David Krumholtz

David Krumholtz is an American former actor who earned widespread recognition for his versatile roles across film, television, and theater. He is particularly well known for playing Bernard the elf in The Santa Clause franchise, Michael Eckman in the romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, Goldstein in the Harold & Kumar movie series, and mathematical genius Charlie Eppes in the drama series Numb3rs. His work spans prominent feature films and long-running television programs, along with acclaimed stage performances.

Born on May 15, 1978, Krumholtz was raised in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens, New York City. He grew up in a working-class Jewish household; his father worked for the postal service and his mother was a dental assistant. His family background includes paternal grandparents who emigrated from Poland and a mother who moved to the United States from Hungary in 1956. During his youth, he attended several local schools, including P.S. 196, Stephen A. Halsey Junior High School 157, and briefly Forest Hills High School.

Krumholtz began his professional acting career at age thirteen when he accompanied friends to an open audition and secured a role in the 1992 Broadway production Conversations with My Father. Following his stage debut, he quickly transitioned into feature films, appearing in Life With Mikey, which earned him a Young Artist Award nomination, and Addams Family Values. Throughout the late 1990s, he broadened his dramatic and comedic range with performances in films such as The Ice Storm, Slums of Beverly Hills, and Liberty Heights, alongside television appearances in short-lived series and guest roles.

The 2000s marked a period of significant career expansion for Krumholtz. Beyond his recurring film appearances in popular comedies and independent projects like Sidewalks of New York, Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie, and Serenity, he achieved major television success starring in Numb3rs from 2005 to 2010. His portrayal of Charlie Eppes earned critical praise. He also featured in feature films such as Ray and Superbad while continuing to appear in the Harold & Kumar trilogy.

In subsequent years, Krumholtz continued working in television and film, co-creating and starring in the comedy series Gigi Does It, as well as holding regular roles in HBO productions such as The Deuce and the miniseries The Plot Against America. His later film credits include Hail, Caesar!, Sausage Party, Wonder Wheel, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and the 2023 biographical drama Oppenheimer, in which he played Isidor Isaac Rabi.

Krumholtz returned to Broadway in 2022 to portray Hermann Merz in Tom Stoppard's play Leopoldstadt, a performance that earned him a nomination for a Drama League Award. That same year, he reprised his role as Bernard in the streaming series The Santa Clauses. In 2026, he played Zor-El in Supergirl and announced a temporary hiatus from acting, clarifying that he was taking a break rather than retiring from the profession.