Martin Starr

Starr was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of actress Jean St. James.{{cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/movies/martin-starr-found-amusements-in-city-and-filming-336215|title=Martin Starr found amusements in city and filming|publisher=post-gazette.com|access-date=June 28, 2017}}{{dead link|date=June 2023}} He is a Buddhist.{{cite news |url= https://www.indiewire.com/article/blythe-danner-on-the-marginalization-of-older-actors-and-why-she-loves-indie-film-20150515 |title= Blythe Danner on the Marginalization of Older Actors and Why She Loves Indie Film |work=Indiewire |date= May 15, 2015 |access-date= May 16, 2015}} In an interview with Wired, Starr said that he felt "frustrated and depressed" at 22 due to lack of offers in the years after Freaks and Geeks was cancelled. He had fired his agent and decided to quit acting altogether; however, a few years later he was offered Knocked Up, and other offers then started to come his way.{{cite news |url= https://www.wired.com/2016/03/silicon-valley-new-comedy-economy/ |title= The Silicon Valley Boys Aren't Just Brilliant -- They're Part of a Comedy Revolution |work=Wired |date= March 2016 |access-date= November 11, 2019}} In May 2024, Starr married Alex Gehring, the bassist of the band Ringo Deathstarr.{{Cite Instagram |postid=C6oZu7fuTKY |user=galexy |title=I’m sorry but I’m about to make a bunch of posts packed with wedding pics! |first=Gehring |last=Alex |date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=April 15, 2025}}

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In 1999, Starr was cast as Bill Haverchuck in the NBC sitcom Freaks and Geeks.{{Cite web |last=Lloyd |first=Robert |date=December 6, 2012 |title=2 Good 2 Be 4Gotten: An Oral History of Freaks and Geeks |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2013/01/freaks-and-geeks-oral-history |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/AGgSG |archive-date=December 4, 2023 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Vanity Fair}} The series received positive reviews from critics, but it suffered from low ratings and was canceled after only one season.{{Cite news |last=Austerlitz |first=Sean |date=October 2, 2024 |title='Freaks and Geeks' at 25: 'It Was Slipping Away the Entire Time' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/26/arts/television/freaks-and-geeks-25th-anniversary.html |access-date=April 15, 2025 |work=The New York Times}} It has since gained a strong cult following.{{cite web |last=Longo |first=Chris |date=September 2, 2013 |title=Freaks and Geeks: The Enduring Legacy of a Short-Lived Show |url=http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/freaks-and-geeks/182832/freaks-and-geeks-the-enduring-legacy-of-a-short-lived-show |access-date=November 19, 2013 |work=Den of Geek}} Starr then had a number of guest appearances and one-time roles on shows such as Ed, Mysterious Ways, Providence, King of the Hill, and Normal, Ohio. He had a small recurring role during the third season of Roswell as the character Monk. In 2002, Starr appeared in the films Stealing Harvard and Cheats. He reunited with both Freaks and Geeks producer Judd Apatow and Freaks and Geeks co-star Seth Rogen when he made a guest appearance on Apatow's situational comedy Undeclared in the episode "The Perfect Date". In 2005, he appeared in the miniseries Revelations and the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

Starr co-starred in the 2007 comedy film Knocked Up, which was directed by Judd Apatow. The same year, he had small appearances in Superbad and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, both of which were produced by Apatow. Knocked Up was critically praised and was successful at the box office.{{cite web|title=Knocked Up|work=Box Office Mojo|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=knockedup.htm|access-date=2011-06-21}} The success of Knocked Up led to Starr having larger roles in films, such as Good Dick and Adventureland. Starr also appears in many well-received short films that premiere at film festivals, such as the Sundance Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/sundance-2013-short-films/|title=12 Sundance Short Films Available on YouTube; Includes BROKEN NIGHT, a Short Film by BABEL Writer Guillermo Arriaga|date=January 17, 2013|publisher=collider.com|access-date=August 7, 2017}}

In 2008, Starr played a minor role in The Incredible Hulk. He reprised the role, retroactively identified as Roger Harrington, in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).{{cite web |last=Outlaw |first=Kofi |date=May 16, 2019 |title=Kevin Feige Confirms Two Marvel Cinematic Universe Characters Are Actually the Same Person |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/2019/05/16/spider-man-far-from-home-incredible-hulk-mcu-connections-martin-starr-roger-harrington/ |access-date=May 16, 2019 |website=ComicBook.com |publisher=}}

From 2009 to 2010, Starr was a series regular portraying Roman DeBeers on the Starz sitcom Party Down. The series was cancelled after two seasons and there were discussions of adapting the series into film, but this never came to fruition.{{cite web|url=http://www.movieline.com/2012/01/19/martin-starr-on-his-sundance-premiere-save-the-date-and-the-party-down-movie-theres-nothing-official/|title=Martin Starr on His Sundance Premiere Save the Date and the Party Down Movie: 'There's Nothing Official'|work=Movieline|first=Karen|last=Nicoletti|date=January 19, 2012|access-date=February 28, 2012}} From 2011 to 2013, he co-starred on the Adult Swim television series NTSF:SD:SUV::, in which he played Sam Stern. In 2011, Starr had a major role in the film A Good Old Fashioned Orgy and also had guest appearances on television series such as Mad Love, Community, and Childrens Hospital. In the latter, he reprised his role of Roman DeBeers from Party Down. Starr reunited with Freaks and Geeks and Party Down cast member Lizzy Caplan in the 2012 film Save the Date, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The same year, he had a supporting role in the thriller film Deep Dark Canyon, as well as guest-starring on sitcoms Parks and Recreation and New Girl.

In 2013, he had a small role playing himself in This Is the End, which was directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. He had a starring role in the Kristen Bell film The Lifeguard, later working with her again in the film Veronica Mars. He has guest-starred on The Aquabats! Super Show!, Franklin & Bash, and Drunk History. In 2014, he was cast to play Bertram Gilfoyle in the HBO comedy Silicon Valley.{{cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/20044-the-silicon-valley-cast-is-full-of-funny-dudes-who-you-should-definitely-recognize|title=The 'Silicon Valley' Cast is Full of Funny Dudes Who You Should Definitely Recognize|last=Semigran|first=Aly|work=Bustle|date=April 6, 2016|access-date=November 18, 2016}}

In 2019, Party Down's co-creator and producer Dan Etheridge announced plans for a reunion with the original cast (including Starr) during a discussion at Vulture Festival.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/party-down-reunion-vulture-fest-la-starz-dan-etheridge-jane-lynch-adam-scott-steve-guttenberg-rob-thomas-megan-mullally-1202782556/|title='Party Down' Producers Say They May "Get The Gang Back Together Again" For Reunion|work=Deadline|date=November 10, 2019|access-date=November 11, 2019}} The third season of the series premiered in February 2023.

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Category:1982 births

Category:20th-century American male actors

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:American Buddhists

Category:American male child actors

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:American people of German descent

Category:Living people

Category:Male actors from Santa Monica, California