# Tony Hale

Anthony Russell Hale (born September 30, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. He is most known for his comedic leading roles in the Fox series Arrested Development as Buster Bluth, and as Gary Walsh on the HBO series Veep. For the latter, Hale won the 2013 and 2015 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Hale has appeared in feature films including The Informant! (2009), In My Sleep (2010), The Heat (2013), Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015), Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021), Hocus Pocus 2 (2022), and Quiz Lady (2023). He has provided voice-work for The Tale of Despereaux (2008), The Angry Birds Movie (2016), The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019), Toy Story 4 (2019) as Forky, a role he reprised in Forky Asks a Question, and Inside Out 2 (2024) as Fear, replacing Bill Hader from the first film. Hale also created the Netflix and Peacock original series Archibald's Next Big Thing, and voiced the titular character. Hale also voiced Vaneé from Lego Star Wars: Terrifying Tales (2021). He plays twin brothers Nicholas Benedict and L.D. Curtain in the Disney+ original The Mysterious Benedict Society (2021).

## Early life and education

Hale was born on September 30, 1970, in West Point, New York. His mother, Rita (née Garnett), worked as a staff assistant to State Representative Kathy Ashe, and his father, Mike Hale, taught nuclear and atomic physics and served in the military. Hale grew up in Tallahassee, Florida where he attended the Young Actors Theatre and participated in numerous theatrical and musical productions. He graduated from Leon High School in 1988. He graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama with a journalism degree in 1992. He became a member of Sigma Chi while at the university. He completed graduate studies in 1995 from the School of Communication and the Arts of Regent University in Virginia. After graduating, he lived in New York City for eight years. While in New York, Hale helped found The Haven, an artistically minded community of Christians that meets weekly. He studied acting at The Barrow Group, as well as at the William Esper Studio in the Professional Actor Training Program.

## Career
### 1997–2002: Early roles

Hale obtained his Screen Actors Guild card when he appeared in a commercial for MCI Inc., though it never aired. He made minor guest appearances in TV shows such as Dawson's Creek, The Sopranos, and Sex and the City.

### 2003–2013: Arrested Development

From 2003 to 2006, and also in 2013, 2018, and 2019, Hale found success in television cast as Buster Bluth, the hapless, neurotic son on Arrested Development. Hale appeared in a season ten episode of MADtv in a parody of Cops, where two British robbers try to stop a domestic dispute among the royal family. In March 2006, Hale was cast in a co-starring role as the video store owner Simon in the NBC sitcom Andy Barker, P.I., starring Andy Richter and co-created by Conan O'Brien. He appeared in minor roles in Stranger Than Fiction and Because I Said So. He was the voice of Furlough in The Tale of Despereaux, an animated children's film released in 2008. Hale had a recurring role as Emmett on Chuck, beginning in October 2008 and ending in January 2010. His departure made room for his starring role on the NBC web series Ctrl, which premiered on July 13, 2009. He appeared in a cameo in the second episode of the first season of Showtime's dramedy United States of Tara, as English teacher Oral Gershenoff. He joined the cast of Numbers in 2009, in the recurring role of Professor Russell Lazlo.

### 2012–2019: Veep and acclaim

In 2012, Hale starred in the drama comedy Not That Funny. He guest-starred on NBC's Law & Order: SVU as Rick Simms, a teacher who is fired from his job after being accused of inappropriate behavior with a student. In 2012, Hale was cast in the HBO comedy Veep as Gary Walsh, the personal assistant to Vice President-turned-President Selina Meyer (portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus). On September 22, 2013, Hale won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work in the show's second season. This was his first major award. He earned his second nomination in 2014, but lost the award to Ty Burrell. Hale won his second Primetime Emmy Award with his third nomination in 2015, in the same ceremony where Veep won its first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
In 2017, Hale hosted the 9th Annual Shorty Awards at the PlayStation Theater in New York City. In 2018, Hale played the role of Jerome Squalor on the second season of the Netflix comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events, appearing in episodes adapting The Ersatz Elevator and The Penultimate Peril. He appeared in two more episodes of the series.

