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Oscar Nunez

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Óscar Núñez
Close-up of Óscar Núñez wearing a black suit and tie with white shirt, smiling at camera
Nuñez in 2009
Born (1958-11-18) November 18, 1958 (age 65)
Colón, Matanzas, Cuba
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian
Years active2000–present
SpouseUrsula Whittaker
Children1

Óscar Núñez (born November 18, 1958),[1] sometimes credited as Oscar Nunez, is a Cuban-American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as the Dunder Mifflin accountant Óscar Martínez on NBC's The Office.

He was a member of The Groundlings and later became a regular cast member on The Office. He also created and co-starred in the Comedy Central series Halfway Home in 2007, and in 2014 co-starred in the short-lived USA Network comedy series Benched. Since 2018, he has appeared in a series of State Farm commercials.

Early life and education

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Núñez was born in Colón, Cuba.[2] Núñez's mother, a dentist, and father, a lawyer, attended school at the University of Havana while Fidel Castro was a student there. The family moved first to Caracas, Venezuela, in 1960 and then to the United States.[3] His family moved to Boston when he was two years old and then to Union City, New Jersey, when he was four.[4][5] He became a naturalized American citizen in 1964.[6] He is bilingual, speaking English and Spanish. Núñez attended various colleges in New York, including the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Parsons School of Design. He became a certified dental technician after studying at the Magna Institute of Dental Technology.[7]

Career

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Núñez started his comedy career in New York, performing over 300 shows with The Shock of the Funny theater company. The troupe was active in the East Village for several years. In addition to his work with Shock, Núñez appeared in theater in New York and Washington, D.C. before moving to Los Angeles in the mid 1990s. In L.A., he joined The Groundlings and performed in their Sunday Company. While with the Groundlings, he wrote and starred in a production called "Smooth Down There."

In 1997, Núñez graduated from the Warner Brothers Comedy Writer's Workshop. In 1999, he was a finalist in the ABC Latino Writers Project.

In 1998, he appeared on the game show Match Game but was not a winner.[8] Núñez was Adam Carolla's stand-in on The Man Show.

Núñez's television credits include Malcolm in the Middle, 24, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Reno 911!, The District and Mad TV, in addition to his role on The Office. He was also the creator and executive producer of the Comedy Central series Halfway Home, in which he co-starred as the character Eulogio Pla.

His film credits include The Italian Job (as a security guard), Reno 911!: Miami, and When Do We Eat?. In 2009, Núñez played the role of Ramon, the caterer, stripper, soda jerk, and finally clergy performing the wedding ceremony in The Proposal. In 2012, Núñez played the role of Jose Baez, an attorney in the Lifetime movie Prosecuting Casey Anthony.

Núñez appeared as one of eight judges in the 2010 Miss USA Contest, posing a question about the Arizona undocumented immigrant law to Miss Oklahoma USA, Morgan Elizabeth Woolard. Núñez was booed by the audience before finishing the question; however he asked the audience to wait until he finished the question before they reacted. Although Woolard replied that she supports the law as a state rights issue, she added that she is against racial profiling.[9]

In 2014, Núñez co-starred alongside Eliza Coupe and Jay Harrington in the short-lived USA Network comedy series Benched.

In 2016, Núñez appeared as a regular in the TBS comedy series, People of Earth.[10]

In 2018, Núñez portrayed State Farm Insurance Agent Cole Perez in a series of commercials.[11]

In July 2018, Núñez took on the role of Desi Arnaz, starring in the world premiere production of I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom, a behind-the-scenes stage comedy about I Love Lucy by Gregg Oppenheimer (son of series creator Jess Oppenheimer). Recorded before a live audience at the UCLA's James Bridges Theater, the L.A. Theatre Works production aired on public radio and has been released on Audio CD and as a downloadable mp3.[12][13]

From 2019 to 2020, Núñez portrayed Assistant Principal Carlos Hernandez on the Netflix original comedy series Mr. Iglesias.

Personal life

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Núñez is married to actress Ursula Whittaker, and they have one child.[14]

Filmography

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Film

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List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
2003 The Italian Job Security Guard
2005 When Do We Eat? Santa Designer
2007 Reno 911!: Miami Jose Jose Jose
2009 The Proposal Ramone
2011 Without Men Priest Rafael
Language of a Broken Heart Adam Lebowitz
2014 Tell Father Jack
2015 The 33 Yonni Barrios
2016 Miss Stevens Principal Albert Alvarez
Mascots Cesar Hidalgo
2017 Baywatch Councilman Rodriguez
2022 The Lost City Óscar
Raymond & Ray Lawyer
Disenchanted Edgar
A Christmas Mystery Glenn Martin
2023 Dashing Through the Snow Conrad Harf
The Long Game Principal Guerra

