Zachary Levi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zachary Levi
Levi at the 2019 WonderCon
Born	Zachary Levi Pugh (1980-09-29) September 29, 1980 (age 44) Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2001–present
Spouse(s)	Missy Peregrym ​ ​ (m. 2014; div. 2015)​
Children	1

Zachary Levi Pugh (born September 29, 1980) is an American actor. He is well-known for playing Chuck Bartowski in the action-comedy TV series Chuck from 2007 to 2012. He also starred as the superhero Shazam in the movies Shazam! (2019) and its sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).

Zachary Levi also uses his voice for animated characters. He voiced Flynn Rider in the 2010 Disney animated musical film Tangled. In Tangled, he sang "I See the Light" with Mandy Moore. This song won a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. He voiced Flynn Rider again in the short film Tangled Ever After (2012) and the TV series Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (2017). He also appeared as Fandral in the superhero movies Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).

In 2016, Levi performed on Broadway in the musical She Loves Me. He played the role of Georg Nowack and was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance.

Early Life and Acting Start

Zachary Levi was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. His parents are Susan Marie Pugh and Darrell Alton Pugh. His family moved around a lot when he was young. They eventually settled in Ventura, California. He went to Buena High School there.

Levi started acting on stage when he was just six years old. He performed in many local plays. Some of these plays included Grease, The Outsiders, and The Wizard of Oz. He performed at the Ojai Art Center in Ojai, California.

Zachary Levi's Acting Career

Levi speaking at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con

Zachary Levi's first TV role was in a series called Whatever in 2000. He was credited as Zachary Pugh back then. He then appeared in the TV film Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie. He also played Kipp Steadman in the ABC sitcom Less than Perfect.

Becoming a TV Star

In 2007, Levi got the main role in the TV series Chuck. He played Chuck Bartowski, a regular guy who accidentally gets all of the government's secrets downloaded into his brain. The show was very popular. Levi and his co-star Yvonne Strahovski won Teen Choice Awards for their roles in 2010.

Voice Acting and Movies

In 2009, Levi starred in the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. He played Toby Seville, Dave's cousin. A big voice role for him was Flynn Rider in Disney's 2010 animated film Tangled. He also narrated a documentary about the game Monopoly in 2011.

Levi at the 83rd Academy Awards in February 2011

Levi was supposed to play Fandral in the first Thor movie. But he couldn't because of his schedule with Chuck. He later joined the cast for the sequels. He played Fandral in Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).

Broadway and Other TV Roles

Levi made his Broadway debut in August 2013. He starred in the musical comedy First Date. In 2015, he was a main actor in the NBC miniseries Heroes Reborn. He played Luke Collins. He also appeared as Abraham Lincoln in the Hulu series Deadbeat.

In 2016, Levi returned to Broadway in She Loves Me. He played the lead role of Georg. Critics loved his performance. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. This show was even livestreamed, making history as the first Broadway show to be streamed live.

From 2017 to 2020, Levi continued voicing Flynn Rider in the animated series Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure. In 2018, he joined the cast of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. He played Dr. Benjamin Ettenberg. He and the other actors won a Screen Actors Guild Award for their work on the show.

Becoming a Superhero

In 2019, Levi starred as the main character in the superhero film Shazam!. In the movie, his character, Shazam, is the superpowered version of a teenage boy named Billy Batson. Billy keeps his kid personality even when he turns into a grown-up superhero. Levi returned as Shazam in the sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, in 2023.

More recently, Levi has been busy with other films. In 2021, he was in the legal drama The Mauritanian. He also played football star Kurt Warner in the biographical sports drama American Underdog that same year. In 2023, he voiced Rocky in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. In 2024, he starred in the film Harold and the Purple Crayon. He played a grown-up version of the main character.

Music and Producing

Zachary Levi has also shown his musical talents. In 2010, he sang a duet with Katharine McPhee called "Terrified". He also sang "I See the Light" and "I've Got a Dream" for the Tangled soundtrack. He performed "I See the Light" live with Mandy Moore at the 83rd Academy Awards in 2011.

In 2020, Levi started his own production company called Wyldwood Productions. This company helps create films and other projects.

Personal Life and Interests

Levi enjoys sports cars and motorcycles. He is also a big fan of video games. He lives near Austin, Texas. In 2010, he started his own company called The Nerd Machine. He has also played in celebrity basketball games.

Zachary Levi has spoken openly about his mental health journey. He shared his experiences in his 2022 book, Radical Love.

Beliefs and Views

Levi grew up as a Christian. He has said that his faith is important to him. He identifies as a libertarian. He has also supported various charities and causes.

Helping Others

Zachary Levi is involved in many charity efforts. In 2008, he supported the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance. In 2010, he spoke out against LGBT bullying. He has also joined Stand Up to Cancer charity drives. He has raised money for Operation Smile to help children with cleft lip and cleft palate.

In 2020, the cast of Chuck did a special online reading of an episode. They raised money for Feeding America's COVID-19 Response Fund. In 2022, Levi helped raise funds for Ukrainian families who had to leave their homes. In 2023, he helped AdoptUSKids.org. This organization raises awareness for foster care and adoption in the United States.

Filmography

Levi at the premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy in July 2014

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Game Roles

Internet Roles

Theater Performances

Discography

• "Terrified" (2010) – Performed by Katharine McPhee featuring Zachary Levi
• "I See the Light" (2010) – Performed by Levi and Mandy Moore for the film Tangled
• First Date (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• She Loves Me (2016 Broadway Cast Recording)

Live Music Performances

On February 27, 2011, Levi performed "I See the Light" with Mandy Moore at the 83rd Academy Awards. On June 12, 2016, he sang a song from She Loves Me at the 70th Tony Awards. He has performed live in various shows since he was a child.

Awards and Nominations

Accolades

See also

In Spanish: Zachary Levi para niños