Ian Braque Gomez (born December 27, 1964)[1] is an American actor known for his comedic TV work, which includes series-regular roles as Javier on Felicity and Andy on Cougar Town.

Ian Gomez
Gomez in 2012
Born (1964-12-27) December 27, 1964 (age 59)
OccupationActor
Years active1993–present
Spouse
(m. 1993; div. 2018)
Children1

Early life

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He was born in New York City to a dancer mother of Ashkenazi Jewish descent with Russian roots and an artist father of Puerto Rican descent.[2]

Career

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On The Drew Carey Show from 1995 to 2004, Gomez played Larry Almada, a co-worker of Drew Carey's character (also named Drew Carey) at Winfred-Louder. He also worked with Carey in 1999 on the show Whose Line is it Anyway? From 1998 to 2002, he played Javier Clemente Quintata on the WB show Felicity.

In 1999, Gomez Joined Norm Macdonald in the ABC sitcom Norm, he was a main character in the show until it was canceled in 2001, after three seasons. In 2002, Gomez starred in Alanis Morissette's "Hands Clean" music video. In the same year, he appeared with Jeff Garlin, Ted Danson, Michael York, and Hugh Mellon in two episodes of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he played the "bald chef", hired by Larry to cook in the restaurant he owned.

Gomez appeared in ABC's Jake in Progress (2005–2006), which starred John Stamos. 2006 saw Gomez appear in the fourth episode of Lost's third season, "Every Man for Himself", and as a therapist in the April 2006 episode "Here We Go Again" of Reba.

 
Gomez with then-wife Nia Vardalos in 2012

Gomez took the part of Andy Torres in the ABC and later TBS comedy Cougar Town alongside fellow The Drew Carey Show castmate Christa Miller, from 2009 to 2015. In 2016, Gomez and his then-wife, Nia Vardalos, co-presented The Great American Baking Show, a revival of The Great Holiday Baking Show.[3]

In 2019, he appeared in the Clint Eastwood film Richard Jewell.

In 2020, Gomez was cast in the role of Luis Flores in the NBC comedy pilot Night School based on the 2018 film and written by Christopher Moynihan.[4] However, NBC ultimately decided not to move forward with the series.[5]

Personal life

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He was married to actress-writer Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame. He appeared in her films My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Connie and Carla, My Life in Ruins, I Hate Valentine's Day, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. Gomez is of Puerto Rican and Russian Jewish descent, and converted to Greek Orthodoxy upon marrying Vardalos, which is mirrored as a plot element in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In 2008, the two adopted a daughter.[6][7][8] It was announced on July 3, 2018 that Vardalos filed for divorce from Gomez after 25 years of marriage due to irreconcilable differences.[9] The divorce was finalized in September 2018.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Excessive Force Lucas
1993 Rookie of the Year Odd Bellman
1997 'Til There Was You Scott
1997 Courting Courtney Hank
1999 EDtv Mcllvaine
2001 The Center of the World Delivery Man
2001 Almost Salinas Manny
2002 My Big Fat Greek Wedding Mike
2002 Meet Prince Charming Gino
2003 Street of Pain Beau
2003 Chasing Papi Doctor Chu
2003 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Strange Man
2004 Connie and Carla Stanley
2004 The Last Shot Agent Nance
2005 Getting To Know You Russ
2005 Underclassman Detective Gallecki
2006 You Did What? Dr. Bob
2007 Love Shack Mo Saltzman
2009 My Life in Ruins Motel Clerk
2009 I Hate Valentine's Day KJ Ken
2011 Larry Crowne Frank
2013 Dealin' with Idiots Commissioner Gordon
2014 Free Fall Ronald Taft
2015 Always Worthy Ricky
2015 Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant Captain Felder
2016 My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Mike
2018 Dude Jerry
2018 Spare Room Mr. Larry
2019 Richard Jewell Agent Dan Bennet
2021 Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar Retail store manager

