Age: 35 (“But I play 15 to 35!”)



Hometown: Chicago, IL



Current Role: A zany off-Broadway debut as the precocious owner of Daniel’s Toy Trading Shop, a paranoid woman who thinks Tom Hanks is spying on her and more kooky characters based on real notes and flyers in the new musical Found.



Stage & Screen Cred: Perhaps best known as the adorably awkward Abed on NBC’s Community, Pudi has appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows, including Royal Pains, Gilmore Girls, Greek and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.



“I’m half-Polish, half-Indian, and growing up, the first thing you did when you woke up is you talk about what’s for dinner. Food was very important. My mom would make borscht with pierogies and uszka—I miss those so much.”



“My mom used to make me do Polish dance when I was a kid, but I didn’t really like it. I was better at making funny faces than executing moves. They’re making me dance in Found, and again, I think I’m better at making faces.”



“In New York, I’ve been staying with my college roommate and we’ve been recreating our college experience. We call it ‘College II.’ We’ve been eating a lot of pizza, playing videos games and swearing a lot. It’s been really exciting.”



“Besides my family family, the Community cast is my family family family. They’re wonderful people. A couple of them are coming to see Found in a few weeks. We went through so much on that show—we’ll be close forever."



“I have two-year-old twins, and we’re really getting into their Halloween costumes. James is gonna be Batman and Fiona is gonna be Ariel from The Little Mermaid. I’m gonna get [Found co-star] Betsy Morgan, who played Ariel on Broadway, to sing for Fiona. That’ll blow her mind.”



“When I read the script for Found, I thought it was just so cool and weird and different, and I really enjoy that. It’s exciting to try something I’m not sure I can do. That’s the biggest thing—it’s fun to put yourself in a position that’s uncomfortable.”