Christopher Lowell (born October 17, 1984) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the roles of Stosh "Piz" Piznarski in the television series Veronica Mars (2006–2007), William "Dell" Parker in the television series Private Practice (2007–2010), Sebastian "Bash" Howard in the television series GLOW (2017–2019), and Jesse Walker in How I Met Your Father (2022-2023). He has also appeared in films, notably Up in the Air (2009), The Help (2011), and Promising Young Woman (2020), all of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Lowell made his directorial debut with the film Beside Still Waters (2013), which he also co-produced and co-wrote the screenplay for.
Early life and education Lowell was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended the Atlanta International School, where he became interested in theatre and filmmaking. He attended the University of Southern California, where he was discovered in his first year while playing beach volleyball.
Career Discovered in 2003 after going through his first major audition, Lowell landed the role of Jonathan Fields on the ABC teen drama Life As We Know It. The series was cancelled after 13 episodes.
In 2006, Lowell had lead roles in the coming-of-age film Graduation and also in a small film entitled You Are Here.
After the end of Life As We Know It, Lowell was cast as Stosh "Piz" Piznarski in the third season of Veronica Mars, opposite Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring.
In 2009 Chris Lowell appeared in several videos by the sketch comedy group BriTANicK, including "Pillow Talk", and "The Morning After."
From 2007 until 2010, Lowell appeared in the ABC drama Private Practice, alongside Kate Walsh, Audra McDonald, and Tim Daly, playing Dell, the receptionist for the Oceanside Wellness Group who was also a qualified nurse, midwife-in-training, and young father to six-year-old daughter Betsy. Lowell exited Private Practice in the show's third-season finale when Dell died from heart failure, a complication during brain surgery after a vehicle accident.
In 2011, Lowell played the role of Stuart Whitworth in the film The Help, an adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel of the same name. The following year, filming began on Lowell's directorial debut, Beside Still Waters. Set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the film tells the story of a man redefining his outlook on life after the death of his parents.
Lowell also played Derrick on Fox's 2014 comedy Enlisted.
Lowell is also a vocalist and harmonicist for the indie acoustic band Two Shots for Poe.
He starred in the Off-Broadway hit Jacuzzi at Ars Nova in New York City.
In May 2021, Lowell was cast in the How I Met Your Mother spinoff series How I Met Your Father, led by Hilary Duff. In November 2021, Duff and the cast confirmed via social media accounts that the series would premiere on January 18, 2022. On February 15, 2022, Hulu renewed the series for a 20-episode second season. He played the role of producer Sebastian “Bash” Howard in the 2017-19 Netflix series GLOW.
Personal life Lowell and his wife, actress Kerry Bishé, have a daughter who was born in 2021.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes2007SpinDelaney2007GraduationTom Jackson2009Up in the AirKevin2011Stuart Whitworth2013Love and HonorPeter2013Beside Still WatersDirector, producer, co-writer2013Brightest StarThe Boy2014Veronica MarsStosh "Piz" Piznarski2016Complete UnknownBrad2016Chronically MetropolitanVictor2016Katie Says GoodbyeDirk2020Promising Young WomanAl Monroe 2021Breaking News in Yuba CountySteve 2022My Best Friend's ExorcismChristopher Lemon 2023PerpetratorPrincipal Burke
Television Year Title Role Notes2004–2005Life As We Know ItJonathan FieldsMain role2006–2007Veronica Mars"Veronica Mars: Fighting Cancellation Yet again, Tvseriesfinale.com, March 16, 2007Stosh "Piz" PiznarskiMain role (season 3)2007Grey's AnatomyWilliam "Dell" ParkerEpisodes: "The Other Side of This Life: Part 1", "The Other Side of This Life: Part 2"2007–2010Private PracticeMain role (seasons 1–3)"Private Practice" Scoop: Chris Lowell Not Returning for Season 4 , Zap2It.com, May 2, 20102014EnlistedCorporal Derrick HillMain role2014Play It Again, DickHimself2 episodes2016–2017GravesJeremy GravesMain role2017Halt and Catch FireDonna's one-night-standEpisode: "So It Goes"; uncredited2017–2019GLOWBash HowardRecurring (seasons 1–2); main (season 3), 25 episodes2019iZombieByron DeceaseyEpisode: "All's Well That Ends Well"2022–2023How I Met Your FatherJesseMain role2022Inventing AnnaNoah2 episodes2022RoarDetective Chris DurstEpisode: "The Woman Who Solved Her Own Murder" Theater Year Title Role Notes2024 Cult of LoveJames BennettMain role2025 Marjorie PrimeYoung Walter/Walter PrimeMain role
Accolades AwardYearCategoryWorkResultAustin Film Festival2013Narrative CompetitionBeside Still WatersBlack Film Critics Circle2011Best EnsembleCritics' Choice Awards2011Best CastHollywood Film Festival2011Ensemble of the YearNational Board of Review2011Best CastSatellite Awards2011Best Cast – Motion PictureScreen Actors Guild Award2011Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture2018Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy SeriesGLOW2019Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards2011Best Ensemble
References
External links
Chris Lowell cast bio on The CW
PopGurls Interview: Chris Lowell