Zachary Levi's Real Name: Zachary Levi Pugh

Quick answer: Zachary Levi's documented full name is Zachary Levi Pugh. Encyclopedia.com uses that form and dates his birth to September 29, 1980, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. TV Guide independently lists the birth name Zachary Levi Pugh and a birth place of Lake Charles, Louisiana, without a calendar date (Encyclopedia.com; TV Guide).

Real name and early life

He is known professionally as Zachary Levi. Both sources agree on Zachary Levi Pugh. Encyclopedia.com, reprinting a Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television entry, dates the birth to September 29, 1980, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. TV Guide confirms the city and state without a date. TV Guide says he started performing in regional musical productions at the age of six and was a mainstay at the Ojai Art Center, playing Jesus in Godspell and appearing in The Outsiders. Encyclopedia.com independently lists stage credits including Godspell and The Outsiders, among others such as Oliver and Grease. TV Guide also notes early jobs at a car wash and Blockbuster.

Career highlights

Encyclopedia.com, whose credits in the extract consulted run through the mid-2000s, lists the ABC series Less Than Perfect (2002–06), as Kipp Steadman, the television films Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie (2002) and See Jane Date (2003), a 2004 guest appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and films including Big Momma's House 2 (2006) and Wieners (2007). It also records a long list of regional stage roles. TV Guide independently treats Chuck as his signature show, quoting him on "making nerds popular through his show Chuck," and says he turned down a New York production of Young Frankenstein to take the lead in Chuck. It lists a 2010 Teen Choice Award for choice TV actor in an action role, a 2007 Satellite Award nomination for best actor in a comedy or musical series, later song nominations in 2011, a 2016 People's Choice nomination for a new television series, and a 2019 SAG Award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series. TV Guide also says he founded the site The Nerd Machine and has worked with the organization Operation Smile.

Name notes for searchers

Zachary Levi Pugh is the documented full name in both sources; Zachary Levi is the professional form used on screen and in billing. Searchers looking for the lead of the NBC series Chuck, or for earlier work on Less Than Perfect, are usually aiming at the same person.