6, Get a Job; as a man called Neil working behind the counter at a shoe shop where Paige and Patton were working.
He also played a small role in the film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story as a Jewish record producer. In 2004 he appeared in the film A Cinderella Story starring Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray; Helberg played the minor role of Terry in George Clooney's 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck., where he had one line. In 2005 he had a bit part on Arrested Development as Jeff, an employee of the film studio where Maeby worked. From 2006 to 2007, he had a minor supporting role as Alex Dwyer in the drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. In 2006, he appeared in a series of comical TV commercials for Richard Branson's UK financial services company Virgin Money. He made a short appearance on The Soup on 2011.
He also appeared as the character Moist in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and had a small role in the pilot of the Judd Apatow-produced sitcom Undeclared. In the 2009 Coen brothers film A Serious Man he played junior Rabbi Scott Ginsler. He had a minor role in the Season 4 finale of The Guild as one of the Game Masters ("GM").
Helberg began playing Howard Wolowitz in 2007, as a geeky, wannabe "ladies' man" with an eccentric fashion sense.[5] in the comedy series The Big Bang Theory and currently acts in this role.
Filmography
Film
Television
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
1999 | Mumford | College Roommate | |
2001 | Ruling Class | Fred Foster | TV movie |
2002 | The Funkhousers | Donnie Funkhouser | TV movie |
Van Wilder | Vernon | ||
Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Computer Wizard | ||
2003 | Old School | Jerry | |
Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales | Adam(DGA Trainee) | TV Special | |
2004 | A Cinderella Story | Terry Andersons | |
2005 | Good Night, and Good Luck. | CBS page | |
2006 | Derek & Simon: A Bee and a Cigarette | Simon | |
The Pity Card | Simon | ||
Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas | Al | ||
The TV Set | TJ Goldman | ||
For Your Consideration | Junior Agent | ||
2008 | Careless | Stewart | |
Evan Almighty | Staffer | ||
Mama's Boy | Rathkon | ||
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | Dreidel L'Chaim | ||
2009 | A Serious Man | Rabbi Scott | |
2012 | I Am I | tbc - directed by his wife Jocelyn Towne |
Year | Show | Role | Notes |
2001 | Popular | Gus Latrine | Episode: "Coup" |
Cursed | Andy Tinker | Episode: "And then Jack Became the Voice of Cougars" | |
Son of the Beach | Billy | Episode: "It's Showtime at the Apollo 13!" | |
Undeclared | Jack | Episode: "Prototype" | |
2002 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | The Spokesman | Episode: "Time After Time" |
2002–2003 | MADtv | Various | Episode: "Episode #8.6" Episode: "Episode #8.7" Episode: "Episode #8.9" Episode: "Episode #8.10" Episode: "Episode #8.16" |
2003 | Less than Perfect | Arthur | Episode: "It Takes a Pillage" |
2004 | Quintuplets | Neil | Episode: "Get a Job" |
Reno 911! | Various | Episode: "Not Without My Mustache" Episode: "Raineesha X" | |
2005 | Unscripted | Various | Episode: "Episode #1.5" Episode: "Episode #1.6" |
Life on a Stick | Stan/Vinnie | Episode: "Pilot" Episode: "Liking Things the Way They Aren't" | |
Arrested Development | Jeff | Episode: "Meat the Veals" | |
2004–2006 | Joey | Seth | Episode: "Joey and the Party" Episode: "Joey and the Assistant " Episode: "Joey and the Big Move" Episode: "Joey and the Wedding" |
2006 | The Jake Effect | Bill Skidelsky | Episode: "Flight School" |
2006–2007 | Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Alex Dwyer | 14 episodes |
2007 | Derek and Simon: The Show | Simon | 13 Episodes |
The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman | Matt Menard | Episode: "Bad Luck Brad" | |
2008 | Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog | Moist | Episode: "Act I" Episode: "Act II" Episode: "Act III" |
2009 | 61st Primetime Emmy Awards | Moist | TV Special |
2010 | The Guild | Kevinator- Official Game Master | Episode: "Guild Hall" |
2010–present | Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil | Ronaldo | Recurring Character |
2007–present | The Big Bang Theory | Howard Wolowitz | Main Character; Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2012) Nominated - Teen Choice Award Choice TV: Male Scene Stealer (2010) |
2011–present | Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness | Bian Zao | Voice Recurring Character |
2012 | Weasel Town | Kenny Rogers, Hotel Clerk, Burt Reynolds, Jerry, Dr. Baxter, Sean's Mom and Dad | Web series |
References
- ^ Fancast Interview: The Big Bang Theory’s Simon Helberg Visited January 22, 2010.
- ^ Fall TV Preview: Simon Helberg.
- ^ Lindhome, Riki. "Making It #1: Jason Ritter". Nerdist. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
- ^ "Baby on the Way for Simon Helberg". People. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ^ Venus Zine Interview 2010