### 2020–present

In 2024, Hale voiced Fear in Pixar's Inside Out 2, replacing Bill Hader who voiced the character in the first film.

## Personal life

Hale married Emmy Award-winning makeup artist Martel Thompson on May 24, 2003. They have a daughter born in February 2006. Hale and his wife are practicing Christians.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Raging Hormones | Wiseguy Driver | |
| 2003 | My Blind Brother | Bill | |
| 2004 | Stateside | Donny | |
| 2005 | Fortunes | Phil Yount | |
| 2006 | Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector | Jack Dabbs | |
| 2006 | RV | Frank | |
| 2006 | Stranger Than Fiction | Dave | |
| 2006 | The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell | Remington Biographer | |
| 2006 | Unaccompanied Minors | Alan Davies | |
| 2006 | The Proper Care & Feeding of an American Messiah | Homeowner with demons | |
| 2007 | Because I Said So | Stuart | |
| 2007 | Dante's Inferno | Pope Nicholas III | Voice |
| 2007 | Flatland: The Movie | King of Pointland | Voice |
| 2007 | Cruel Logic | Dr. Pomerenke | |
| 2008 | My Suicide | Social worker | |
| 2008 | The Tale of Despereaux | Furlough | Voice |
| 2008 | The Year of Getting to Know Us | Nickie | |
| 2009 | The Answer Man | Mailman | |
| 2009 | The Informant! | James Epstein | |
| 2009 | The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard | Wade | |
| 2009 | The Ballad of G.I. Joe | Dr. Mindbender | Short film |
| 2009 | Weathered | Stanway Steini | Short film |
| 2010 | Happythankyoumoreplease | Sam #2 | |
| 2010 | In My Sleep | Ben | |
| 2011 | Sironia | Chad | |
| 2011 | Wuss | Mr. Crowder | |
| 2011 | Perfect | Gene | Short film |
| 2012 | First in Flight | Wilbur Wright | Short film |
| 2012 | Not That Funny | Stefan Lane | |
| 2013 | The Heat | The John | |
| 2013 | The Kings of Summer | Bus Passenger | |
| 2013 | The Nobodies | Postal Boss | Short film |
| 2015 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip | Air Marshal James Suggs | |
| 2015 | American Ultra | Agent Petey Douglas | |
| 2015 | April and the Extraordinary World | Darwin | Voice |
| 2016 | Brave New Jersey | Clark Hill | |
| 2016 | Dominion | Brinnan | |
| 2016 | Yoga Hosers | Bob Collette | |
| 2016 | The Angry Birds Movie | Ross, Mime, Cyrus | Voice |
| 2017 | And Then I Go | Mr. Mosley | |
| 2017 | Transformers: The Last Knight | Arrogant JPL Engineer | |
| 2018 | The 15:17 to Paris | Coach Murray | |
| 2018 | Love, Simon | Vice Principal Worth | |
| 2018 | Sadie | Bradley | |
| 2018 | Batman Ninja | The Joker | Voice; English dub |
| 2019 | To the Stars | Gerald Richmond | |
| 2019 | Toy Story 4 | Forky | Voice |
| 2019 | The Angry Birds Movie 2 | Mime | Voice |
| 2020 | Eat Wheaties! | Sid Straw | |
| 2020 | Poupelle of Chimney Town | Poupelle | Voice, English dub |
| 2020 | Nine Days | Alexander | |
| 2021 | Arlo the Alligator Boy | Teeny Tiny Tony | Voice |
| 2021 | Clifford the Big Red Dog | Zac Tieran | |
| 2021 | Being the Ricardos | Jess Oppenheimer | |
| 2022 | Hocus Pocus 2 | Jefry Traske / Reverend Traske | |
| 2023 | Woman of the Hour | Ed | |
| 2023 | Quiz Lady | Ben Franklin | |
| 2024 | Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate | Mel/Mr. Donut | Voice |
| 2024 | Unfrosted | Eddie Mink | |
| 2024 | Inside Out 2 | Fear | Voice; replacing Bill Hader |
| 2024 | Sketch | Taylor Wyatt | Also producer |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Ghost Stories | Billy Thorpe | Episode: "Personal Demons" |
| 1998 | Legacy | Hyram | Episode: "The Gift" |
| 2000 | The $treet | Trainee | Episode: "Closet Cases" |
| 2001 | Sex and the City | Tiger | Episode: "The Real Me" |
| 2001 | The Sopranos | RN / OCN Collins | Episode: "Second Opinion" |
| 2001 | Dawson's Creek | Doctor Bronin | Episode: "A Winter's Tale" |
| 2003–2006, 2013, 2018–2019 | Arrested Development | Byron "Buster" Bluth | Main role, 74 episodes |
| 2005 | Stacked | Brent Lamble | Episode: "Beat the Candidate" |
| 2007 | Big Day | David | Episode: "Last Chance to Marry Jane" |
| 2007 | Andy Barker, P.I. | Simon | 6 episodes |
| 2008–2010 | Chuck | Emmett Milbarge | 14 episodes |
| 2008–2009 | ER | Norman | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Samantha Who? | Dr. Andy Adams | Episode: "The Pill" |
| 2008 | United States of Tara | Oral Gershenoff | Episode: "Aftermath" |
| 2008 | Rules of Engagement | Steve | Episode: "May Divorce Be With You" |
| 2008 | Ctrl | Stuart | Web series |
| 2009–2010 | Numbers | Russell Lazlo | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | The Life & Times of Tim | Vince | Voice, episode: "Tim's Beard" |
