Michael Ian Black

Acting

1971-08-12 · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Michael Ian Black (born Michael Ian Schwartz; August 12, 1971) is an American comedian, actor, writer and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Ed, Viva Variety, Stella, Another Period and Michael & Michael Have Issues. He is also a prominent poker player, appearing on Celebrity Poker Showdown several times. He released a well-received children's book, Chicken Cheeks, in 2009. Black was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Jill and Robert Schwartz, a store owner and an executive, respectively. His family is Jewish. He grew up in Hillsborough Township, New Jersey, where he attended Hillsborough High School. His parents divorced when he was three years old; his mother, Jill, later came out as a lesbian. Black's father died at age 39 due to a head injury apparently suffered in an assault and allergic reaction during subsequent surgery. His birth name, Schwartz, is derived from the German word schwarz, which means black. He changed his name to Michael Ian Black to avoid confusion with the actor Mike Schwartz. Black briefly attended New York University, but dropped out to portray Raphael in the promotional campaign for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles concert tour.

Filmography

Theaters

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass

2026 · Movie

Deepfaking Sam Altman

2026 · Movie

Alaskan Murder Mystery

2025 · Movie

Superman

2025 · Movie

Long Live the State

2025 · Movie

Have I Got News for You

2024 · Series

Sorry/Not Sorry

2024 · Movie

Handyman from Hell

2023 · Movie

Spinning Gold

2023 · Movie

Linoleum

2023 · Movie

Reno 911!: It's a Wonderful Heist

2022 · Movie

Criss Angel's Magic with the Stars

2022 · Series

Would I Lie to You?

2022 · Series

Reno 911! Defunded

2022 · Series

Peacemaker

2022 · Series

Name That Tune

2021 · Series

First One In

2020 · Movie

Calls

2020 · Movie

Reno 911!

2020 · Series

Retro Tech

2019 · Series

Sextuplets

2019 · Movie

I Want My MTV

2019 · Movie

Bless This Mess

2019 · Series

The Fix

2018 · Series

Insatiable

2018 · Series

Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits & Monsters

2018 · Series

Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later

2017 · Series

The Good Fight

2017 · Series

Search Party

2016 · Series

Debate Wars

2016 · Series

Match Game

2016 · Series

Michael Ian Black: Noted Expert

2016 · Movie

Folk Hero & Funny Guy

2016 · Movie

Slash

2016 · Movie

Join or Die with Craig Ferguson

2016 · Series

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015 · Series

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp

2015 · Series

Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot

2015 · Movie

Smosh: The Movie

2015 · Movie

The Jim Gaffigan Show

2015 · Series

Another Period

2015 · Series

Misery Loves Comedy

2015 · Movie

Beef

2014 · Movie

Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

2014 · Movie

They Came Together

2014 · Movie

Deadbeat

2014 · Series

Late Night with Seth Meyers

2014 · Series

Duck Quacks Don't Echo

2014 · Series

Us & Them

2014 · Series

Nantucket Film Festival's 2nd Comedy Roundtable

2013 · Movie

@midnight with Chris Hardwick

2013 · Series

Hell Baby

2013 · Movie

Maron

2013 · Series

This Is 40

2012 · Movie

Gotham Comedy Live

2012 · Series

You're Whole

2012 · Series

The Burn with Jeff Ross

2012 · Series

Burning Love

2012 · Series

Wanderlust

2012 · Movie

Impractical Jokers

2011 · Series

Michael Ian Black: Very Famous

2011 · Movie

Take Me Home Tonight

2011 · Movie

Backwash

2010 · Series

Stella: Live in Boston

2009 · Movie

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009 · Series

Michael & Michael Have Issues

2009 · Series

Birthday

2008 · Movie

The Xtacles

2008 · Series

Reality Bites Back

2008 · Series

I Love the New Millennium

2008 · Series

Reaper

2007 · Series

Run Fatboy Run

2007 · Movie

The Ten

2007 · Movie

Reno 911!: Miami

2007 · Movie

Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

2007 · Series

Frisky Dingo

2006 · Series

Wedding Daze

2006 · Movie

I Love the '70s: Volume 2

2006 · Series

I Love Toys

2006 · Series

The Baxter

2005 · Movie

Partner(s)

2005 · Movie

Stella

2005 · Series

Alchemy

2005 · Movie

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

2005 · Series

Tom Goes to the Mayor

2004 · Series

Celebrity Poker Showdown

2003 · Series

Reno 911!

2003 · Series

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003 · Series

Stella Shorts 1998-2002

2002 · Movie

Wet Hot American Summer

2001 · Movie

The Bogus Witch Project

2000 · Movie

2000 · Series

Random Play

1999 · Series

The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn

1999 · Series

Big Helium Dog

1999 · Movie

Comedy Central Presents

1998 · Series

Viva Variety

1997 · Series

The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special

1995 · Movie

The State

1994 · Series

I'm Your Man

1992 · Movie

Cults: Saying No Under Pressure

1991 · Movie

Bad Day For Bigfoot

Movie

MTV: The State, Skits and Stickers

Movie