Chris Hardwick Biography

The comedian and actor Chris Hardwick was born in 1971 in Louisville, Kentucky, but grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. Long before his current role as the host of AMC’s The Talking Dead (which follows the hit series The Walking Dead), Hardwick worked as a DJ on a local Los Angeles radio station. He became known quickly for his comedic wit and delivery, and it wasn’t long before Chris had his first offer on the small screen, in the comedy series Guys Like Us.

Unfortunately, the series only lasted for twelve episodes, but it led to a number of other roles for Hardwick immediately after. Between 2000 and 2009, Chris Hardwick appeared in small roles in the films: House of 1000 Corpses, Halloween II, Jack White Is Sick & Twisted, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Johnson Family Vacation, and The Mother of Invention. He also appeared in guest roles on the television series Married with Children, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and Web Soup, which launched his career as a well-known host. Other hosting gigs during this time include Talk Soup; Talking Bad (the precursor to Talking Dead, except Talking Bad followed the series Breaking Bad); and the BBC America comedy special The Nerdist.

Chris Hardwick’s stand-up comedy has also brought him significant acclaim in recent years. Hardwick has enjoyed his own Comedy Central Present special (Hard ‘n Phrim and Mandroid), and has appeared on John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show and the Benson Interruption. By the early 2010’s, Chris Hardwick’s presence as a comedic host and performer have made him a highly recognizable figure in the industry, and in 2013 he launched his own comedic panel show on the Comedy Central network, called @midnight.

Currently, in addition to @midnight, Chris Hardwick also voices the character of Craig in the series Sanjay and Craig on the Nickelodeon network. He also writes for Web Soup, Back at the Barnyard, and the magazine Wired. Hardwick recently published his first book, The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (in Real Life), in 2011.