Ed Helms is a true comedy master and a multitalented star. He’s most known for his roles as spoiled but hilarious Cornell grad, Andy Bernard, in NBC’s sitcom The Office. However, what really skyrocketed Helms to fame was his role as Stuart Price in The Hangover trilogy.
There’s truly nothing Helms can’t do. He’s an actor, comedian, writer, and singer. He has an impressively long portfolio of legendary roles in movies and TV shows. So here are eight facts you probably didn’t know about Ed Helms.
1. Ed Helms Attended the Same High School as Brian Baumgartner
One of the most interesting facts about Helms is the connection to his The Office co-star, Brian Baumgartner. The two actors actually attended the same high school but not at the same time. Helms graduated in 1992 from The Westminster Schools, which is only one year after Baumgartner.
2. He Got His Start in Hollywood on The Daily Show
Even though he gained worldwide popularity thanks to The Office and The Hangover, Helms actually got his start somewhere else. He got his big break in Hollywood as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He spent four years working for the satirical news program, making some notable segments like “A Week in God” and “We Love Showbiz.” The actor even returned to his roots on The Daily Show in 2006 with a sketch alluding to his role in The Office and saying that he had been working undercover at a paper company in Scranton all this time.
3. Ed Helms Is Musically Talented
Just like his on-screen character Andy, Helms is also a musical genius. That’s why he often plays musically talented characters. Helms plays the banjo, harmonica, and piano in various bands.
4. He Was Supposed to Be a Guest Star on The Office
Another interesting fact about Ed Helms is that he originally wasn’t supposed to be a part of the main cast on The Office. He was actually only cast as a guest star on the show, playing the quirky Andy in the Stamford branch of Dunder-Mifflin. When the branch fell apart, Andy was supposed to leave the company for good. But Helms did such a phenomenal job with his role that the creators decided to keep him alongside some other guest stars like Rashida Jones. However, Andy turned out to leave a much greater impact on audiences, so he stayed on the show almost until the end.
5. Ed Helms Has an Impressive Portfolio of TV Shows and Movies
Aside from his most successful projects like The Office and The Hangover trilogy, Ed Helms has many other impressive roles in his portfolio. He starred in and co-wrote the comedy series Rutherford Falls. He also made appearances on TV shows such as The Mindy Project, Wilfred, Arrested Development, NTSF:SD: SUV, Tanner on Tanner, Cheap Seats, and Children’s Hospital, as well as many Comedy Central specials.
When it comes to his film career, Helms’ greatest accomplishment is definitely The Hangover. He also appeared in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Meet Dave, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, and Vacation. Other film roles include Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story, I’ll Believe You, Semi-Pro, Evan Almighty, and many more.
6. He Directed Two Episodes of The Office
Another interesting fact about Ed Helms is that he also directed two episodes of The Office. The show had a reputation for allowing its stars to participate in the creative process, thus giving them space to direct some episodes. Helms was one of the cast members who wanted to give a directorial role a chance. He directed two episodes, “Welcome Party” and “Christmas Wishes.”
7. He’s Real-Life Friends With His Co-stars From The Hangover
One of the reasons why The Hangover movies were such a hit among global audiences is the out-of-this-world chemistry between the main characters. Well, the secret to their incredible teamwork was that they were longtime friends even before they started shooting the movie. Helms is real-life friends with his co-stars Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis.
8. Ed Helms Is a Private Person
Despite his enormous success and long career in Hollywood, Helms never let fame get to him. To this day, he remains a very private person and does his best to keep his family out of the spotlight. He rarely talks about anything personal whatsoever. He has admitted that he is married and has a daughter, but he never publicly disclosed their names.
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