Daniel Mark Pudi (born March 10, 1979) is an American actor and director. His portrayal of Abed Nadir on the sitcom Community (2009–2015), brought him three nominations for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and one nomination for the TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy. He also has starred as Brad Bakshi in the Apple TV+ comedy series Mythic Quest and was the voice of Huey Duck on the 2017 reboot of DuckTales.
Early life Daniel Mark Pudi was born in Chicago on March 10, 1979, the son of programmer and analyst Teresa () and Abraham Lazarus Pudi (1955–2018). He has a sister, Katherine, and a brother, Adam. His parents immigrated to the U.S. and became naturalized citizens: his mother came from the village of Pokośno, Poland, and his father came from the village of Poduru in Andhra Pradesh, India, and hailed from a Telugu Christian family. Pudi grew up speaking Polish with his mother and grandmother.
He grew up on the South Side of Chicago with brother Adam and sister Katherine and attended Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, a northern suburb.The Bonnie Hunt Show, October 9, 2009. In 2013, he gave the commencement address at Notre Dame College Prep.
Pudi studied dance in Chicago and attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, graduating with a degree in communication and theatre in 2001. At Marquette, he was the first winner of the Chris Farley Scholarship. Beyond paying for a year of school, the scholarship led to him performing at an improv comedy event featuring Jim Breuer and Dave Chappelle, increasing his interest in studying improv. After Marquette, he performed in summer stock theatre in Wisconsin, studied at The Second City in Chicago, and joined Stir Friday Night!, a sketch comedy ensemble of Asian American performers. Other SFN alumni include Steven Yeun.
Career Pudi became a recruiter for an executive search firm before moving to Los Angeles in 2005 to seek television and film roles. His job, whereby he was a remote worker, permitted him to attend auditions, helping him avoid the "struggling actor thing in terms of waiting tables, temping and so on". He performed in several television pilots before joining the cast of Community, which he starred in for six seasons from 2009 to 2015.
He has appeared in television advertisements for such products as Snickers, Verizon, McDonald's, T-Mobile, and Far Cry 4. In 2012, he appeared as a celebrity contestant on GSN's version of The Pyramid with fellow Community cast member Yvette Nicole Brown.
In film, he portrayed Arash in the comedy film Road Trip: Beer Pong, and starred in the comedy horror film Knights of Badassdom, which was one of the highlights of Comic Con 2011, according to HitFix.com. He starred in the Jones Street Station music video for "The Understanding". He has made cameo appearances in many internet videos, including BriTANicK's "A Monologue for Three". Pudi had a cameo appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the live episode of Hot in Cleveland, as well as a cameo in Star Trek Beyond.
In the autumn of 2014, Pudi appeared in the off-Broadway musical Found. He played the lead role in The Tiger Hunter, an independent film directed by Lena Khan in 2016 and funded through a Kickstarter campaign. In 2017, Pudi began voicing Huey Duck in the DuckTales reboot. He also appeared as Teddy on the NBC sitcom Powerless in the same year.
Pudi plays Brad Bakshi in the TV series Mythic Quest, which premiered in February 2020. His first play, entitled Running, was created for the En Garde Arts' series Uncommon Voices and made public in August 2020. The production tackles his attempt to piece together his relationship with his father, which affected his personal identity, cultural background, and his experience with racism throughout his personal life and career. The play was turned into a short film, directed by Arpita Mukherjee, and released in 2022.
He reunited with Community co-star Alison Brie in the 2022 film Somebody I Used to Know, co-written by Brie.
In 2024, Pudi began his role of The Mechanist in Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Personal life Pudi is married to Bridget Showalter. They met while attending Marquette University in their freshman year.Halverson, Steve. "'Community' star has ties to Dyersville" Dyersville Commercial, September 16, 2009. Their twins, a son and a daughter, were born in January 2012. Pudi is also a runner and has completed several marathons.
