Hank Azaria
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Hank Albert Azaria (born April 25, 1964) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor and voice artist of Jewish/Greek ancestry (his parents came from Salonica (Thessaloniki), Greece).
Azaria is perhaps best known for his voice work on the animated television show The Simpsons. He has provided the voices for over 160 characters on the show including those of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe Szyslak, Police Chief Clancy Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel, Professor Frink and Snake. He also provided the voice of Eddie Brock/Venom in the animated series of the mid-1990s.
He has also appeared in movies such as Godzilla, The Birdcage, Mystery Men, America's Sweethearts and Heat and on television starring as psychiatrist Craig "Huff" Huffstodt in Huff, which is broadcast on Showtime in the US and FX in the UK. Earlier in his career, he appeared in Herman's Head as Jay Nichols and on Friends where he played the recurring character David, one of Phoebe's boyfriends. He also had a recurring role on Mad About You as Nat, the dogwalker. In 2002, he was given his own sitcom, entitled Imagine That. It was cancelled after only two episodes had aired.
Azaria has also shown his talents on stage. In 2003 he appeared in London's West End as Bernard in Sexual Perversity in Chicago. Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing in Friends) and Minnie Driver also starred.
He also appeared as Sir Lancelot, the French Taunter, and other characters in the musical version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail entitled Spamalot which opened in Chicago, Illinois in December 2004 and has since moved to Broadway. He took a break from the show in June of 2005 to work on Huff and The Simpsons (his role was filled by Alan Tudyk), and returned in December 2005. In 2005, he was nominated for the Tony Award for "Best Actor in a Musical" for his work in Spamalot.
Biography
Personal life
Azaria was born in Queens, New York to Ladino-speaking Sephardic Jewish parents from Thessaloniki, Greece. After several years of living together, Azaria married actress Helen Hunt on July 18, 1999. The couple divorced on December 18, 2000. Current rumors indicate that he is dating contestant Suzie McNeil.Awards
Hank Azaria has been nominated for numerous awards during his career including Emmys and Screen Actors Guild Awards.Emmy awards
| Year | Award | Result |
| 2005 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Nomination - Dr. Craig 'Huff' Huffstodt in Huff |
| 2003 | Outstanding Voice-Over Performance | Won - for characters in The Simpsons (Moe Baby Blues) |
| 2003 | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Nomination - David in Friends |
| 2001 | Outstanding Voice-Over Performance | Won - for characters in The Simpsons (Worst Episode Ever) |
| 2000 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Won - for Tuesdays with Morrie |
| 1998 | Outstanding Voice-Over Performance | Won - for Apu in The Simpsons |
| 1998 | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Nomination - Nat in Mad About You |
Trivia
- Azaria says he based Moe Szyslak's voice on Al Pacino, who has the same birthday as Azaria. Officer Lou sounds like Sylvester Stallone, Chief Wiggum is based on Edward G. Robinson, and Dr. Nick Riviera is "a bad Ricky Ricardo impression".
- Hank guest-starred on Futurama, another Matt Groening animated series, as Dr. Zoidberg's uncle, Harold Zoid.
- Moe Szyslak was the first character Hank voiced on The Simpsons.
- Hank was invited to Celebrity Poker, being the first one to leave. He says that if he is invited again it would not happen again. In the next season, however, he was the first to be sent to "the losers' lounge" yet again.
- In a news interview, Hank admitted that, during his performances of Spamalot, he has a hard time holding in laughter on stage throughout the show. His secret is to carry keys in his costume and painfully jab himself (unnoticeable to the audience) to stop from breaking character mid-performance. "It really hurts..." he jokes in the interview.
Partial filmography
- The Simpsons Movie (in progress) (voice) (2007)
- Nobody's Perfect (2004)
- Along Came Polly (2004)
- Eulogy (2004)
- (2004)
- Shattered Glass (2003)
- America's Sweethearts (2001)
- Fail Safe (made for TV) (2000)
- Tuesdays With Morrie (made for TV) (1999)
- Mystery, Alaska (1999)
- Mystery Men (1999)
- Cradle Will Rock (1999)
- Celebrity (1998)
- Godzilla (1998)
- Anastasia (voice) (1997)
- Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
- Mad About You (TV series, joined cast in 1996)
- The Birdcage (1996)
- Heat (1995)
- Friends (TV series, appearances in 1994, 2001 & 2003)
- Quiz Show (1994)
- Cool Blue (1993)
- Herman's Head (TV series) (1991)
- Pretty Woman (1990)
- The Simpsons (TV series) (1989-present)
External links
- [Hank Azaria] at the [Voice Chasers Database]
- [Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross]
- [Hank Azaria 1999 Interview] on Sidewalks Entertainment
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