Actor Zach Gilford is a Chicago native who graduated from Northwestern University. He was born on January 14, 1982 and had was also educated at Evanston Township High School. In his spare time, he enjoys backpacking and ice climbing in Alaska. He also serves as a Trip Leader for Adventures Cross-Country during the summer, as well as a role model for many teenagers. Gilford has led numerous wilderness and adventure trips, taking teens to California, Hawaii, Alaska, the South Pacific, and British Columbia. He is also known for working for YMCA Camp Echo, located in Fremont, Illinois.
In 2003, Zach Gilford appeared on the short romantic comedy Handbook to Casual Stalking. It was directed by Christal Karge and written by Greg Lakin, also starring Michelle Lang. Gilford was next seen on the television show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He next accepted a role in the thriller The Last Winter, starring Ron Perlman and James LeGros. Gilford and his co-stars won the Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast for their performance in the film. This was followed by a role in Rise, which allowed Gilford to work with Lucy Liu, Cameron Richardson and Robert Forster. Gilford continued his career, playing Matt Saracen on the series Friday Night Lights. His character is that of a former backup of the Dillon Panthers, who soon became the passionate and serious starting quarterback due to an unfortunate incident for Jason Street. For the series, he worked with Scott Porter, Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Gaius Charles and others. Zach Gilford then decided to take on roles in the drama The River Why, the David Brind-written Dare with Emmy Rossum and Ashley Springer, and the comedy The Post-Grad Survival Guide. He plays the character Adam in the latter, with co-stars Alexis Bledel, Bobby Coleman, Carol Burnett and Michael Keaton.