Nick Zano
Birth nameNick Zano
Birth dateMarch 8, 1978 (age 48)
Birth placeNutley, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active2002–present
PartnerLeah Renee Cudmore
(2014–present)

Nick Zano (born March 8, 1978) is an American actor. He played Vince in The WB's sitcom What I Like About You. He hosted MTV's infotainment program about the film industry Movie House as part of his work as an MTV News correspondent before he began an acting career. His recurring roles on television include Drew Pragin on Melrose Place, Pete on Happy Endings, P.J. Hillingsbrook on 90210, and Johnny on 2 Broke Girls. He also starred as a lead on the NBC sitcom One Big Happy and as Arthur Watson in the TV series Minority Report. He is best known as Dr. Nathaniel "Nate" Heywood / Steel in The CW Arrowverse, starring on Legends of Tomorrow.

Early life

Nick Zano was born in Nutley, New Jersey.[1] He lived in Florida as a child. While attending Wellington High School he was active in the drama and television departments. Throughout his junior and senior years, he and his classmates produced a weekly off-beat skit comedy show that aired on the school's television station. While working on the show, Zano also wrote, starred in and directed student films that made their way to the JVC Universal Film Competition, a festival in which over 800 local high schools participate.[2]

Career

Shortly after graduating from high school, Zano moved to Hanover, Pennsylvania, and landed a job developing films and television projects for a small production company.[3] During that time, he also was the associate producer for Living Position, a World AIDS Day television special hosted by Lou Diamond Phillips. While selling shoes in a trendy Los Angeles boutique, a customer went back to her office and told her supervisors she'd just met a man who would be a wonderful on-air personality. The woman was an employee at MTV, which led to Zano's hosting job of MTV News' Movie House.[4] In 2003, he landed the role of Vince in The WB's sitcom What I Like About You, starring Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth.[5] Zano made his first appearance in the second season and remained until the fourth and final season, which ended March 24, 2006. Afterwards, he went on to host and executive produce his MTV reality show Why Can't I Be You?.[6]

The following year, Zano appeared alongside Haylie Duff and Frankie Muniz in the independent romantic comedy My Sexiest Year.[7] The film, which received mixed reviews, had its world premiere at the 2007 Hamptons International Film Festival. In 2008 he appeared in a supporting role opposite Drake Bell in MGM's teen comedy film College.[8] Zano also appeared in Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead later that year.[9][10] In 2009, Zano co-starred in The Final Destination, the fourth installment of the Final Destination film series.[11] He also guest starred on the ABC sitcom Cougar Town, starring Courteney Cox.[12] In 2010, he had a recurring role on The CW's Melrose Place.[13]

In 2011, Zano started a recurring role on 2 Broke Girls as Johnny, a graffiti artist who regularly flirts with Max Black (Kat Dennings).[14] That same year, he also co-starred in the romantic comedy Scents and Sensibility as Brandon.[15] In 2012, Zano scored a recurring role on another CW series, 90210, in which he played Preston Hillingsbrook, a billionaire who goes into business with Annie Wilson (Shenae Grimes).[16] On November 27, 2011, Zano starred as David Morretti in the ABC Family Christmas themed movie Desperately Seeking Santa opposite Laura Vandervoort.[17] Beginning in December 2012, Zano began a recurring role in season three of the ABC sitcom Happy Endings as Pete, Penny Hartz (Casey Wilson)'s new love interest.[18] In 2013, Zano appeared on Mom as David, Christy Plunkett (Anna Faris)'s boyfriend for two episodes.

In February 2014, Zano signed on to play the male lead in Liz Feldman and Ellen DeGeneres' NBC comedy pilot One Big Happy. The show centers on Lizzy (played by Elisha Cuthbert), a lesbian who gets pregnant just as her straight male best friend Luke (the father of the child), played by Zano, meets and marries the love of his life, Prudence (Kelly Brook).[19] The show was ordered to series on May 9, 2014, and debuted mid-season in early 2015. In 2015, Zano starred as Arthur Watson, described as having a hard shell, borne of years of difficult experience in the outside world that fellow "precog" Dash Parker (Stark Sands) avoided, in the Fox drama Minority Report, based on the 2002 Steven Spielberg film of the same name.[20]

From 2016 to 2022, Zano starred as Dr. Nate Heywood/Citizen Steel, a historian whose grandfather Henry (Matthew MacCaull) was the hero known as Commander Steel, a member of the Justice Society of America on The CW series Legends of Tomorrow.[21] He starred on the show's latter six seasons, appearing in 94 episodes.[22]

Personal life

From 2011 to 2014, Zano dated his 2 Broke Girls co-star Kat Dennings.[23][24][25] Since then, Zano is in a long-term relationship with actress Leah Renee Cudmore. In July 2016, she gave birth to their son.[26][27] Their second child, a daughter, was born in 2018.[28]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002Catch Me If You CanJamesUncredited
2004Fat AlbertCamera Salesman
2005Everything You WantQuinn Andrews
2007My Sexiest YearPierce
2008CollegeTeague
Beverly Hills ChihuahuaBryan
Joy Ride 2: Dead AheadBobby Lawrence
2009The Final DestinationHunt Wynorski
2011Scents and SensibilityBrandon Hurst
10 YearsNick Vanillo
2013Lost LuckJames

