Ike Barinholtz (born February 18, 1977)[2] is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his starring roles in the comedy series MADtv (2002–2007), Eastbound & Down (2012), The Mindy Project (2012–2017), Bless the Harts (2019–2021), The Afterparty (2022), and History of the World, Part II (2023).

Ike Barinholtz
Barinholtz in 2018
Born (1977-02-18) February 18, 1977 (age 47)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
Years active2001–present
Spouse
Erica Hanson
(m. 2009)
Children3
ParentAlan Barinholtz
RelativesJon Barinholtz (brother)

On February 2, 2023, he won the inaugural primetime season of Celebrity Jeopardy!, winning $1,000,000 for charity, Pacific Clinics, and placed as a semifinalist in the 2024 Tournament of Champions. On August 14, 2024, he and his father, Alan, became the first duo and the second celebrities overall to win the $1,000,000 top prize for their charity, the ASL Program at Los Encinos School, and the fifteenth overall million dollar winners on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He also previously won $125,000 for his charity, Uplift Family Services, on April 22, 2020.

His films include Disaster Movie (2008), Neighbors (2014), Sisters (2015), Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016), Suicide Squad (2016), Snatched (2017), Blockers (2018), Late Night (2019), The Hunt (2020), and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022). He co-wrote the action comedy film Central Intelligence (2016), and directed, wrote, produced, and starred in the comedy film The Oath (2018).

Early life, family, and education

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Barinholtz grew up in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood,[3] the son of Peggy and Alan Barinholtz, an attorney and actor. His brother Jon Barinholtz is also an actor.[4] Barinholtz has described his parents as "liberal people with great senses of humor", and said that he was raised in a "very funny home".[5] Barinholtz is Jewish.[6]

He attended Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School and then The Latin School of Chicago for high school. He worked at a telemarketing company and as a busboy before starting a career in comedy.[7]

Barinholtz attended Boston University. After dropping out of college, he worked for the Chicago Transit Authority before starting his comedy career.[3] In a 2013 interview, he said he dropped out of school because he hated it and was doing poorly.[7] In a 2012 phone interview, Barinholtz said he was inspired to pursue a career in comedy after attending a comedy show at The Vic Theatre.[3] Thereafter, he took comedy classes at The Second City, ImprovOlympic and Annoyance Theatre.[7] He had planned on becoming a politician[5] but instead decided to move to Los Angeles to be an actor.

Career

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Barinholtz at PaleyFest 2013

Barinholtz spent two years in Amsterdam with the famed comedy troupe Boom Chicago along with Jordan Peele, Josh Meyers, and Nicole Parker. Barinholtz hosted the 'Worst of Boom Night' during a 10-year anniversary of the improv troupe Boom Chicago, where they performed their worst material from previous shows.

In 2009, he performed at the Chicago Improv Festival alongside former MADtv cast member Jordan Peele.[8] In 2012, Barinholtz performed at another Chicago Improv Festival event with his brother, Jon.[9]

He is a founding member of The Lindbergh Babies, an improv group directed by Del Close, who worked with John Belushi, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, and Chris Farley. In 2012, Barinholtz joined the cast of the third season of the HBO series Eastbound & Down, playing the role of Ivan Dochenko, Kenny Powers' Russian rival. He starred alongside Seth Rogen in the 2014 comedy Neighbors, as well as its 2016 sequel. Also in 2016, Barinholtz played prison guard Griggs in the DC Comics film Suicide Squad.

He has frequently worked with comedian Dave Stassen, with whom he attended high school.[3] They co-wrote a SPIKE pilot in which Barinholtz also starred, Mega Winner,[10] and the 2016 film Central Intelligence.[11]

Barinholtz appeared in a regular role as nurse Morgan Tookers on the comedy series The Mindy Project. He was also a writer and story editor on the series. He also has a role in Friends from College, a Netflix original. In 2022, Barinholtz was in the main cast of the Apple TV+ mystery comedy series The Afterparty.

Competing on the first season of Celebrity Jeopardy! on ABC in 2022-23, Barinholtz defeated Patton Oswalt and Wil Wheaton in the finals to win the championship. He earned $1,000,000 for his charity, Pacific Clinics, and, due to rule changes, became the first celebrity champion to receive a berth to the Tournament of Champions. Competing in 2024, Barinholtz won his quarterfinal match against 13-game winner Ray Lalonde and 3-game winner Melissa Klapper, before losing in the semifinals.[12] An article in Slate described Barinholtz as the "chaos agent Jeopardy! needed".[13]

MADtv

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Barinholtz officially joined the cast of MADtv in 2002 as a featured performer for the eighth season. He was later promoted to a repertory performer status the following season. Barinholtz often paired up with fellow cast member Josh Meyers in various sketches for the eighth and ninth seasons similar to the Mike Myers/Dana Carvey and Jimmy Fallon/Horatio Sanz duos on Saturday Night Live. Barinholtz also paired up with fellow cast member Bobby Lee in some of his sketches in the later seasons. Some of his famous characters included Abercrombie & Fitch model Dutch and Principal Lankenstein from the Coach Hines sketches.