| 2010 | Community | Professor Marion Holly | Episode: "Beginner Pottery" |
| 2010 | Law & Order | Phillip Shoemaker | Episode: "Brazil" |
| 2010 | Justified | David Mortimer | Episode: "The Collection" |
| 2010 | Medium | Gil Bureli | Episode: "The Match Game" |
| 2011 | Human Target | Harry | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Royal Pains | Andy | Episode: "Ta Da For" |
| 2011 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Dr. Karl | Episode: "Dolphinnegan's Wake" |
| 2011 | Good Vibes | Wadska | Voice, 12 episodes |
| 2011 | Psych | Jerry Kincaid | Episode: "Neil Simon's Lover's Retreat" |
| 2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Rick Simms | Episode: "Learning Curve" |
| 2012 | Up All Night | Dr. Welborn | Episode: "Ma'am'd" |
| 2012–2019 | Veep | Gary Walsh | Main role |
| 2013 | The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | Rutabaga / Caesar | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Doc McStuffins | Tobias The Elf | Voice, episode: "A Very McStuffins Christmas" |
| 2013–2016 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Himself / King of Cards | 2 episodes |
| 2013–2016 | Sanjay and Craig | Mr. Noodman, various voices | Voice |
| 2013–2018 | Drunk History | Various | 6 episodes |
| 2014 | About a Boy | Hugh Womple | Episode: "About a Boy's Dad" |
| 2014 | The Birthday Boys | Reginaldo Alphonsy | Episode: "Cerf's Folly" |
| 2015 | Jake and the Never Land Pirates | Doctor Undergear | Voice, 4 episodes |
| 2015 | Childrens Hospital | Brad Lendricks | Episode: "Me, Owen" |
| 2016 | VeggieTales in the House | Yambot | Voice, episode: "Yambot" |
| 2017 | Animals. | Matthew | Voice, episode: "Worms Birds Possums" |
| 2017 | Rick and Morty | Death Stalker Eli | Voice, episode: "Rickmancing the Stone" |
| 2017 | Difficult People | Himself | Episode: "The Silkwood" |
| 2017 | Pickle and Peanut | Funwagon | Episode: "Funwagon" |
| 2018–2019 | A Series of Unfortunate Events | Jerome Squalor | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Dr. Alex Noe | Voice, episode: "Todd Scouts" |
| 2018 | Mickey and the Roadster Racers | Dr. Victor Von Goose | Voice, episode: "Super-Charged" |
| 2019 | Star vs. the Forces of Evil | The Pie King | Voice, episode: "Escape from the Pie Folk" |
| 2019 | Spirit Riding Free | Bellhop, Waiter | Voice, episode: "Lucky and the New Frontier" |
| 2019 | Ask the StoryBots | The Recycling Plant Owner | Episode: "Why Do We Have To Recycle?" |
| 2019 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Himself (Snatch Game contestant, guest judge) | Episode: "Snatch Game at Sea" |
| 2019–2021 | Archibald's Next Big Thing | Archibald | Voice; also creator and executive producer |
| 2019–present | Harley Quinn | Doctor Psycho, Felix Faust, various voices | Voice, main role |
| 2019–2020 | Forky Asks a Question | Forky | Voice, main role |
| 2019–2022 | Amphibia | Apothecary Gary | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2020 | When the Streetlights Go On | Mr. Boque | 4 episodes |
| 2020–2021 | Crossing Swords | Blarney | Voice, 17 episodes |
| 2020 | The Twilight Zone | Tom | Episode: "Downtime" |
| 2020 | Game On! | Himself (contestant) | Episode: "Celebrity Guests: Tony Hale and Bobby Moynihan" |
| 2020 | Woke | Butter | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2020 | The George Lucas Talk Show | Himself | Episode: "Streamers of the Lost Art (of Conversation)" |
| 2021–present | Rugrats | Chas Finster | Voice, main role |
| 2021–2022 | Birdgirl | Paul "The Feels" | Voice, main role |
| 2021–2022 | The Mysterious Benedict Society | Nicholas Benedict / L.D. Curtain | Main role |
| 2021–2023 | HouseBroken | Diablo / Max | Voice, main role |
| 2021 | I Heart Arlo | Teeny Tiny Tony | Voice, main role |
| 2021 | LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales | Vaneé | Voice, television film |
| 2021 | Centaurworld | Durpletoot, Tony Durpleton | 4 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | The Chicken Squad | Frazz / Bob | Voice, 10 episodes |
| 2022 | The Legend of Vox Machina | Sir Fince | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Solar Opposites | Little Buddy | Voice, episode: "The Fog of Pupa" |
| 2022 | Password | Himself | Episode: "Tony Hale & Jimmy Fallon" |
| 2022 | Wolfboy and the Everything Factory | Water Ancient | Voice, episode: "We Search for Balance" |
| 2023 | Family Guy | Allen | Voice, episode: "Old West" |
| 2023 | The Ghost and Molly McGee | Calvin Redtop | Voice, episode: "Kenny's Falling Star" |
| 2024 | The Decameron | Sirisco | |
| 2024–present | Megamind Rules! | Mel/Mr. Donut | Voice |
| 2024 | Dream Productions | Fear | Voice, 4 episodes |

