Felicity

Background:

An American performer who has notched up countless small roles on film and television, Greg Grunberg became famous to television viewers through his recurring-turned-regular role, Sean Blumberg, in The WB’s “Felicity” (1998-2002). He boosted up his new-found popularity with the recurring role of CIA agent Eric Weiss in “Alias (2001-2006). Currently, he co-stars with Jason Bateman and Leslie Grossman in the comedy serial “The Jake Effect” (2006-?).

On the silver screen, 6’ 2” tall, dark-haired Grunberg is probably best known for his work in Paul Verhoeven’s Hollow Man (2000). He has played supporting parts in many features, including The Trigger Effect (1996), BASEketball (1998), Albert Brooks’ comedy The Muse (1999), Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), the Coen brother’s The Ladykillers (2004) and the J.J Abrams-helmed Mission: Impossible III (2006). His admirers should not miss his imposing performance in the upcoming family film Magic (2006), opposite Tanya Allen, Bob Bancroft and Robert Davi.

Off camera, Grunberg formed and managed a successful frozen yogurt delivery service, and served as a co-writer for a computer animated pilot where he also provided the voice of the lead character. He has been married to Elizabeth Wershow since 1992. He becomes the father of three children.


Business Degree

Childhood and Family:

Greg Grunberg was born on July 11, 1966, in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from University High School in West Los Angeles, and studied business at San Diego State University and UCLA. He is the younger brother of actor Bradley Grunberg (born on November 6, 1964).

On December 19, 1992, Greg was married to Elizabeth Wershow. The two have three children. Greg and his family currently reside outside Los Angeles.


Hollow Man

Career:

Born and raised in Southern California, Greg Grunberg performed in many plays throughout elementary and junior high school. With a business degree under his belt, he started working as an assistant to flourishing Hollywood director-producer Joel Silver and quickly made the leap into acting. His first professional gig is portraying the best man in the CBS TV film Stolen: One Husband (1990). After another small part in the Fox TV movie comedy Frankenstein: The College Years, the next year, Grunberg debuted on series TV as a guest star in the network’s drama “Melrose Place” (1992) , in an early episode that featured many “Beverly Hills, 90210” crossover characters. A guest spot in Fox’s Flying Blind followed that same year. By 1993, Grunberg had added film acting to his endeavors by making his debut in the horror installment Witchcraft V: Dance with the Devil, appearing as a manager.

The following years, Grunberg continued to transport his often stylish aleck typical guy characterizations to guest shots in episodes of such series as “Baywatch” (1994), “Murphy Brown” (1996) and “Relativity” (1996). He also had small roles in movies like the comedy The Pallbearer (1996), The Trigger Effect (1996), the independent comedy Dinner and Driving (1997), Picture Perfect (1997), Senseless (1998, starred Marlon Wayans, Davis Spade and Matthew Lilard), BASEketball (1998), With Friends Like These... (1998) and At Sachem Farm (1998).

In the meantime, the actor cemented his “Hey, it’s that guy!” identification on the small screen with more TV guest stints, including on The WB’s “Alright Already,” “Mike Hammer, Private Eye,”the ABC “Vengeance Unlimited” and CBS’s “Diagnosis Murder.” However, Grunberg did not receive a big breakthrough until he landed the recurring role of Sean Blumberg, the older, creator roommate of Ben (Scott Speedman) on “Felicity” in 1998. Delivering an impressive performance, Grunberg’s part was upgraded to a regular in the next year, and he stayed with the drama until it came to an end in 2002.

While co-starring on “Felicity,” Grunberg went on to pursue other projects. In addition to making guest appearance in such shows as “Pacific Blue,” “Profiler,” “V.I.P,” “Silk Stalkings,” he also took on recurring roles on “NYPD Blue” (2001, as Joey Schulman) and the ABC “Alias” (2001-2006, as CIA agent Eric Weiss). Moreover, he landed a cameo role as Four Seasons Hotel Security in the Albert Brooks-directed comedy The Muse (1999), starring Albert Brooks and Sharon Stone, and had his most famous film role to date playing Carter Abbey, one of the staff of a government-sanctioned research to turn mammals invisible in the horror/ sci-fi Hollow Man (2000), directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Kevin Bacon. He continued with appearance in the comedies The Medicine Show (2001) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002).

After “Felicity,” Grunberg could be seen in the Jamie Kennedy and Taye Diggs starring vehicle Malibu’s Most Wanted (2003), the Coen brother’s film The Ladykillers (2004, as a TV Commercial Director) and the comedy Connie and Carla (2004, starred David Duchovny). On the small screen, Grunberg rejoined the “Felicity and “Alias” producer J.J Abrams to make a cameo in the pilot episode of Abram’s 2004 series “Lost.”

Grunberg has recently starred on the NBC sit-com “Grand Union” (2006), playing a Long Island grocer with an eccentric family, appeared on the horror film The Darkroom (2006) as well as reunited with J.J Abrams in Mission: Impossible III (2006, starred Tom Cruise). He now stars as Nick Case in the comedy series “The Jake Effect” (2006-?), opposite Jason Bateman and Leslie Grossman.

The 40-year-old actor is scheduled to play Detective Davis in writer/director John Penney’s Magic (2006). The forthcoming family film will star Tanya Allen, Bob Bancroft and Robert Davi.


Awards:
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