Greg Grunberg Bio
Gregory Phillip Grunberg (born July 11, 1966) is an American film and television actor known for starring as Eric Weiss in the ABC series Alias, Matt Parkman in the NBC series Heroes, Temmin “Snap” Wexley in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and Phil in A Star Is Born. He has frequently collaborated with his childhood friend, director and producer J. J. Abrams, appearing across multiple projects in front of and behind the camera. Grunberg has also contributed voice work and motion capture for several video games and has ventured into app development and charity advocacy.
Early Life and Background
Gregory Phillip Grunberg was born on July 11, 1966, in Los Angeles, California. He is the son of Sandy (née Klein) and Gerry Grunberg and was raised in a Jewish household that valued cultural heritage and community involvement. Growing up in the Los Angeles area placed him near the heart of the American entertainment industry, an environment that helped shape his early interest in performance and storytelling.
Grunberg attended University High School in West Los Angeles, graduating with the class of 1984. During his school years he formed a lasting friendship with J. J. Abrams, a bond that would later shape much of his professional life in Hollywood. The Los Angeles setting, combined with his family’s support, gave him steady exposure to film, television, and theatre from a young age.
Path to Acting
Grunberg began pursuing acting opportunities in the late 1980s, building his craft through small parts and steady on-set experience. His first officially credited role arrived in 1998 with the Matt Stone and Trey Parker comedy BASEketball, which gave him early visibility in the industry.
That same year, he joined the cast of the J. J. Abrams-created series Felicity as Sean Blumberg, a role he played from 1998 to 2002. The collaboration with Abrams on Felicity marked the beginning of a long-running creative partnership that would carry across Alias, Lost, Mission: Impossible III, and the Star Wars sequel trilogy. These formative projects helped Grunberg transition from newcomer to established television and film performer.
Greg Grunberg Career
Early Career (1990s)
Grunberg’s professional career began in 1990, with early work that laid the groundwork for his breakthrough years. His first major credit came with BASEketball in 1998, a comedy feature that gave him his first notable film appearance.
From 1998 to 2002, he portrayed Sean Blumberg on Felicity, a coming-of-age drama that became a defining early vehicle for both Grunberg and his longtime collaborator J. J. Abrams. These projects helped him build a reputation as a reliable, likable on-screen presence and opened the door to larger roles.
Breakthrough (2001-2010)
Grunberg’s breakthrough arrived with Alias, where he starred as Eric Weiss from 2001 to 2006, earning recognition as a key member of the ensemble cast. He then took on one of his most defining roles, Matt Parkman, the telepathic police officer, on the NBC superhero drama Heroes, becoming a central figure across the show’s run.
During this period he also appeared in Mission: Impossible III, directed by Abrams, and joined the Star Wars universe with a brief role in Star Trek, voicing Kirk’s stepfather in the opening sequence after being unable to take a larger part due to scheduling conflicts. Outside of acting, he became known as one of the creators of the Yowza!! GPS-aware coupon application for Android and iPhone, a business venture that was acquired in 2014 by Spindle, a mobile commerce solutions firm.
Continued Work (2011-2019)
In 2011, Grunberg took a minor role in the neo-noir detective video game L.A. Noire, providing both voice and facial motion capture as murder suspect Hugo Moller. He continued making guest appearances across television, joining Hawaii Five-0 in 2011, Psych in 2012, and Showtime’s Masters of Sex in 2013 and 2014 as the character Gene Moretti. In 2016, he co-hosted the late-night talk show Geeking Out with Kevin Smith on AMC.
He returned to a major film franchise with Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, playing the Resistance pilot Temmin “Snap” Wexley, a role he reprised in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. He also appeared as Phil in the 2018 hit A Star Is Born, further expanding his work in mainstream Hollywood productions. Since 2019, Grunberg has been a recurring guest star on the syndicated game show 25 Words or Less.
Notable Works and Milestones
Grunberg’s signature works include Alias, Heroes, the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and A Star Is Born, alongside long-running collaborations with J. J. Abrams across film and television. He is also recognized for his philanthropic efforts and for co-creating the Yowza!! application, marking him as both an actor and a creative entrepreneur.
Greg Grunberg Award Nominations
Verified records of formal award nominations for Gregory Phillip Grunberg are not available within the supported sources. While his work across Alias, Heroes, and the Star Wars sequel trilogy has been widely recognized by audiences, specific nominations from major industry award bodies cannot be cited at this time.
Greg Grunberg Awards Won
Verified records of formal award wins for Gregory Phillip Grunberg are not available within the supported sources. His career achievements, including long-running collaborations with J. J. Abrams and memorable performances in genre and mainstream projects, remain widely respected across the entertainment industry.
Greg Grunberg Family
Gregory Phillip Grunberg is the son of Sandy (née Klein) and Gerry Grunberg, and was raised in a Jewish household in Los Angeles, California. He attended University High School in West Los Angeles, where he formed a close friendship with future filmmaker J. J. Abrams. Their personal connection has translated into decades of professional collaboration across television and film.
Grunberg married Elizabeth Dawn Wershow in 1992, and together they have three children. One of his sons lives with epilepsy, a condition that has shaped much of his charitable work and public advocacy.
Personal Life
Outside of his acting career, Grunberg is widely recognized for his advocacy on behalf of people living with epilepsy, inspired by his son’s diagnosis. He has organized fundraising efforts for the Pediatric Epilepsy Project in Los Angeles, and in 2007 he served as chair of the first National Walk for Epilepsy, presented by the Epilepsy Foundation. In 2009, he launched Talk About It, a website dedicated to epilepsy education and awareness featuring celebrity friends and medical experts.
Grunberg has also participated in a national television campaign supporting donations to Jewish federations, celebrating Jewish heritage alongside other film and television personalities. He has been married to Elizabeth Dawn Wershow since 1992, and the couple continues to raise their three children in the Los Angeles area.