### Music videos

| Year | Artist | Song |
| 2007 | Switchfoot | "Awakening" |
| 2008 | Fall Out Boy | "Beat It" |
| 2014 | Lady A | "Bartender" |
| 2020 | David Cross featuring "Weird Al" Yankovic | "Eat It" |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2013 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep (episode: "Running") | Won |
| 2014 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep (episode: "Crate") | Nominated |
| 2015 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep (episode: "East Wing") | Won |
| 2016 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep (episode: "Inaguration") | Nominated |
| 2017 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep (episode: "Judge") | Nominated |
| 2019 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep (episode: "Veep") | Nominated |
| 2023 | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance | The Mysterious Benedict Society | Won |
| 2004 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Arrested Development (season 1) | Nominated |
| 2005 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Arrested Development (season 2) | Nominated |
| 2013 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Arrested Development (season 4) | Nominated |
| 2013 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Veep (season 2) | Nominated |
| 2014 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Veep (season 3) | Nominated |
| 2015 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Veep (season 4) | Nominated |
| 2016 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Veep (season 5) | Nominated |
| 2017 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Veep (season 6) | Won |
| 2014 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep | Nominated |
| 2015 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep | Nominated |
| 2016 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Veep | Nominated |
| 2020 | Annie Awards | Outstanding Voice Acting in a Feature Production | Toy Story 4 | Nominated |
| 2022 | San Diego International Film Festival | Fairbanks Award | Career Achievement | Awarded |