Troy Gentile

Actor Troy Gentile transitioned successfully from precocious juvenile performer in "Nacho Libre" (2006) and "Pineapple Express" (2008) to a comic force of nature in his star-making turn as a manic suburban teenager in the ABC comedy "The Goldbergs" (ABC, 2013-). Born Troy Francis Farshi in Boca Raton, Florida, Gentile began his acting career shortly after relocating to Los Angeles with his family. Two days after securing representation, he gave his first audition and landed his debut screen role as a wheelchair-bound Little League hopeful in Richard Linklater's "Bad News Bears" (2005) remake. Gentile's energetic comic presence made him a natural choice to twice play a young Jack Black, first in Jared Hess's surreal comedy "Nacho Libre" (2006) and later, in the cult rock opera-comedy "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny" (2006). He worked steadily in comedy over the next few years, guest-starring on youth-oriented TV series like "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" (Disney Channel, 2005-2008) and lending support in features like "Good Luck Chuck" (2007) and the Judd Apatow-produced "Pineapple Express" (2008) with Seth Rogen and James Franco. Gentile shared the lead in his next picture, "Drillbit Taylor" (2008), a comedy produced by Apatow and co-written by Rogen about a con man (Owen Wilson) hired by two boys (Gentile and Nate Hartley) to protect them from school bullies. After appearing in a humorous supporting role in the children's comedy "Hotel for Dogs" (2009) and making guest appearances on "Entourage" (HBO, 2004-2011) and "Hawthorne" (TNT, 2009-2011), Gentile's career entered a fallow period, and he remained off-screen for the next three years. He attended community college with the intent to transfer to a university until he was cast as Barry Goldberg on "The Goldbergs." Based on series creator Adam F. Goldberg's own experiences as a teenager in suburban Pennsylvania during the 1980s, "The Goldbergs" gave Gentile the ideal showcase for the full bore of his talents as the volatile Barry, whose middle child status imbued him with both limitless, childlike anger and a relentless self-confidence in the face of his own social ineptitude.