Martin Starr
Martin Starr | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Starr in 2016 | |
| Born | Martin James Pflieger Schienle July 30, 1982 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse |
Alex Gehring (m. 2024) |
Martin James Pflieger Schienle[1] (born July 30, 1982),[2][3] known professionally as Martin Starr, is an American actor. He is known for the television roles of Bill Haverchuck on the comedy drama Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), Roman DeBeers on the comedy series Party Down (2009–2010, 2023), Bertram Gilfoyle on the HBO series Silicon Valley (2014–2019), for his film roles in Knocked Up (2007) and Adventureland (2009), and as Roger Harrington in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films The Incredible Hulk (2008), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
Personal life
[edit]Starr was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of actress Jean St. James[4] (née Pflieger), and James Erwin Schienle, who was an instructor[5] at Pasco-Hernando Community College.[6] He was raised Buddhist.[7] In an interview with Wired, Starr said that he felt "frustrated and depressed" at 22 due to lack of offers in the years after Freaks and Geeks was cancelled. He had fired his agent and decided to quit acting altogether; however, a few years later he was offered Knocked Up, and other offers then started to come his way.[8] In May 2024, Starr married Alex Gehring,[9] the bassist of the band Ringo Deathstarr.[10]
Career
[edit]In 1999, Starr was cast as Bill Haverchuck in the NBC sitcom Freaks and Geeks.[11] The series received positive reviews from critics, but it suffered from low ratings and was canceled after only one season.[12] It has since gained a strong cult following.[13] Starr then had a number of guest appearances and one-time roles on shows such as Ed, Mysterious Ways, Providence, King of the Hill, and Normal, Ohio. He had a small recurring role during the third season of Roswell as the character Monk. In 2002, Starr appeared in the films Stealing Harvard and Cheats. He reunited with both Freaks and Geeks producer Judd Apatow and Freaks and Geeks co-star Seth Rogen when he made a guest appearance on Apatow's situational comedy Undeclared in the episode "The Perfect Date". In 2005, he appeared in the miniseries Revelations and the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.
Starr co-starred in the 2007 comedy film Knocked Up, which was directed by Judd Apatow. The same year, he had small appearances in Superbad and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, both of which were produced by Apatow. Knocked Up was critically praised and was successful at the box office.[14] The success of Knocked Up led to Starr having larger roles in films, such as Good Dick and Adventureland. Starr also appears in many well-received short films that premiere at film festivals, such as the Sundance Film Festival.[15]
In 2008, Starr played a minor role in The Incredible Hulk. He reprised the role, retroactively identified as Roger Harrington, in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).[16]
From 2009 to 2010, Starr was a series regular portraying Roman DeBeers on the Starz sitcom Party Down. The series was cancelled after two seasons and there were discussions of adapting the series into film, but this never came to fruition.[17] From 2011 to 2013, he co-starred on the Adult Swim television series NTSF:SD:SUV::, in which he played Sam Stern. In 2011, Starr had a major role in the film A Good Old Fashioned Orgy and also had guest appearances on television series such as Mad Love, Community, and Childrens Hospital. In the latter, he reprised his role of Roman DeBeers from Party Down. Starr reunited with Freaks and Geeks and Party Down cast member Lizzy Caplan in the 2012 film Save the Date, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[17] The same year, he had a supporting role in the thriller film Deep Dark Canyon, as well as guest-starring on sitcoms Parks and Recreation and New Girl.
In 2013, he had a small role playing himself in This Is the End, which was directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. He had a starring role in the Kristen Bell film The Lifeguard, later working with her again in the film Veronica Mars. He has guest-starred on The Aquabats! Super Show!, Franklin & Bash, and Drunk History. In 2014, he was cast to play Bertram Gilfoyle in the HBO comedy Silicon Valley.[18]
In 2019, Party Down's co-creator and producer Dan Etheridge announced plans for a reunion with the original cast (including Starr) during a discussion at Vulture Festival.[19] The third season of the series premiered in February 2023. In 2022, he joined the cast for Tulsa King, playing the role of Lawrence "Bodhi" Geigerman, the owner of a weed store.[20]
In 2025, Starr founded the candy company Sweet Stash with Adeev and Ezra Potash; the company produces gummies in the shape of musical notes.[21][22]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Hero | Allen in Coma | Credited as Martin Schienle |
| 1995 | Xtro 3: Watch the Skies | Biff Atkins | Credited as Martin Schienle |
| 2001 | Eyeball Eddie | Eddie Malick | Short film |
| 2001 | Robbie's Brother | Wayne | |
| 2002 | Stealing Harvard | Liquor Store Clerk | |
| 2002 | Cheats | Applebee | |
| 2003 | Band Camp | Shane | Short film |
| 2004 | Who's Your Daddy? | Scooter | Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | Fish Burglars | Marty | Short film |
| 2005 | The Toast | No Friend of the Groom | |
| 2005 | Kicking & Screaming | Beantown Customer | |
| 2006 | American Storage | Charlie | Short film |
| 2006 | A Midsummer Night's Rewrite | John | Short film |
| 2007 | Knocked Up | Martin | |
| 2007 | Superbad | James Masselin | |
| 2007 | Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | Schmendrick | |
| 2008 | Good Dick | Simon | |
| 2008 | The Incredible Hulk | Roger Harrington | Cameo; Credited as "Computer Nerd" |
| 2009 | Big Breaks | Barista | Short film |
| 2009 | Adventureland | Joel | |
| 2009 | Oh Joy | Best Friend | Short film |
| 2009 | The Toll Road | Stewart | Short film |
| 2009 | The Invention of Lying | Waiter #1 | Cameo |
| 2009 | The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu | Clarence | |
| 2009 | 1-900-Drinking-Buddy | Young Jock | Short film |
| 2009 | Paper Heart | Himself | |
| 2010 | Church & State | Jesus | Short film |
| 2010 | Lovepocalypse | Ernie | Short film |
| 2011 | A Good Old Fashioned Orgy | Doug Duquez | |
| 2011 | Fight for Your Right: Revisited | Police | Short film |
| 2011 | 6 Month Rule | Alan | |
| 2012 | Save the Date | Andrew | |
| 2012 | Angel of Death | Victim 3 | Short film |
| 2012 | Deep Dark Canyon | Lloyd Cavanaugh | |
| 2013 | This Is the End | Himself | Cameo |
| 2013 | The Sidekick | Blood Diamond | Short film |
| 2013 | The Lifeguard | Todd | |
| 2013 | The Apocalypse | Kyle | Short film |
| 2013 | Seasick Sailor | Bookbinder | Short film |
| 2014 | Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead | Daniel | |
| 2014 | Veronica Mars | Stu "Cobb" Cobbler | |
| 2014 | Leonard in Slow Motion | Leonard | Short film |
| 2014 | Amira & Sam | Sam Seneca | |
| 2014 | Playing It Cool | Lyle | |
| 2015 | I'll See You in My Dreams | Lloyd | |
| 2015 | Intruders | Perry Cuttner | |
| 2016 | Operator | Joe Larsen | Also co-producer |
| 2017 | Lemon | Adam | |
| 2017 | Infinity Baby | Malcolm | |
| 2017 | Grow House | Conspiracy Chris | |
| 2017 | Spider-Man: Homecoming | Roger Harrington | |
| 2018 | The Escape of Prisoner 614 | Jim Doyle | |
| 2019 | Frances Ferguson | Mel | |
| 2019 | Honey Boy | Alec | |
| 2019 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | Roger Harrington | |
| 2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | ||
| 2022 | Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe | Corrections Officer / Ball-kicking Biker (voice) | |
| 2022 |