Born in Macon, Georgia on May 27, 1993, comedian Jack McBrayer studied theater at the University of Evansville in Indiana. He began performing stand-up routines in different comedy clubs in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City, and performing with the likes of Paul Scheer. He made his film debut in 2001, performing a bit role in the independent drama Danny’s Wish. He also made appearances in the films Blackballed: The Bobby Bukes Story and Peanut Hunt.
After a guest role in the television comedy Arrested Development—where he starred as a waiter in the country club frequented by the Bluths—he gained national exposure with the Will Ferrell-starrer Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. He played the role of Glenn, a member of Ricky Bobby’s (Ferrell) pit crew. His role led to guest appearances on different talk shows, including Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! He also appeared in one episode of The Colbert Report, providing the voice of a character in one of the show’s sketches.
In 2007, McBrayer made a cameo appearance in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, playing a DJ. The following year, he had a supporting role in the comedy film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, playing Darald, a newlywed who seeks counseling after having a hard time satisfying his wife’s (Maria Thayer) sexual appetite.
McBrayer, however, is perhaps best known for his role in the comedy series 30 Rock. He plays Kenneth Parcell, a perpetually cheerful yet na?ve network intern who has a deep love of television—the reason why he works as an intern despite being clueless most of the time—and a strong devotion for the network he works in. Originally a supporting character, he eventually became a star of the show in his own right.