Television

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List of television appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
2000 Curb Your Enthusiasm Male Parking Attendant Episode: "Interior Decorator"
2001 Grounded for Life Security Guard Episode: "I Wanna Be Suspended"
2002–2003 Malcolm in the Middle Ranch Hand 2 episodes
2003 Still Standing Tim Episode: "Still Hairdressing"
Reno 911! Captain Dwayne Hernandez 2 episodes
24 Pilot Episode: "Day 3: 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m."
2005–2013 The Office Oscar Martínez Main cast; 189 episodes
2006 Reno 911! "Spanish Mike" Alvarez Episode: "Spanish Mike Returns"
2007 Halfway Home Eulogio Pla 10 episodes
2010 Fred: The Movie Lorenzo Television film
2011–2012 Bob's Burgers Cha-Cha / Pepe (voice) 2 episodes
2013 Prosecuting Casey Anthony Jose Baez Television film
Family Tree Discount Car Rental Agent Episode: "Indians"
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Sudz Manager Episode: "The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award"
2014 New Girl Doug Episode: "Cruise"
Bad Teacher Louis Episode: "Life Science"
Benched Carlos 12 episodes
2015 Comedy Bang! Bang! FBI Agent José González Episode: "Maya Rudolph Wears a Black Skirt & Strappy Sandals"
Adam Ruins Everything Benny Episode: "Adam Ruins Work"
Romantically Speaking Carl Television film
2015–2019 Life in Pieces Dr. James Changa 2 episodes
2016 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Dr. Porp Episode: "9 Days"
iZombie Stan Mendoza Episode: "Eternal Sunshine of the Caffeinated Mind"
Mutt & Stuff Claude Puppe Episode: "Lights! Camera! Bark!"
Shameless Rick Encarnacion 2 episodes
Bad Internet Jim Episode: "Your Search History Revealed"
Boondoggle Eduardo Episode: "The Course"
Uncle Buck Hector Episode: "The Interrogation"
Liv and Maddie Mr. Beelick Episode: "Sorta-Sisters-A-Rooney"
2016–2017 People of Earth Father Doug 15 episodes
2018 American Housewife Rupert the Cop Episode: "Midlife Crisis"
9-1-1 Guillermo Episode: "Point of Origin"
Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition Himself 5 episodes (season 13)
2018–2019 3Below: Tales of Arcadia Sergeant Costas (voice) 9 episodes
2019 Those Who Can't Johnson Episode: "Yes We Scan"
NCIS: Los Angeles Lionel Fernandez Episode: "No More Secrets"
Where's Waldo? Wizard Featherbeard (voice) Episode: "Costa Rica... In Color!"
2019–2020 Mr. Iglesias Assistant-Principal Carlos Hernandez 18 episodes
2020 Home Movie: The Princess Bride[15] Inigo Montoya Episode: "Chapter Three: The Cliffs of Insanity"
Social Distance Miguel Villareal Episode: "A Celebration of the Human Life Cycle"
The Goldbergs Ted Episode: "Airplane!"
2021 No Activity (voice) Episode: "It's Not a Cult!"
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Dr. Tesoro 3 episodes
2022 The G Word with Adam Conover Various 3 episodes
Out of Office X Fernandez TV movie
2022–present Firebuds Chef Fernando (voice) 4 episodes
2023 Lucky Hank Dean Jacob Rose 6 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "UPI Almanac for Monday, Nov. 18, 2019". United Press International. November 18, 2019. Archived from the original on November 18, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2020. …actor Oscar Nunez in 1958 (age 62)
  2. ^ Janet Varney (May 15, 2014). "Episode #109: Boys of Summer: Oscar Nunez". The JV Club (Podcast). Nerdist.com. Event occurs at 11:27. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  3. ^ The JV Club at 10:36.
  4. ^ "'Office' worker Nunez has a second 'Home'", New York Daily News, May 9, 2007. Accessed July 23, 2008.
  5. ^ Girl on Guy Podcast 91, 20130418, Girlonguy.net
  6. ^ The JV Club at 10:01.
  7. ^ "The Office Cast Biographies" Archived January 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, May 17, 2010. Accessed May 16, 2010.
  8. ^ Rabin, Nathan (October 9, 2008). "Oscar Nuñez". TV Club. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  9. ^ "Michigan woman crowned 2010 Miss USA in Las Vegas"[dead link], Forbes.com, May 16, 2010. Accessed May 16, 2010.
  10. ^ "People of Earth (2016) - News - IMDb". IMDb.
  11. ^ "Out with the Stars". Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  12. ^ Amazon.com product page for "I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom" recording.
  13. ^ L.A. Theatre Works catalog page for "I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom" recording.
  14. ^ "Oscar Nunez, Wife Ursula Whittaker Welcome Baby Girl August Luce". Us Weekly. October 10, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  15. ^ Starner, Nina (June 26, 2020). "Quibi just announced a Princess Bride remake you never expected to see". Looper.com. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
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