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003–2006What I Like About YouVince54 episodes
2005One Tree HillHimselfEpisode: "Somewhere a Clock Is Ticking"
20077th HeavenDr. Jonathan Sanderson3 episodes
2009Cougar TownJosh5 episodes
2010Melrose PlaceDrew Pragin5 episodes
2010–2011The Secret Life of the American TeenagerDr. Miller2 episodes
2011Drop Dead DivaTim KleinEpisode: "Hit and Run"
Desperately Seeking SantaDavid MorettiTelevision film
2011–20122 Broke GirlsJohnny9 episodes
201290210Preston Hillingsbrook6 episodes
2012–2013Happy EndingsPete8 episodes
2014MomDavid2 episodes
Friends with Better LivesHandy RandyEpisode: "Pros and Cons"
2015One Big HappyLuke6 episodes
Minority ReportArthur Watson10 episodes
2016–2022Legends of TomorrowNate Heywood / Steel94 episodes
2016ArrowNate Heywood / SteelEpisode: "Invasion!"
2023ObliteratedChad McKnight8 episodes

References

  1. ^ Thompson, Kevin D. "THE SHORT, METEORIC RISE OF NICK ZANO", The Palm Beach Post, February 22, 2004.
  2. ^ "Nick Zano Biography". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived October 10, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  3. ^ "Nick Zano biography and filmography | Nick Zano movies". Tribute.ca. Archived August 27, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  4. ^ "Nick Zano". TV Guide. Archived October 6, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  5. ^ "What I Like About You". TV Guide. Archived October 6, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  6. ^ "Nick Zano". TV.com. Archived August 21, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  7. ^ "My Sexiest Year". Amazon UK. Archived August 27, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  8. ^ "College (2008) Cast and Crew - Cast Photos and Info - Fandango". Fandango. Archived August 26, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  9. ^ "Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead". ComingSoon.net. 2008-10-06. Archived September 24, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  10. ^ "Beverly Hills Chihuahua", archived October 11, 2016 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2016-08-26
  11. ^ Mintzer, Jordan (2009-08-26). "Review: 'The Final Destination'". Archived December 6, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  12. ^ "'Cougar Town' News: Lisa Kudrow Visits While Nick Zano May Move Out To 'Melrose Place'". MTV. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  13. ^ "Exclusive: 'Cougar Town' hottie Nick Zano relocating to 'Melrose Place'?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  14. ^ "'Cougar Town' hunk Nick Zano to recur on '2 Broke Girls'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  15. ^ "Scents and Sensibility". Dove Family Friendly Movie Reviews. Archived August 26, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  16. ^ Richenthal, Matt (2012-02-23). "90210 First Look: Welcome, Nick Zano!". TV Fanatic. Archived September 10, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  17. ^ "Breaking News - ABC Family to Premiere Original Movie "Desperately Seeking Santa," Sunday, November 27". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  18. ^ Dave Nemetz (2012-12-01). "'Happy Endings' exclusive first look: Nick Zano tells us about playing Penny's new love interest". Yahoo. Archived September 18, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  19. ^ Lesley Goldberg (2014-02-10). "Nick Zano to Co-Star in NBC's Lesbian Comedy". Hollywood Reporter. Archived March 17, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  20. ^ Prudom, Laura (2015-06-30). "Nick Zano Joins Fox's 'Minority Report'". Archived July 14, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  21. ^ "Nick Zano boards 'Legends of Tomorrow' as series regular". Entertainment Weekly. Archived November 15, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  22. ^ Gelman, Vlada (March 2, 2022). "Legends of Tomorrow: [Spoiler] Not Returning for Potential Season 8". TVLine. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  23. ^ Radloff, Jessica (24 September 2012). "2 Broke Girls' Kat Dennings Opens Up About Cupcakes, the Co-Star She's Dating, and Her Trademark Red Lipstick!". Glamour. Archived 28 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  24. ^ "Kat Dennings Is Engaged to Andrew W.K. — Who Else Has She Dated". Distractify. November 14, 2019. Archived May 14, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  25. ^ "Kat Dennings announces surprise engagement to rockstar Andrew W.K.". celebrity.nine.com.au. May 13, 2021. Archived May 14, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  26. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Nick Zano and Girlfriend Leah Renee Expecting First Baby!". Entertainment Tonight. 2016-06-10. Archived August 7, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  27. ^ "Nick Zano and Leah Renee Welcome a Baby Boy". Entertainment Tonight. August 1, 2016. Archived from the original on October 30, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  28. ^ "'Legends of Tomorrow' Star Nick Zano Shares Heartfelt Reason Why He Isn't in "Wet Hot American Bummer"". ComicBook.com. November 12, 2018. Archived November 30, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 4, 2022.