Age: 47
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Isaac "Ike" Barinholtz (born February 18, 1977) is an American actor, comedian, voice actor and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MADtv from 2002 to 2007 and currently has a regular role on The Mindy Project.
Barinholtz was born in the Rogers Park area of Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in its Lake View neighborhood, the son of Peggy and Alan Barinholtz, an attorney. Barinholtz has described his parents as "liberal people with great senses of humor", and has said that he was raised in a "very funny home". Barinholtz is Jewish, and attended Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, before attending The Latin School of Chicago for high school. He had planned on becoming a politician, but decided to move to Los Angeles, California, to be an actor instead. He worked at a telemarketing company and as a busboy before starting a career in comedy.
Barinholtz also attended Boston University and after dropping out, he worked for the Chicago Transit Authority before starting his comedy career. In a 2013 interview, he said he dropped out of school because he hated it and was doing poorly.
In a 2012 phone interview, Barinholtz said he was inspired to pursue a career in comedy after attending a comedy show at The Vic Theatre and seeing several other comedians. Afterwards, he started taking comedy classes at The Second City, ImprovOlympic and Annoyance Theatre, and was not successful at first, but chose to stick with it. His younger brother Jon Barinholtz is also an actor and comedian.
Barinholtz is married to Erica Hanson, with whom he has a daughter.
Barinholtz spent two years in Amsterdam with the famed comedy troupe Boom Chicago, along with Jordan Peele, Josh Meyers and Nicole Parker. Barinholtz hosted the 'Worst of Boom Night' during a 10-year anniversary of the improv troupe Boom Chicago, where they performed their worst material from previous shows.
He has appeared in the films The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend (2005), Love, Fear and Rabbits (2005) and Down (2001). Barinholtz currently lives in Los Angeles. Barinholtz is a founding member of The Lindbergh Babies, an improv group directed by Del Close, who worked with John Belushi, Bill Murray, Mike Myers and Chris Farley.
In 2012, Barinholtz joined the cast of the third season of the HBO series Eastbound & Down, playing the role of Ivan Dochenko, Kenny Powers' Russian rival.
On April 8, 2015, Barinholtz was cast in the DC Comics film Suicide Squad.
Barinholtz currently appears with a recurring role as nurse Morgan Tookers on the FOX comedy series The Mindy Project. He is also a writer and story editor on the series.
Barinholtz officially joined the cast of MADtv in 2002 as a feature performer for the eighth season. He was later promoted to a repertory performer status the following season. Barinholtz would often pair up with fellow cast member Josh Meyers in various sketches for the eighth and ninth seasons similar to the Mike Myers/Dana Carvey and Jimmy Fallon/Horatio Sanz duos on Saturday Night Live. Barinholtz also paired up with fellow cast member Bobby Lee in some of his sketches in the later seasons. Some of his famous characters included Abercrombie & Fitch model Dutch and Principal Lankenstein from the Coach Hines sketches.
Barinholtz performs celebrity impressions, including Dane Cook, Mark Wahlberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Federline, Howie Long, Nick Nolte, Fidel Castro, Matt Damon, Felicity Huffman, Alex Trebek, Pat Sajak, Andy Dick, Nick Lachey, Ashton Kutcher, Howard Dean, Bo Bice, and Ralph Nader.
In 2007, he decided not to renew his contract for the 13th season of MADtv. His contract, like most other MADtv cast members, was for five seasons which was up for renewal at the conclusion of the show's 12th season. Barinholtz has commented that he started getting "restless" and did not see eye to eye with some of the MADtv bosses about how decisions were being made.
In 2009, he performed at the Chicago Improv Festival alongside former MADtv cast member Jordan Peele. In 2012, Barinholtz performed at another Chicago Improv Festival event with his brother, Jon.
He has frequently worked with comedian Dave Stassen, with whom he also went to high school, including a SPIKE pilot in which Barinholtz also starred, Mega Winner and an Ed Helms film Central Intelligence.
Character | Sketch | Notes |
---|---|---|
Adam Bice | QVC: Quacker Factory | |
Eli | The B.S. | |
Astroman | ||
Duncan Kruskal | The Silver Fox | |
Dutch | Abercrombie & Fitch | |
Jeffrey "Jeff" DeShazer | Coach Hines | |
oops | Knobs | |
Mitchel "Mitch" Ruffin | ||
Principal Lankenstein | Coach Hines | He is the principal of St. Francis High and Coach Hines' nemesis. |
Roy Schenk | Feuding Parents | |
Steven "Steve" Wellington |
In 2012, Barinholtz began working as a writer on The Mindy Project and was cast as Nurse Morgan Tookers.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | Felt | Angelo Lano | Filming |
Mother/Daughter | Pre-production | ||
2016 | Suicide Squad | ||
Central Intelligence | Only writer | ||
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising | Jimmy Blevins | ||
The Angry Birds Movie | Tiny (voice) | ||
2015 | Sisters | James | |
2014 | Neighbors | Jimmy Blevins | |
2013 | The Sidekick | Lightning Mike | Short film |
Inventing Adam | Telly | ||
2010 | Vampires Suck | Bobby White | Uncredited |
How to Make Love to a Woman | David | ||
2009 | Shrink | Steve | Uncredited |
2008 | Disaster Movie | Wolf Javier Bardem look-alike Police Officer Hellboy Batman Beowulf Prince Caspian |
|
Meet the Spartans | Dane Cook look-alike Bond Villain Prophet |
||
Lock and Roll Forever | Lomax | ||
2007 | Bunny Whipped | Joe | |
Twisted Fortune | Dave Armstrong | ||
2006 | The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend | Bar Jerk | Short film |
2001 | Down | Assistant Milligan |
Year | Title | Credit | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Animals. | Alan (voice) | Pigeons. (#1.2) | |
2014 | Married | Bruce | The Old Date (#1.8) | |
Garfunkel and Oates | First Door on the Right Director | Hair Swap (#1.5) | ||
Kroll Show | Zach Sword | Oh Armond (#2.3) | ||
@midnight | Himself | January 8 episode | ||
2013-2015 | The Awesomes | Muscleman | Voice role | |
2013 | The Soup | Himself | October 23 episode | |
The Pete Holmes Show | Ike Barinholtz (#1.5) | |||
High School USA! | Cyber Bully | Voice role; Bullies (#1.1) | ||
Drunk History | August Spies | Chicago (#1.2) | ||
2012-present | The Mindy Project | Writer Executive story editor |
Morgan Tookers | |
2012 | NTSF:SD:SUV | Maitre'D | Sabbath-tage (#2.3) | |
Eastbound & Down | Ivan Dochenko | 6 episodes | ||
Megawinner | Writer Executive Producer |
Cliff Planker | TV Movie | |
2011 | Childrens Hospital | Peter Principato | Newsreaders (#3.14) | |
2010-2012 | The League | Frank Gibiatti | 3 episodes | |
2010 | Weeds | Daryl | Fran Tarkenton (#6.12) | |
2008-2009 | Rita Rocks | Fly | 6 episodes | |
2008 | Family Guy | Dane Cook | Voice role; I Dream of Jesus (#7.2) | |
2005 | E! Hollywood Hold'em | Himself | Laura Prepon (#1.1) | |
2002-2007, 2016 | MADtv | Writer | Various characters | 116 episodes |
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Writers Guild of America Award | New Series | The Mindy Project | Nominated |