Known for movies

Short Info

Date Of BirthOctober 6, 1976
SpouseJanicza Bravo
MarkBushy beard
  • Brett Gelman, known for “Eagleheart,” “Go On,” and “Stranger Things,” has made significant impacts in acting, comedy, and production.
  • Born on 6 October 1976 in Highland Park, Illinois, Gelman’s diverse career has led to a net worth exceeding $1 million.
  • He studied theater at the University of North Carolina, emphasizing the importance of classical training for his artistic growth.
  • Brett’s talents extend to writing, directing, and producing, with involvement in projects like “Lemon” and “The Eric Andre Show.”
  • His personal life includes a marriage to Janicza Bravo (2015-2018) and an engagement to Ari Dayan in 2023, reflecting his journey beyond his professional life.

Who is Brett Gelman?

Born on 6 October 1976, in Highland Park, Illinois, USA, Brett Gelman is a 47-year-old American actor, producer, comedian, writer, and director. He achieved fame by playing Brett Mobley in “Eagleheart”, a hit Adult Swim police comedy show.

Additionally, fans know him for his portrayal of mysterious NASA scientist Mr. K, in the hilarious NBC sitcom “Go On”, alongside Matthew Perry. As for comedy, he is a known friend and collaborator of Jon C. Daly, with whom he worked on “The Fleetwood Crack”, one of the staples of mid-2000s comedy recordings. You can also see him as Murray Bauman, the quirky and eccentric private investigator in “Stranger Things”. Gelman’s bread and butter are mostly smaller, recurring roles, as he is considered to be one of the most reputable and skilled support actors in the industry.

Early Life and Education: Growing Up in Illinois

Brett Gelman was born in Highland Park, which is considered to be a suburb of Chicago by some, but most consider it a separate city. There is not much information about his parents, other than the fact that his father was a photo salesman. Gelman has faced innumerable inquiries about this matter but has stayed insistent on keeping such private matters to himself. This is a clear sign of professionalism and the fact that Brett is focused on furthering his career.

He grew up with one sibling, a sister, whose vocation revolves around speech pathology, a branch of science that focuses on isolating and resolving any cognitive or physical impediments that stand in the way of proper speech. As for education, Gelman matriculated from Highland Park High School in 1995, then pursued his dreams of being an actor by enrolling at the University of North Carolina (UNC), where he majored in Theater.

According to Brett himself, he was always determined to become an actor, but the classical training he received at UNC was ‘the missing piece’ he needed to truly grow as an artist.

CategoryInformation
Full NameBrett Clifford Gelman
Known ForRoles in “Eagleheart”, “Go On”, and “Stranger Things”
Profession/OccupationActor, producer, comedian, writer, director
EducationHighland Park High School; University of North Carolina School of the Arts, majored in Theater
Net Worth (2024)$1 million
SpouseJanicza Bravo (m. 2015–2018)
SiblingsOne sister (a speech pathologist)
ParentsFather was a photo salesman; mother’s details were not disclosed
Date of BirthOctober 6, 1976
Zodiac SignLibra
Place of BirthHighland Park, Illinois, USA
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityWhite
Hair ColorBrown, with a signature bald patch
Eye ColorBrown
GenderMale
ReligionJewish
Height6ft 1in (185cm)
WeightApprox. 82 kg (180 lbs)
AwardsBest Actor Award for “Room for Rent” in 2017
Notable Works/Awards“Stranger Things”, “Eagleheart”, “Go On”; Best Actor Award for “Room for Rent”
Associated BrandsNew York Lottery, among others
Social Profile LinksInstagram, Twitter, Facebook

Career Beginnings: Getting to Know The World of Comedy

Before graduating, Brett appeared in several episodes of “Cage Match”, a famous 1990s comedy show that featured celebrities engaging in comedy battles while in a cage. This was a great experience for this up-and-coming college junior and he knew precisely what to do next.

After graduation, Brett and his college friend Jon Daly moved to New York City to pursue a career in comedy and acting. He joined the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, where he regularly performed. First, he was a part of “Cracked Out with Daly”, but then expanded his repertoire and joined the improvisational comedy group “Monkeydick”, with a stint with “Mr A$$”, a popular comedy group associated with his theatre.

Despite being a talented actor, Brett had a hard time making ends meet, but this all changed when he was featured in a New York Lottery commercial, which provided him with a significant amount of funds. After that, Gelman developed his one-man show, “1,000 Cats”, which he promoted in several of New York’s most prominent venues.

Brett Gelman

Establishing Himself: Blackballed, The Colbert Report and Short Films

With initial stage experience, Gelman was ready to move on to different things. In 2004, he made his silver screen debut in a cameo role in “Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story”, centered around a professional paintball player who returns after a decade-long ban, due to false accusations of cheating. While his part was far from significant, it gave Brett important knowledge about the ins and outs of the movie industry.

Afterwards, he got somewhat of a break by landing a part in an episode of “The Colbert Report”, a satirical comedy show spearheaded by Stephen Colbert. This comedic style later became Gelman’s bread and butter, making this appearance a significant one in his early acting career. 2006 saw him appearing in several short videos, which is a sign of his now-apparent urge to constantly experiment and evolve as an artist.

A year later, we saw him in another movie, a comedy entitled “Watching the Detectives”, featuring Lucy Liu and Cillian Murphy, then in “Stick It in Detroit”, “May the Best Man Win” and more short films. 2009 saw him make a cameo in an episode of “Californication”.

