Billy Eichner is a comedic actor whose profile has grown exponentially over the last couple of years. Having cut his teeth on the stand-up circuit and finding acclaim through an out-there concept for a web series, Eichner’s roles are incredibly varied. He’s done everything from voice-over work, to sitcoms and musicals. Now it seems he’s about to expand his resume even further. It was announced recently that Eichner is developing and writing an upcoming rom-com for Universal, which he will also star in.
Billy Eichner’s brash brand of humor has become instantly recognizable. Now with roles in big budget family fare, he’s becoming even more of a household name. As he continues to gain notoriety we’re taking a look back at ten of his most iconic roles.
Rob Barker - Hairspray Live!
Although a small role, Billy Eichner’s portrayal of Rob Barker in Hairspray Live!, NBC’s 2016 live musical event, is a fitting one for the comedian. Despite having pursued a career in comedy over musical theater, Eichner’s passion for the medium and talent as a singer are a large part of his persona. This musical persuasion coupled with a subversive sense of humor, not unlike that of Hairspray creator John Waters, make this an ideal property for Eichner. In the live musical Eichner portrayed news reporter Rob Barker, who acts as a narrator, furthering the story while providing biting commentary at the same time.
Oliver Studebaker - Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
Most notably Billy Eichner’s role in comedy sequel Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising was the first time Eichner was seen onscreen with Seth Rogen. The pair would go on to star opposite each other in a well known family favorite mentioned later in this article. The sequel to 2014 film Neighbors sees former enemies, a fraternity house and the couple with a new born who move in next door, take on an even rowdier sorority house. Billy’s role in this film was small but memorable.
Chef Pig - The Angry Birds Movie
When the announcement came out that The Angry Birds Movie was happening, the project was met with a great deal of skepticism. Based on the popular game of the same name most thought this film would be a humorless, soulless cash grab. However, the project was warmly received at the box office and was so successful a sequel was released in 2019.
One of the major contributing factors to the franchise’s success was the incredible voice talent attached to the project. Among a long list a fan favorite actors was none other than Billy Eichner, voicing the verdant villainous cook, Chef Pig.
Felix - Friends From College
Billy Eichner’s performance as Felix is one of his more muted appearances. In the show he plays the long suffering boyfriend to Fred Savage’s Max Adler. Unusually for Eichner his supporting role in Friends From College saw him playing the ‘straight man’ to Savage’s overt and out there Max. The show was poorly received, however critics and viewers alike cited Eichner’s performance as one shining light from the lackluster comedy.
Harrison Wilton - American Horror Story
Since his first appearance on Ryan Murphy’s terrifying anthology series American Horror Story, Billy Eichner has popped up in numerous roles in a number of seasons. However, his first and most prominent role in the AHS universe is that of Harrison Wilton. In this role Eichner portrayed a creepy neighbor who would later turn out to be involved in some deadly, cult related activities. Billy brought his oddball charm to this role and played up the creepy factor all while taking care of his pet bees. His appearance on the show was a welcome injection of some new energy and hopefully he’ll continue to pop up in future seasons.
Mr. Ambrose - Bob’s Burgers
Eichner continues to thrive as a voice over artist with his role as Mr. Ambrose on Bob’s Burgers. The librarian/cheerleading coach Eichner plays is infused with his own sardonic wit. Mr. Ambrose advocates for the internet over reading books despite his role as a librarian and has shown an open disdain for students, making him a less than ideal employee for a school, but a great role for Eichner.
Craig Middlebrooks - Parks And Recreation
There was no shortage of amazing comedic performances in Parks and Recreation, however Eichner’s portrayal of Craig Middlebrooks was one of the most heightened and memorable. The introduction of Craig into the office at Pawnee caused a serious shake up with his emotional outbursts and fragile temperament. Eichner still managed to ground a character who was so much larger than life and even endear audiences to him.
Billy - Difficult People
Julie Klausner’s short lived Hulu comedy Difficult People was a biting and hilarious look at the lives of two misanthropic, struggling comics. Billy Eichner played Julie’s best friend and the only person in New York City who could match her for pure bitter energy. Although the show was untimely cancelled after just three seasons it gave us one of Billy Eichner’s most well-rounded and complex performances.
Based extremely loosely on Billy and Julie’s own pasts as aspiring comedians, the show’s sense of humor walked a fine line between crass and genius and deserved more than the three seasons it was given.
Timon - The Lion King
Disney’s hyper realistic remake of The Lion King was a triumph of computer animation, although some felt the shot for shot remake felt a little soulless. One element of this new telling which garnered universal praise was Billy Eichner’s portrayal of fan favorite, Timon. Originally voiced by Nathan Lane, Eichner was able to maintain enough of the original’s energy while infusing enough of his own characterization and humor to bring new life and a fresh take on the character. Paired again here with Seth Rogen, audiences felt Timon and Pumbaa were the real kings of the jungle.
Billy - Billy On The Street
Finally, Billy’s breakout project was his ‘man on the street’ style web series which has been running for over a decade now. Although Billy is for all intents and purposes playing himself, he’s often stated that the persona of ‘Billy’ he plays while hosting Billy on the Street is a heightened, more entertainment obsessed version of himself. As his most recognizable role and also his breakthrough performance, ‘Billy’ from Billy on the Street is Eichner’s most iconic role.