Pudi bought a house in Pasadena, California, in 2014.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2007 Cop Show Saffa Short films 2009 Road Trip: Beer Pong Arash Nilam Auntie: An International Treasure Melvin Short film 2010 Blowout Sale Glen Short film; also writer 2011 Fully Loaded Danny Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil Little Boy Blue Voice 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. Where the Magic Happens Unknown role Short film; also writer 2012 Leader of the Pack Doug Short film Flatland 2: Sphereland PunctoVoice 2013 Dr. Rao Vijay and I Rad Lando 2014 Untucked Documentary short; also director, producer and writer Captain America: The Winter Soldier Com Tech #1 Cameo 2015 Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant Nathan Vignes 2016 Sami Malik Taken to the Cleaner Billy Short film Star Trek Beyond Fi'Ja Cameo After the Sun Fell Adam 2017 Smurfs: The Lost Village Brainy Smurf Voice 2018 Lost Wallet Short film; also director Good Girls Get High Mr. D 2019 Babysplitters Jeff Penaras 2020 The Argument Brett Coffee Shop Names Deepak Short film 2021 Flora & Ulysses Miller 2022 Corner Office Rakesh American Dreamer Craig 2023Somebody I Used to Know Benny
Television Year Title Role Notes 2006 ER Mahir Kardatay Episode: "Lost in America" Gilmore Girls Raj 4 episodes Santos Aide Episode: "Two Weeks Out" 2007–2008 Greek Sanjay 4 episodes 2008 Josh Episode: "A Reptile Dysfunction" 2009–2015 Community Abed Nadir Main cast: 110 episodesTV Guide Award for Favorite Ensemble (2012)Nominated–TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy (2011)Nominated–Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2011–2013) 2011 Robot Chicken Various voices Episode: "The Core, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" Chuck Vali Chandrasekaren Episode: "Chuck Versus the Hack Off" 2012 Danny 6 episodes; also producer 2013 Hot in Cleveland Tommy Episode: "It's Alive" Royal Pains Garrett Episode: "Pregnant Paws" 2014 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Levander Hart Voice, episode: "Unstank My Hart" 30 for 30 Shorts Documentary short; also director, producer and writer 2015 Newsreaders Ivan Folange Episode: "How the Sausage Is Made; Lottery Winners Lose" TripTank Luger, Matt, Football Player #2, Navigator Voice, 4 episodes 2016 Dr. Ken Topher Episode: "Dave's Valentine" Pickle and Peanut Bike Jumper Voice, episode: "Bike Jumper" Great Minds with Dan Harmon Buddha Episode: "The Buddha" Angie Tribeca Garth Tweedner Episode: "You've Got Blackmail" Better Things Danny Episode: "Woman Is the Something of the Something" 2017 Powerless Teddy 12 episodes The Guest Book Tim 2 episodes Do You Want to See a Dead Body? Himself Episode: "A Body and an Ex-Con" 2017–2021 DuckTales Huey DuckVoice, main role 2018 Impulse Beanie Episode: "They Know Not What They Do"Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits & Monsters Calvin Reichart Episode: "A Better World" Alone Together Chris Episode: "Big Bear" 2018–2020Harvey Street Kids Tiny, Super Todd, Vlad Villainski, Cheesy TV Announcer, Little Lad, Joel Voice, 28 episodes 2020–2025 Mythic Quest Brad Bakshi Main cast: 40 episodes; also director 2020–2022 Mira, Royal Detective Sanjeev Joshi Voice, recurring role 2021 Calls Dr. Burman Voice, episode: "Leap Year Girl" Summer Camp Island Cookiesmell Voice, episode: "Shave a Little Off the Wheel" 2022 DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders Numo Voice, episode: "And You Are?" Home Economics Brian Episode: "Santa Suit Rental, $25 Per Day" Kiff Nick Namé Voice, episode: "Nicknames" 2022–2025 Transformers: EarthSpark Bumblebee, Dramatic Voice #2, Smart Trainer 5007, Crowd Voice, main role 2023 Clone High Dr. Neelankavil Voice, recurring role Strange Planet Various characters 9 episodes Carol & the End of the World Man with a walkie-talkie Voice, episode "The Beetle Broach" 2024–present Avatar: The Last Airbender Sai the Mechanist 5 episodes 2024 Krapopolis Orphan Voice, episode: "Ice Week" Pupstruction Dusty Whiskers Voice, episode: "The Big Baby Build"Rock Paper ScissorsRecyclable PrinceVoice, episode: "Trash" 2025–2026 Going Dutch Abraham Shah Main role2025 Chibiverse Huey Duck Voice, 2 episodes Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol Chef Geoff Voice; television special The Simpsons Jonathan Bryans Voice; episode: "Bart 'N' Frink" 2026 Golden Axe Hampton Squib Voice, main role
Video games Year Title Role2017HearthstoneProfessor George Herbert Doyle IV
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