An Important Name in the World of Comedy: Go On, Eagleheart and More

In 2011, he joined the crew of “The Back Room” for four episodes, appearing as both James Gandolfini and Mr. America. Gelman slowly became more famous, which resulted in more roles in popular movies and TV shows, including appearances in “Happy Endings”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “30 Minutes or Less”, where he played the role of Pizza Boss.

He then lent his voice to “The Life and Times of Tim”, with several characters having his raspy tone. In a 2012 episode of “The Office”, he played a magician, further expanding his already impressive portfolio. Later on, Brett was in “The Inbetweeners”, “Jobs” and “Go On”, where he captivated audiences with his recurring role of the mysterious scientist Mr. K. Despite the show being cancelled after just one season, Gelman showed that he could comfortably handle a consistent role.

Then came perhaps the crown jewel of his career, the part of Brett Mobley in “Eagleheart”, a hit action comedy.

Recent Works: Bad Teacher, Mad Men, Stranger Things and More

The late 2010s were perhaps the best period for Gelman’s career, as he went on a rampage, taking on more significant roles than ever. He joined the cast of “Bad Teacher” for a few episodes, followed by the critically acclaimed part of Daniel in “Mad Men”, the role that showcased his full talents to the public, proving that he is much more than just a comedian.

He followed this up with “UCB Comedy Originals”, “Married” and “Blunt Talk”, and also lent his voice to Jeff in “TripTalk”.

“Love” and “Camping” were significant credits around this period, but his popularity really went off the charts when he took on the part of Murray Bauman in “Stranger Things”.

He’s still working on “Stranger Things,” but also worked on “Entitled,” “Lady in the Lake,” and “UCB Comedy Originals.”

Murray Bauman: A Role That Perfectly Exemplifies Gelman’s Career

Brett assumed the part of a vigilant, but somewhat quirky private detective. While in character, we can see him quickly switch moods and add tongue-in-cheek humor to almost every situation. This is perhaps the perfect example of Gelman’s skills and his evolution as an actor.

Early in his career, he was focused mainly on making people laugh, but as time went on, he mastered the art of versatility and actually adapting his humor to any role. Critics praised him for his performance, especially because he was an integral character in several plotlines.

Roles like this made Gelman one of the most skilled supporting actors in the last ten years, who knows how to dominate his scenes but doesn’t insist on overdoing it.

Writing, Productional and Directorial Work

Like many talented actors, Brett didn’t want to be a participant in movies and shows – he actually wanted to create. Thus, he honed his directorial skills before creating “This is Our City”, and “The Cracktion Movie”, both of which were considered quality short films.

As for his work as a producer, Brett lent his talents to “Lemon”, “Jeff and Some Aliens”, as well as “Pauline Alone” and “Gregory Go Boom”. He also worked as a writer, mainly for “The Eric Andre Show” and “Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz”, both of which achieved critical acclaim. In the last few years, Gelman has mainly focused on acting, but his directorial and writing credits stand as a testament to his many talents.

Personal Life: Is Brett Gelman Married?

In December 2015, Gelman and his long-time partner, Janicza Bravo entered holy matrimony, in a private ceremony involving only their closest friends and family members. Bravo is a photographer, director and writer, much like her beau. The two met while Brett was filming a New York Lotto commercial, and immediately went on a date after the shooting was over.

Unfortunately, the couple got divorced in 2018. It’s unclear why the couple decided to call it quits. In 2023. he got engaged to Ari Dayan. She is a performance artist and singer from California. Their romance is somewhat secretive as details about how they met are currently unknown.

Net Worth: How Rich is Brett Gelman?

Have you ever wondered how affluent Brett Gelman really is? According to several credible sources, he has a net worth of over $1 million, amassed by working incessantly for 20 years, constantly expanding his repertoire and evolving as an actor. Given the fact that his roles have only got bigger as time went on, it wouldn’t be surprising to see his net worth drastically increase in the near future.

Body Measurements: How Tall is Brett Gelman?

Brett Gelman is 6ft 1in (185cm) tall – his weight and other measurements are unknown. He has brown eyes, a signature bald patch and a bushy beard.

Social Media Presence

Brett isn’t too bothered with social media but is still quite active. He has a Twitter account with nearly 200,000 followers, and his Facebook following is quite small at just over 1,000. His Instagram account is his most impressive social media presence. With a staggering 896,000 followers on Instagram, it’s clear he’s finding joy in entertaining fans with glimpses of his life.

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General Info

Full NameBrett Gelman
Date Of BirthOctober 6, 1976
ProfessionScreenwriter, Television producer, Comedian, Film producer, Film director, Actor
EducationUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts, Highland Park High School
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseJanicza Bravo

Accomplishments

MoviesJoshy, The Other Guys, Flock of Dudes, 30 Minutes or Less, Awful Nice, Gregory Go Boom, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, Someone Marry Barry, Be Here Nowish, Dinner With Family With Brett Gelman And Brett Gelman's Family, At Home with Hal and Christinith: TV Time, The Inn Keeper, Dear Woman, Lemo...
TV ShowsMarried, Eagleheart, Go On, The New Yorker Presents

Social profile links


Source: IMDb, Wikipedia
Author

As a Freelance Writer at Biography Pedia, I oversee the full writing process, from in-depth research to the development of compelling narratives, ensuring accuracy and excellence in our output. Our goal is to produce insightful profiles that deeply explore the lives of prominent figures in business, entertainment, and other fields. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, we spotlight the significant journeys and achievements of individuals who captivate and inspire our readers.

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