Josh Gad's Real Name: Josh Gad

Quick answer: The actor and comedian is known professionally as Josh Gad. TV Guide and the Television Academy independently list Hollywood, Florida, as his birthplace. TV Guide lists the longer name Joshua Ilan Gad. The Television Academy lists a February 23 birthday without a year. This page titles him under the public name.

Real name and early life

Independent publishers identify him under the professional name Josh Gad. TV Guide lists the birth name Joshua Ilan Gad and the birthplace as Hollywood, Florida, and says he graduated from University School of Nova Southeastern University in 1999 and from the Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts with a degree in drama in 2003. The Television Academy independently lists the birthplace as Hollywood, Florida, and a birthday of February 23, without giving a year. The longer name therefore rests on the TV Guide listing.

Career highlights

TV Guide says one of his most notable roles was on Broadway as Elder Arnold Cunningham in the musical The Book of Mormon, a performance that brought a Tony Award nomination for best lead actor in a musical, even though he had no formal musical training. The Television Academy independently says he played Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon and was nominated for the 2011 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, alongside his co-star Andrew Rannells, and that both lost to Norbert Leo Butz in Catch Me If You Can. The same Television Academy account says he later voiced Olaf in Frozen in 2013, a collaboration with co-songwriter Robert Lopez from The Book of Mormon, and lists earlier television work including Back to You (2007–08) and a correspondent role on The Daily Show beginning in 2009, plus later series work including 1600 Penn (2013), which he co-created, and The Comedians with Billy Crystal. It also lists film roles including Steve Wozniak in Jobs (2013), a part in The Internship (2013), a role in Zach Braff's Wish I Was Here (2014), and a starring part in The Wedding Ringer (2015).

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Josh Gad are looking for the same actor, including the Broadway and Frozen credits most often associated with his work. This page uses the public professional name. Search traffic often uses the professional name Josh Gad alone. The Television Academy independently lists later series work including 1600 Penn, which he co-created, and The Comedians with Billy Crystal, among the later credits searchers may also have in mind.