From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nick Offerman (born June 26, 1970) is an American film and television actor.

Offerman grew up in Minooka, Illinois. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993. That year, he and a group of fellow students co-founded the Defiant Theatre, a Chicago-based theatre company. Offerman lived in Chicago throughout the mid-1990's, where he participated with the Steppenwolf, Goodman and Wisdom Bridge theatre companies. During this time, Offerman became acquainted with Amy Poehler, who was heavily involved with the Chicago improv comedy scene.^[1]

Offerman has appeared in films such as November (2004), Cursed (2005), and Sin City (2005). He has been married since 2003 to Will & Grace actress Megan Mullally. Offerman guest-starred on Will & Grace during its fourth season and on King of Queens, twice playing a plumber on Thanksgiving episodes of both series; he also appeared on his wife's talk show, The Megan Mullally Show. In 2003, he appeared in three episodes of 24 and has also guest-starred in an episode of The West Wing. He can be currently seen on the TV series Parks and Recreation on NBC as Ron Swanson. His major role was as Randy McGee on George Lopez. He was one of the workers in the factory and the love interest of Benny Lopez. In 2003 he appeared in Gilmore Girls in the episode "The Festival of Living Art".

Offerman is good friends with comedic actor Rainn Wilson, who plays Dwight Schrute in The Office. The two became friends while auditioning for the same roles early in their careers and remained in touch, with Offerman even building Wilson's kitchen table.^[2] In 2009, Office producers Michael Schur and Greg Daniels offered Offerman a regular supporting role in their NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation. Offerman accepted the role of Ron Swanson, the deadpan, bureaucracy-hating head of a parks department and the boss of Leslie Knope, the protagonist played by Offerman's old acquaintance, Amy Poehler.^[1] Slate magazine declared Offerman "Parks and Recreation's secret weapon", and said he regularly stole scenes and "has a gift for understated physical comedy".^[3]

Offerman said such supporting parts such as that of Parks and Recreation are his ideal roles, and that he draws particular inspiration from the Reverend Jim Ignatowski, the character played by Christopher Lloyd in the 1970's and 1980's sitcom, Taxi.^[1]He also appeared in Comedy Central's American Body Shop.

References

External links

• Nick Offerman at the Internet Movie Database
• Childrens' Hospital streaming episodes on theWB