Barinholtz's celebrity impressions included Abraham Lincoln, Alex Trebek, Andy Dick, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ashton Kutcher, Bo Bice, Dane Cook, Felicity Huffman, Fidel Castro, Howard Dean, Howie Long, Kevin Federline, Mark Wahlberg, Clay Aiken, Matt Damon, Nick Lachey, Nick Nolte, Pat Sajak, Ralph Nader, Rafael Palmeiro, and Vin Diesel.

In 2007, he decided not to renew his contract for the 13th season of MADtv. Barinholtz has commented that he started getting "restless" and did not see eye to eye with some of the MADtv bosses about how decisions were being made.[7]

Characters

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Character Sketch Notes
Adam Bice QVC: Quacker Factory
Eli The B.S.
Astroman
Duncan Kruskal The Silver Fox
Dutch Abercrombie & Fitch
Jeffrey "Jeff" DeShazer Coach Hines
Marty Knobs
Mitchel "Mitch" Ruffin
Principal Lankenstein Coach Hines He is the principal of St. Francis High and Coach Hines' nemesis.
Roy Schenk Feuding Parents
Steven "Steve" Wellington

Personal life

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Barinholtz is married to Erica Hanson, an accountant, with whom he has three daughters.[14] While shooting the film Blockers, he suffered an accident doing a stunt involving a fall. He suffered two fractured cervical vertebrae in his neck.[15]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Down Assistant Milligan
2006 The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend Bar Jerk Short film
2007 Bunny Whipped Joe
Twisted Fortune Dave Armstrong
2008 Meet the Spartans Various
Disaster Movie Various
2009 Shrink Steve Uncredited
Lock and Roll Forever Lomax
2010 How to Make Love to a Woman David
Vampires Suck Bobby White Uncredited
For Christ's Sake Buster Chery
2013 The Sidekick Lightning Mike Short film
Inventing Adam Telly
2014 Neighbors Jimmy Blevins
2015 Sisters James
2016 Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Jimmy Blevins
The Angry Birds Movie Tiny Voice[16]
Central Intelligence None Writer
Suicide Squad Griggs [17]
Storks Miscellaneous Storks Voice[16]
2017 Snatched Jeffrey Middleton
Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House Angelo Lano
The Disaster Artist Himself Cameo
Bright Pollard
2018 Blockers Hunter Lockwood
Song of Back and Neck Nurse
The Oath Chris Montana Also writer, producer, and director
2019 Late Night Daniel Tennant
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Lex Luthor Voice[16]
2020 The Hunt Moses / Staten Island [18]
2021 Moxie Mr. Davies [19]
2022 The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Martin Etten
2023 Maximum Truth Rick Klingman [20]
2024 Orion and the Dark Light Voice[21][16]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2002–2007, 2016 MADtv Various characters 116 episodes
2005 E! Hollywood Hold'em Himself Episode: "Laura Prepon"
2008 Family Guy Dane Cook Voice, episode: "I Dream of Jesus"
2008–2009 Rita Rocks Fly 6 episodes
2010 Weeds Daryl Episode: "Fran Tarkenton"
2010–2015 The League Frank "The Body" Gibiatti 4 episodes
2011 Childrens Hospital Peter Principato Episode: "Newsreaders"
2012 Eastbound & Down Ivan Dochenko 6 episodes
NTSF:SD:SUV Maitre'D Episode: "Sabbath-tage"
Megawinner Cliff Planker Television film; also writer and executive producer
2012–2017 The Mindy Project Morgan Tookers 115 episodes; also writer and executive story editor
2013 Drunk History August Spies Episode: "Chicago"
High School USA! Cyber Bully Voice, episode: "Bullies"
The Soup Himself Episode dated October 23
The Pete Holmes Show Episode: "Ike Barinholtz"
2013–2015 The Awesomes Muscleman Voice, 30 episodes[16]
2014 Kroll Show Zach Sword Episode: "Oh Armond"
Chozen Hunter Voice, 4 episodes
Married Bruce Episode: "The Old Date"
Garfunkel and Oates First Door on the Right Director Episode: "Hair Swap"
@midnight Himself Episode dated January 8
American Dad! DJ Iron Monkey Voice, episode: "Blonde Ambition"
2016 Animals. Alan Voice, episode: "Pigeons."[16]
2017 Friends from College Degrasso 2 episodes
Neo Yokio Jeffrey Voice, episode: "Hamptons Water Magic"
2019 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Gintars Irbe Episode: "Gintars"
The Twilight Zone Mike Episode: "Not All Men"
What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage Himself Episode: "Elevator"
Live in Front of a Studio Audience Michael Stivic Episode: "Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons"
2019–21 Bless the Harts Wayne Edwards Voice, 34 episodes
2020, 2024 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Himself 2 episodes
2020 Mapleworth Murders Richard Belt 3 episodes
2021–2022 Chicago Party Aunt Mark Voice, 15 episodes; also executive producer
2022–23 Celebrity Jeopardy! Himself 3 episodes
2022 The Afterparty Brett 8 episodes[22]
Central Park Voice, episode: "A Hot Dog to Remember"
2022-2023 American Auto Landon Payne 2 episodes
2023 History of the World, Part II Various 8 episodes; also writer and executive producer
White House Plumbers Jeb Stuart Magruder
2024 Jeopardy Tournament of Champions Himself 2 episodes
2024 Curb Your Enthusiasm Shimon Episode: "The Gettysburg Address"

