Tony Hale is an Emmy award-winning actor, comedian, and producer best known for his breakthrough performance as Buster on Fox’s satirical sitcom Arrested Development. Coming from a home with no background in the entertainment industry, Hale worked hard for the success he enjoys today. Nevertheless, he had the best support from his parents from a young age.
In over two decades as an actor, Tony Hale has garnered over 160 credits. In addition to Arrested Development, Hale is also known for his roles in projects such as American Ultra (2015), Toy Story 4 (2019), and Veep (2012-2019). His critically acclaimed performance in Veep earned him many award nominations and three wins.
Tony Hale’s Early Life and Education
While Tony Hale was raised in Tallahassee, Florida, he was born in West Point, New York, on September 30, 1970. His father, Mike Hale, served in the military where he taught nuclear and atomic physics while his mother, Rita Hale (Garnett), was a staff assistant to State Representative Kathy Ashe. Hale does not have any siblings known to the public.
Growing up in Florida, Tony Hale attended Leon High School, graduating in 1988. He also joined the Young Actors Theatre and participated in theatrical and musical productions in his formative years. In 1992, Hale graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama with a degree in journalism. He then joined the School of Communication and the Arts of Regent University in Virginia for his graduate studies. To hone his acting skills, Hale studied acting at The Barrow Group and the William Esper Studio.
His Professional Acting Career Began in 1997
Tony Hale got his Screen Actors Guild after appearing in a commercial for MCI Inc. that was never aired. His first acting role was a guest appearance on Ghost Stories in 1997. He appeared in more minor roles on TV shows such as Legacy, Sex and the City, The Sopranos, and Dawson’s Creek between 1998 and 2001. Hale got his breakthrough in 2003 when he was cast as Buster Bluth on Arrested Development. He appeared on 74 episodes of the American satirical sitcom between 2003 and 2019.
While his stint on Arrested Development lasted, Tony Hale appeared in minor roles on shows such as Andy Barker, P.I., Chuck, ER, and Human Target. Hale landed his next big role in 2012 to portray Gary Walsh on Veep. From 2021 to 2022, Hale starred in the main role of twin brothers (Nicholas Benedict / L.D. Curtain) on The Mysterious Benedict Society and won a Children’s and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Performance for his performance.
Tony Hale Has a Huge Collection of Voice Roles
As a versatile performer, Tony Hale has voiced over 40 animated characters across film and television. His earliest credited voice roles came in the 2007 animated films Dante’s Inferno as Pope Nicholas III and Flatland: The Movie as King of Pointland. He also voiced Furlough in The Tale of Despereaux (2008). In 2015, Hale provided the voice of Darwin in April and the Extraordinary World and voiced multiple roles in The Angry Birds Movie (2016). Other notable characters he has voiced include The Joker in Batman Ninja, Forky in Toy Story 4, and Mel/Mr. Donut in Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate.
Hale replaced Bill Hader as the voice of Fear in Inside Out 2. Tony Hale has voiced many characters on the small screen, starting with Vince on The Life & Times of Tim. He has been a main cast member on Harley Quinn since 2019, voicing different characters. Hale also provided the voice of the title character on Forky Asks a Question (2019-2020). His other voice credits can be seen on animated shows such as Good Vibes, Badgirl, Rugrats, HouseBroken, I Heart Arlo, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Awards and Other Career Achievements
For his role on Veep, Tony Hale scored many award nominations, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and five Screen Actors Guild Awards. He won the 2013 and 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for the role. The Veep cast also scooped SAG’s Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series award in 2017.
Hale received the Fairbanks Award for Career Achievement at the 2022 San Diego International Film Festival. The actor also won in the Outstanding Lead Performance category at the 2023 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards for his role in The Mysterious Benedict Society. He also received nominations for Arrested Development and Toy Story 4 roles.
Tony Hale Has Been Married Since 2003
Tony Hale is not the only Emmy Award winner in his family. The Veep star is married to Emmy Award-winning makeup artist Martel Thompson. He met Thompson at a Bible study group in New York and married her on May 24, 2003. They have a daughter who was born in 2006. Hale and his family are devout Christians. Here is how to watch Veep online.
