About
Judah Friedlander plays Frank, the wisecracking writer, on NBC’s three-time Emmy Award-winning 30 Rock, a workplace comedy where the workplace exists behind-the-scenes of a live variety show. Friedlander makes and writes all the sayings on the hats that he wears on 30 Rock. He, along with the 30 Rock cast, won a 2009 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
Friedlander is a stand-up comedian who also happens to be a critically acclaimed actor as well. Judah started doing stand-up comedy in 1989.
Judah was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2003 Independent Spirit Awards for his role in the Sundance-winning American Splendor. USA TODAY named Judah Best Supporting Actor for 2003. New York Times Magazine also named him as one of the best actors of the year for American Splendor.
Judah has been in over 25 feature films and is known for completely transforming himself into different characters. Movie credits include The Wrestler, Duane Hopwood, Chapter 27, Southern Belles, Live Free or Die, Full Grown Men and Feast. Judah has also appeared in comedy classics like Meet the Parents, Zoolander and Wet, Hot American Summer. Judah lent his voice to the animated movie Rio and the upcoming Leafmen, as well as the TV Christmas special Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. Next year, Judah will be starring in the much-anticipated prequel to Wet, Hot American Summer.
In addition to his stand-up comedy television appearances, Friedlander has appeared in many television shows, including Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sesame Street, The Green Room with Paul Provenza and Wonder Showzen, and he was a regular on VH1’s Best Week Ever. He also starred as the “Hug Guy” in the classic Dave Matthews Band music video “Everyday.”
Judah is working on a stand-up comedy album, a concert movie and his own film project, tentatively titled “World Champion.” In 2010, he released a comedy book, How to Beat Up Anybody: An Instructional and Inspirational Karate Book by the World Champion. Despite his busy 30 Rock production schedule, he continues to tour the country with his stand-up comedy act. Most recently. he has been cast as Ron von Kleinenstein in the Netflix original comedy, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp.