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Missing Persons Pete, the Morgue Technician 6 episodes
1995 Married... with Children Employee #1 Episode: "Get the Dodge Outta Hell"
1995–1996 Murphy Brown Secretary #77, Mimicking Secretary 2 episodes: "Bad Company", "Defending Your Life"
1995–2004 The Drew Carey Show Larry Almada 38 episodes
1998 Melrose Place Hotel Employee 2 episodes: "Divorce Dominican Style", "A Long Way to Tip-A-Rory"
1998 Smart Guy Art Bruno Episode: "Achy Breaky Heart"
1998–2002 Felicity Javier Clemente Quintata Recurring (Season 1–3)
Main cast (Season 4): 45 episodes
1999 Whose Line Is It Anyway? Himself Season 1, episode 14
1999–2001 The Norm Show Danny Sanchez 54 episodes
2000 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Basilio Episode: "Robinita Hood"
2001 Danny Martinez Episode: Pilot
2002 Get a Clue Mr. Orlando Walker/Nicholas Petrossian TV movie
2002 NYPD Blue Joel Robinson Episode: "One in the Nuts"
2002 Curb Your Enthusiasm Bald Chef 2 episodes: "The Corpse-Sniffing Dog", "The Grand Opening"
2003 Exit 9 Gary TV movie
2003 Lucky Pete Episode: "Lie, Cheat & Deal"
2003 The Lyon's Den Special Agent Sasser Episode: "The Fifth"
2004 George Lopez Jewelry Salesman Episode: "George of the Rings"
2005–2006 Jake in Progress Adrian Main cast – 20 episodes
2006 Reba Therapist Episode: "Here We Go Again"
2006 Lost Munson Episode: "Every Man for Himself"
2006 Whose Line Is It Anyway? Himself Season 8, episode 14
2006–2007 Campus Ladies Roger 2 episodes: "Spring Break", "Psych 101"
2006 7th Heaven Psychologist Episode: "Don't Ax, Don't Tell"
2007 The Beast Ron TV movie
2007 Heroes Art Dealer Episode: "Parasite"
2007 My Boys Turk Vardell Episode: "Off Day"
2008 According to Jim Detective Episode: "The Rendezvous"
2008 Reaper Jack King Episode: "Coming to Grips
2008–2009 Rita Rocks Owen 25 episodes
2008 Gary Unmarried Paulie Episode: "Gary and Allison's Restaurant"
2009 Life Asst. Coroner Tom Santos Episode: "5 Quartz"
2009–2015 Cougar Town Andy Torres Main cast – 88 episodes
2009 True Jackson, VP Jobi Castanueva Episode: "Fashion Week"
2010 Royal Pains Mac Episode: "Comfort's Overload"
2011 Grey's Anatomy Doctor Episode: "Love, Loss and Legacy"
Uncredited
2011 The Middle Neighbor Episode: "Bad Choices"
Uncredited
2012 Doc McStuffins Ricardo race car (voice) Episode: "Out of the Box/Run Down Race Car"
2012 Touch Wade Episode: "Gyre, Part 1"
2012 Drop Dead Diva Warren Patton Episode: "Road Trip"
2014 Cuz-Bros Phil TV movie
2015–2017 The Great American Baking Show Co-presenter (with ex-wife Nia Vardalos) Baking competition
2016 The Real O'Neals Michael-Gregory Episode: "The Real Spring Fever"
2016 Angel from Hell The Oyster King Episode: "Funsgiving"
2016–2017 Supergirl Snapper Carr 7 episodes
2017 Fresh Off the Boat Robert 2 episodes
2018 Living Biblically Father Gene Main cast – 13 episodes
2019 The Morning Show Greg Recurring role – 8 episodes
2019 Man with a Plan James Episode: "Semi-Indecent Proposal"
2019 Superstore Herb Episode: "Negotiations"
2020 American Housewife Brecken Phillips Episode: "Wildflower Girls"
2021 Physical Ernie Hauser 7 episodes
2022 Single Drunk Female Bob 3 episodes
Murderville Kevin Rivera Episode: "Most Likely to Commit Murder"
2023 The Goldbergs Diego Episode: "Uptown Boy"

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Today in entertainment history". Associated Press. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "Ian Gomez Biography (1964-)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  3. ^ The Great American Baking Show (ABC); accessed December 9, 2016.
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 2, 2020). "'Night School': Ian Gomez, James Earl, Joe Massingill & Collette Wolfe Cast In 'Night School' NBC Comedy Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  5. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 11, 2020). "NBC Comedy Pilots Update: 'American Auto' & 'Grand Crew' In Contention, 'Night School' Not Going Forward". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  6. ^ "ZMTV - Ian Gomez from Cougar Town Interview". YouTube. July 20, 2010.[dead YouTube link]
  7. ^ "Nia Vardalos". gov.mb.ca. Winter 2003. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  8. ^ Failla, Annemarie. "Nia Vardalos My Big Fat Greek Wedding". www.femail.com.au. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  9. ^ Mike Vulpo (July 3, 2018). "Nia Vardalos Files for Divorce From Ian Gomez After 23 Years of Marriage". eonline.com. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  10. ^ Fernandez, Alexia (September 7, 2018). "My Big Fat Greek Wedding's Nia Vardalos Settles Divorce 2 Months After Initial Filing". People. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
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