Jason_Mantzoukas

Jason Mantzoukas (/mænˈzuːkəs/; born December 18, 1972) is an American comedic actor best known for his recurring roles as Rafi in the FX comedy series The League and Nuclear Nadal in The Dictator. Mantzoukas has also appeared in the films Sleeping with Other People, They Came Together, and Conception. He has had recurring roles on the three TV shows created by Michael Schur: Parks and Recreation as Dennis Feinstein; Brooklyn Nine-Nine as Adrian Pimento; and The Good Place as Derek Hoffstetler. He also voices the character Jay Bilzerian in the Netflix TV show Big Mouth. He co-hosts the popular film discussion podcast How Did This Get Made? alongside Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael.

Early life and education
Mantzoukas was born in Nahant, Massachusetts, the son of Cynthia (née Mourousas) and William Mantzoukas.[3] He describes his ancestry as "100 percent Greek."[4][5] Mantzoukas was an accomplished drummer during his time at Swampscott High School, anchoring a band named Slygoul. He attended Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.[6]

Mantzoukas began performing improvisational comedy while attending Middlebury College as a part of the Otter Nonsense Players. After college, Mantzoukas studied music and lived abroad for several years on a Watson Fellowship, traveling to North Africa and the Middle East.[4][7]

Career
After moving to New York in 1998, he began performing comedy regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (UCBT), where he was a member of the improv team "Mother," one of the UCBT's earliest house teams. He continues to perform in the weekly show "Soundtrack," an improvised show based on iPod playlists from audience members.[8] Mantzoukas continues to perform at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles.

Mantzoukas has appeared in movies such as Baby Mama, I Hate Valentine's Day, and The Dictator and has made guest appearances in comedy programs such as The Life & Times of Tim, Parks and Recreation, Enlightened, Broad City, Kroll Show, Modern Family, The Good Place, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He currently co-hosts the Earwolf podcast How Did This Get Made? with Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael.

Although he is often cast as characters of Middle Eastern ethnicity, Mantzoukas is of Greek descent.[5] Mantzoukas and comedian Ed Herbstman performed as comedy duo "The Mantzoukas Brothers" for a number of years, and they were named "Best Improv Duo" by Time Out New York magazine in 2006.[9] Mantzoukas appeared in the recurring roles of Rafi on the FX comedy The League and Eagle Wing in the "Gigolo House" sketches on Comedy Central's sketch series Kroll Show.

Mantzoukas co-wrote the screenplay for the 2014 Ice Cube and Kevin Hart comedy Ride Along. He has also served as a consulting writer and producer on comedy programs such as Childrens Hospital and Portlandia.[10]

Since 2018, he has replaced T.J. Miller as the voice of Mr. Mucus for the Mucinex commercials.[11] In 2019, he played Tick Tock Man in the action thriller film, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.[12]

Personal life
Mantzoukas has a life-threatening egg allergy.[13] While on the set of The League in Las Vegas, he had to be taken to the hospital on a stretcher due to egg whites in a parfait he ate.[13] Mantzoukas received a scholarship after college to study music in Morocco. He experienced severe anxiety and panic attacks within the first few days of landing in Morocco, but eventually became grounded and stayed for the full two years.[14]

Mantzoukas is of Greek descent.