Video games

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Year Title Voice role Notes
2016 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare A.J.

Audio

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Year Title Role Author Production Company
2021 Batman: The Audio Adventures[23] Two-Face/Harvey Dent Dennis McNicholas Blue Ribbon Content
2023 White House Plumbers Podcast Himself

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2013 Writers Guild of America Awards New Series The Mindy Project Nominated
2024 Comedy/Variety – Sketch Series History of the World, Part II Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Famous Actors from Chicago". FOX2.
  2. ^ Rose, Mike (2023-02-18). "Today's famous birthdays list for February 18, 2023 includes celebrities John Travolta, Cybill Shepherd". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  3. ^ a b c d Metz, Nina (2012-09-11). "Dork and Mindy: Chicagoan Ike Barinholtz ready to throw his weight around on new project". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2014-03-09. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  4. ^ Sullivan, Catey (2007-04-25). "Funny sons of funny fathers". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  5. ^ a b Isackson, Noah (2004-04-04). "Ike Barinholtz - Mad About TV Comedy". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  6. ^ Radloff, Jessica. "Ike Barinholtz From The Mindy Project Talks Chris Messina, Mindy Kaling, and Marriage". Glamour. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  7. ^ a b c d Wagner, Curt (2013-01-07). "Ike Barinholtz finds time for laughs in 'The Mindy Project'". RedEye. Chicago. Archived from the original on 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  8. ^ Jones, Chris (2009-02-18). "Chicago Improv Festival announces headliners, cuts prices". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  9. ^ Wagner, Curt (2012-03-25). "Chicago Improv Festival to honor Key and Peele". RedEye. Chicago. Archived from the original on 2013-03-31. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  10. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (2011-09-01). "Eastbound & Down': 'Mad TV' Alum Takes the Mound (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2012-01-02. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  11. ^ Lussier, Germain (2010-02-25). "GALAXY QUEST Director Dean Parisot to Helm Helms Comedy CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE". Collider. Archived from the original on 2014-11-26. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  12. ^ "2024 Tournament of Champions". Jeopardy. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  13. ^ Winkie, Luke (2024-03-07). "Ike Barinholtz Is the Chaos Agent Jeopardy! Needed". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  14. ^ "Stream How Ike Barinholtz Met His Wife". The Howard Stern Show by Howard Stern. Archived from the original on 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-01 – via SoundCloud.
  15. ^ "'Mindy Project' Star Ike Barinholtz Recovering From Broken Neck After Movie Stunt Accident". Variety. 2017-07-26. Archived from the original on 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  16. ^ a b c d e f "Ike Barinholtz (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 2, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  17. ^ "Suicide Squad Photo of Cast Table Reading". Variety. 2015-04-08. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  18. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (March 15, 2019). "Ike Barinholtz Joins Universal/Blumhouse Thriller 'The Hunt'". Deadline. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  19. ^ Fleming, Mike (October 29, 2019). "Patrick Schwarzenegger Gets A Lead In Amy Poehler's 'Moxie'; Ike Barinholtz In Talks". Deadline. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  20. ^ "Ike Barinholtz, Dylan O'Brien Political Mockumentary 'Maximum Truth' Lands at Momentum Pictures (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. February 23, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  21. ^ Vlessing, Etan (January 11, 2024). "Ike Barinholtz Brings the Light in Latest Orion and the Dark Trailer". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  22. ^ Petski, Denise (November 11, 2020). "Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao Among 9 Cast In Apple's 'The Afterparty'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  23. ^ "Batman: The Audio Adventures (Podcast Series 2021)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 2021-11-11. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
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