You might know him as the try-hard-yet-likable Cloud 9 sales associate Jonah Simms in the NBC sitcom “Superstore.” Or perhaps as Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce copywriter Michael Ginsberg in “Mad Men.” But now, Ben Feldman has taken on what might be his most Jewy role yet. We are, of course, talking about Avi Schwooper in Netflix’s “Long Story Short.”
So if you’re unfamiliar with this Jewish actor, the time has come! Here are 18 things to know about Ben Feldman.
1. Ben was born on May 27, 1980 in Washington, D.C.
2. He’s a Gemini!
3. He grew up in a Conservative Jewish household. In 2013, he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency he considers himself traditional. Other rituals he said he takes part in, at least at the time, are occasionally attending synagogue and hosting a Passover seder every year for his friends.
4. Per his IMDb, Ben first tried acting at age 6 when a camp counselor encouraged him to be in a production of “Annie.”
5. He attended Winston Churchill High School in Maryland and then Ithaca College. He graduated from Ithaca with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting.
6. He initially moved to Los Angeles to star in an Adam Sandler-produced pilot called “The Mayor.” Sadly, the show was never picked up.
7. Ben made his feature film debut in a 2005 movie called “When Do We Eat?,” about a dysfunctional Jewish family trying to have a Passover seder. The film also featured his future “Long Story Short” co-star Max Greenfield.
8. He immediately followed that up with the rom-com “Perfect Man,” starring opposite Hillary Duff, Chris Noth and Heather Locklear.
9. His first-ever fan encounter took place… at a Holocaust Memorial. We’ll let Ben take it from here.
P.S., if you happen to be in possession of these photos, send them to hello@heyalma.com, please and thank you!
10. He’s worked with iconic Jewish comedian Fran Drescher! Ben played Fran’s son in the short-lived comedy “Living With Fran.”
11. Ben is a part of, dare we say, one of the greatest memes of all time, thanks to his role in “Mad Men.”
12. To get into character as Michael Ginsberg, Ben told JTA that he imitates other Jews he knows.
“The thick accent isn’t just about being Jewish. It’s that Michael is less cultured, less educated than everyone around him, but someone who is trying to step in,” Feldman explained. “He’s in a totally different social class, as you can see from his clothing, and I try to show how hard it is for him to fit in.”
13. Ben married his now-wife, Michelle in 2013. They have a son Charlie and a daughter Effie. Just look at this gorgeous family:
14. Here’s what Ben had to say about “Superstore” ending:
15. The creators of “Superstore” Erin Ledgin and Justin Spitzer went on to make the new NBC sitcom “St. Denis Medical.” According to Ledgin, Ben Feldman and former co-star America Ferrera are welcome on “St. Denis Medical” whenever they want.
“They’d always be invited,” Ledgin said at SXSW. “They’re both lovely and talented people, and we’ve been incredibly lucky and had some incredible guest stars this year, and there’s really no one that I wouldn’t want to come back and be curious to see what would happen with them.”
16. Check out these “Long Story Short” BTS pix, thanks to Ben!
17. He’s hardly the only Jew in the cast! “Long Story Short” also stars Abbi Jacobson, the aforementioned Max Greenfield, Lisa Edelstein, Paul Reiser, Dave Franco and more.
18. Here’s what Ben had to say about “Long Story Short” to the Hollywood Reporter: “I couldn’t believe that something like this was being made, I couldn’t believe something this specifically Jewish was being made.”
