The Unapologetic Rise Of Comedic Genius Zach Galifianakis
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Zach Galifianakis hails from North Carolina with Greek and Scottish ancestry inherited from his parents. He stepped onto the path to becoming a comedian after graduating college when he began showing his talent to people at smaller shows. Galifianakis polished his skills and hosted television shows that made him popular, working with veteran actors and comedians. He became a popular name for his beloved performance in The Hangover, where he stole the show with his eccentric character. His career has soared ever since as he has been actively working in movies and television shows over the years.
From taking small roles in comedy movies and making small appearances in shows to becoming a comedy icon known for his indie humor, Zach Galifianakis has managed to amass a $40 million fortune through his acclaimed work in movies and television over the years. Let’s take a look at the beginning and rise of his career.
Cruising The Comedy Tour
Growing up in North Carolina, Zach Galifianakis had working parents who gave him a normal upbringing. After graduating high school and completing his Bachelor’s in Communications in college, Galifianakis decided to enter the entertainment world to show off his natural talent of being humorous. According to Esquire, the actor/comedian has stated that the biggest inspiration for him to take the risk of coming to Hollywood was his father, who was his first audience.
At the beginning of his career in the late 90s, he was a recurring member of the sitcom Boston Commons. He also auditioned to become a cast member in the reality sketch show Saturday Night Live; however, he wasn’t selected and ended becoming a writer for the show for two weeks. In 2001, after appearing on an episode of Comedy Central Presents where he performed a stand-up routine and played the piano, he landed a VH1 talk show called Late World With Zach. While becoming a famous face on television, Zach Galifianakis also bagged small roles in movies including Out Cold and Corky Romano in 2001 and Below in 2002.
His consistent work on television with shows like The Sarah Silverman Program and Tom Goes To Mayor and his supporting roles in movies Into The Wild and Super High Me landed him one of Netflix’s first original programs called Zach Galifianakis Live At The Purple Onion in 2006. Along with comedy veterans Patton Oswalt, Maria Bamford, and Brian Posehn, he became a Comedians Of Comedy tour member to reach different audiences, as noted by Celebrity Net Worth.
A Hangover That Always Stayed
One of his most popular stints on television occurred in 2008 when he started hosting the web series Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis. He interviewed celebrities by asking bizarre and awkward questions that made them uncomfortable. He has hosted many celebrities, including Jennifer Lawrence, Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, John Hamm, and many more. Being one of the show’s producers, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for the Best Live-Action Format.
Zach Galifianakis will also remain synonymous with the words The Hangover. A role of a lifetime that he received in 2009, Galifianakis portrayed Alan Garner, an awkward man-child who became the star of the movie. The studio had low expectations from The Hangover and did not sign the actors for sequels. However, the movie became a commercial and critical success, becoming the tenth highest-grossing movie of that year. As mentioned by Collider, Galifianakis made $1 million for the first movie, $5 million, plus backend royalties for The Hangover Part II and $10 million, plus backend royalties for The Hangover Part III. The movies have amassed over $1.4 billion at the box office, one of the major factors for Zach Galifianakis’ massive net worth.
A Deadpan Comedy Icon
The Hangover opened a floodgate of movie roles and opportunities for Galifianakis, who became a highly demanded actor for comedy and drama films. In 2009, he appeared in Up In The Air and Operation: Endgame. The following year he starred in Dinner For Schmucks opposite Steve Carell and Paul Rudd and did a comedy movie with Robert Downey Jr. called Due Date. He played a supporting role in the Academy Award-winning drama movie Birdman: The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance and the comedy crime film Masterminds, as stated by IMDB.
In 2019, Zach Galifianakis starred in Between Two Ferns: The Movie, a movie based on the critically acclaimed TV show of the same title. A long string of A-List celebrities made cameos in the film, including Brie Larson, Peter Dinklage, Adam Scott, John Legend, Matthew McConaughey, Gal Gadot, and many more. Along with movies, the actor also actively works in television shows, and his most acclaimed role is in the dark comedy Buckets, where he is also the Head Writer. His weird and wonderful humor keeps him in high demand and continues to take his career to new heights.
While Zach Galifianakis began his career in comedy performing stand-up at small venues, he kept motivating himself to achieve his goal of bringing a new era of comedy to Hollywood. He continues to do the same through every role portrayed with his performances. More recently, he was seen lending his voice in the 2021 animated movie Ron’s Gone Wrong.
Sources: Esquire, Celebrity Net Worth, Collider, IMDB
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