Josh Gad

Joshua Ilan Gad is an American performer, singer, and comedian. He gained widespread recognition for voicing the snowman Olaf in Disney's Frozen media franchise, Chuck in The Angry Birds Movie series, and originating the role of Elder Cunningham in the Broadway musical hit The Book of Mormon. His work across musical theater, voice acting, and live-action screen performances has earned him critical acclaim and notable industry awards.

Born on February 23, 1981, in Hollywood, Florida, Gad was raised in a Jewish household. His mother worked as a real estate agent, while his stepfather worked in investment advisory, and his father was an immigrant from Afghanistan with roots tracing back to ancient Israeli lineage. Gad completed high school at the University School of Nova Southeastern University in 1999, where he won national championships in public speaking and interpretation. He subsequently attended Carnegie Mellon University's College of Fine Arts, graduating in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama, which included a study exchange program at Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art.

Gad began his professional acting career with a 2002 film role in Mary and Joe and a television appearance on ER in 2005. That same year, he stepped onto Broadway by replacing Dan Fogler in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. After starring in the sitcom Back to You and serving as a correspondent on The Daily Show from 2009 to 2011, he secured his breakout stage role in 2011 playing Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon. This performance earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical and a Grammy Award victory for Best Musical Theater Album.

In 2013, Gad achieved major international success voicing Olaf in Frozen, a role that won him two Annie Awards and which he later reprised in various sequels and video games. His additional feature film credits include portraying Steve Wozniak in Jobs, LeFou in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, Hector MacQueen in Murder on the Orient Express, and roles in films such as The Wedding Ringer, Pixels, Wish I Was Here, Marshall, and A Dog's Purpose.

Expanding into creation and production, Gad co-created and starred in the series 1600 Penn and Central Park, while taking prominent roles in television programs like Avenue 5, The Comedians, and Wolf Like Me. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he created the popular YouTube series Reunited Apart, gathering original casts of iconic films to raise funds for charitable organizations. He returned to Broadway alongside Andrew Rannells in Gutenberg! The Musical! from 2023 to 2024. Gad has also written a comic mini-series titled The Writer, a children's picture book, and a memoir.

Gad married actress Ida Darvish in 2008, four years after they met while co-starring in a stage play. The couple has two daughters. Gad has openly discussed his personal struggles with generalized anxiety disorder, using his platform to support youth mental health campaigns such as #MyYoungerSelf to help eliminate societal stigmas surrounding mental health.