Canadian actor Will Arnett was born on May 5, 1970 in Toronto, Ontario. As a teenager, his mother encouraged him to try out acting, and he started auditioning for television commercials. He realized later that he enjoyed the experience and would like to pursue it as a career. He studied at the Concordia University in Montreal, but dropped out after a semester, instead moving to New York to train at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
Arnett began acting in plays, and later in films. His first acting role was in the independent film Erie. His other early films include Weekend Getaway, Southie, The Waiting Game and The Acting Class. He also appeared in several television pilots; three of them were unsuccessful, while a fourth, Still Standing, was picked up although his character was cut from the broadcast version. Frustrated, he decided not to appear on any other pilots, and his agents had to persuade him to try for a pilot which they thought would work for him.
That fifth pilot, Arrested Development, was eventually picked up and catapulted Arnett to success. He played George Oscar “G.O.B.” Bluth II, the eldest of the Bluth siblings, who is somehow openly hated (or, at the very least, disregarded) by his parents, his family and his colleagues. His character was one of the show’s most popular; it earned him an Emmy nomination in 2006.
Arrested Development was cancelled in 2006 because of low ratings, but Arnett’s popularity continued. Despite playing dramatic roles before the series began, he began accepting comedic roles in films. His first film starring role was in the 2006 comedy Let’s Go to Prison. His other later films include The Brothers Solomon, Semi-Pro, Spring Breakdown, The Comebacks and Blades of Glory. He continued playing guest roles on television; his role in 30 Rock earned him another Emmy nomination in 2008.