--- name: "Ben Schwartz" canonical: "https://film.one/person/ben-schwartz" fi1m_id: "ben-schwartz" imdb_id: "nm2355635" tmdb_id: 222121 wikidata_id: "Q4886423" roles: ["Actor"] born: "15 September 1981" reviewed_on_fi1m: 6 average_fi1m_score: 62 average_as: "actor" average_over: 6 updated: "2026-10-05T16:19:19.579528+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Ben Schwartz ## Identity Ben Schwartz - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/ben-schwartz - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** ben-schwartz - **IMDb ID:** nm2355635 - **TMDB ID:** 222121 - **Wikidata ID:** Q4886423 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Schwartz, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4886423, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2355635/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/222121 Actor. Born 15 September 1981 in New York City, New York, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 15 September 1981, New York City, New York, USA - **Active:** 2019–present - **Also known as:** Benjamin Schwartz , Μπεν Σουάρτζ, 벤 슈와츠, بِن شوارتز - **Frequently works with:** [Jeff Fowler](https://film.one/person/jeff-fowler.md), [Josh Miller](https://film.one/person/josh-miller.md), [Neal H. Moritz](https://film.one/person/neal-h-moritz.md), [Patrick Casey](https://film.one/person/pat-casey.md), [Colleen O'Shaughnessey](https://film.one/person/colleen-oshaughnessey.md), [Hitoshi Okuno](https://film.one/person/hitoshi-okuno.md), [Idris Elba](https://film.one/person/idris-elba.md), [James Marsden](https://film.one/person/james-marsden.md) - **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 62, as actor, over 6 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 2010s 63 (1), 2020s 61 (5) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 62 to 61 across 6 titles - **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 3 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 3 of 4 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 5, Action 4, Family 4, Adventure 2, Animation 2, Science Fiction 2 - **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $1,443m across 5 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Schwartz, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4886423, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2355635/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/222121 ## Coming up - *Bad Day* (2026-12-11) - *Sonic the Hedgehog 4* (2027-03-11), as Sonic (voice) - *The Beatles: Ringo* (2028-04-05) - *The Beatles: Paul* (2028-04-05) - *The Beatles: George* (2028-04-05) - *The Beatles: John* (2028-04-05) ## Streaming the US now - **Apple TV:** [*Sonic the Hedgehog 3*](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-3.md) (61), [*Sonic the Hedgehog 2*](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-2.md) (58), [*Sonic the Hedgehog*](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog.md) (55) - **Peacock:** [*Renfield*](https://film.one/film/renfield.md) (58) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Ben Schwartz > Ben Schwartz plays overconfident men who never notice they are failing, and makes them likeable by sheer speed of talk. On television and on stage that is a real gift; in the films we have reviewed, it has mostly been asked to fill silences. A hedgehog who has spent ten years alone in a wood and is now saying everything he never got to say. That is how Ben Schwartz voices Sonic in Jeff Fowler's *Sonic the Hedgehog* (2020), with a quip for every second he is on screen, and it is the clearest picture of what he does. His characters are pleased with themselves, have not noticed they are getting it wrong, and are saved from our dislike by the energy of the talking. He has said he tries to make them arrogant on purpose. He came up through long-form improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, wrote jokes for Letterman and SNL, and took small parts from 2006. The break was Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in Michael Schur's *Parks and Recreation* (2010–2015), a recurring part that fixed the type: the friend of a friend whose confidence outruns any reason for it, funny because he never notices that everyone around him has stopped smiling. *House of Lies* (2012–2016) made him a series regular as Clyde Oberholt. Then the voice work, and with it Sonic, reprised in sequels of which *Sonic the Hedgehog 3* (2024) is the one we liked best. Alongside all that he has kept improvising, on the *Middleditch & Schwartz* specials (2020) with Thomas Middleditch and on tour as Ben Schwartz & Friends, and turned up in *Space Force* and *The Afterparty*. The improv is the key. He has said that the largest thing about it is "listening to the person in front of you", and that is what the television parts give him: someone to bounce off, a scene that turns on a reaction. The films have given him less. As Sonic he talks to himself for long stretches, and Fowler never finds the still moment in the first film that would let the loneliness register. By the third, with Idris Elba's Knuckles and Colleen O'Shaughnessey's Tails to interrupt him, there is at least a team, and the film is a little better for it, though Jim Carrey's two Robotniks are the reason to stay. *Renfield* (2023) is the cautionary case. Tedward Lobo, idiot heir to a crime family run by Shohreh Aghdashloo, is exactly the part Schwartz was built for, and Chris McKay's film parks him in a subplot about corrupt police that has nothing to do with Nicolas Cage's Dracula. Somewhere past the hour we caught ourselves wishing his scenes over so Cage could come back, and we did not enjoy feeling that about an actor whose whole method depends on being generous to whoever is opposite him. The performance was fine. Nobody had given him anyone worth listening to. The nearest thing to a reservation about Schwartz is not about him at all; it is that improv itself stays a small pleasure most audiences never see. The films that hire him have taken the speed and left the listening at the theatre door. Put him in a scene with an actor who answers back and he keeps it alive. Put him alone with a microphone and he is a fast thing that will not stop talking. ## Biography Ben Schwartz is an American actor and comedian. Born on 15 September 1981 in New York City, he trained with the Upright Citizens Brigade and began performing in comedy sketches and web series. He is known for his recurring role as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in the NBC sitcom *Parks and Recreation* (2010–2015) and as Clyde Oberholt in the Showtime series *House of Lies* (2012–2016). His voice work includes Sonic the Hedgehog in the film series, Dewey Duck in *DuckTales* (2017–2021), and Leonardo in *Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2018–2020). Schwartz has appeared in films including *Renfield* (2023) as Tedward Lobo and *Sonic the Hedgehog 3* (2024) as Sonic. On television he has starred in the Netflix series *Space Force* (2020–2022) and the Apple TV+ series *The Afterparty* (2022–2023). *Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, dexerto.com, washingtonpost.com.* ## On Fi1m (6) - *Sonic the Hedgehog 3* (2024), Fi1m 61, as Sonic (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-3.md) - *Renfield* (2023), Fi1m 58, as Tedward Lobo — [page](https://film.one/film/renfield.md) - *Sonic the Hedgehog 2* (2022), Fi1m 58, as Sonic (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-2.md) - *INVINCIBLE* (2021), Fi1m 74, as Shapesmith / Rus / Punk Thug (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/invincible-2021.md) - *Sonic the Hedgehog* (2020), Fi1m 55, as Sonic (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog.md) - *The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part* (2019), Fi1m 63, as Banarnar (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lego-movie-2-the-second-part.md) ## Complete filmography (109) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Beatles: Ringo* (2028), Actor - *The Beatles: Paul* (2028), Actor - *The Beatles: George* (2028), Actor - *The Beatles: John* (2028), Actor - *Sonic the Hedgehog 4* (2027), as Sonic (voice) - *Bad Day* (2026), Actor - *Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice* (2026), as Symon - *LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy - Pieces of the Past* (2025), series, as Jaxxon T. Tumperakki (voice) - *Long Story Short* (2025), series, as (voice) - *Sonic the Hedgehog 3* (2024), as Sonic (voice) — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-3.md) - *Knuckles* (2024), series, as Sonic the Hedgehog (voice) - *The Muppets Mayhem* (2023), series, as Gus D’Vore - *Renfield* (2023), as Tedward Lobo — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/renfield.md) - *We Lost Our Human* (2023), as Pud / Future Pud / Cow Pud / Kitten Pud / Puddling (voice) - *Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie* (2022), as Leo / Janitor Man (voice) - *Chibiverse* (2022), series, as Dewey Duck (voice) - *DC League of Super-Pets* (2022), as Mark / Fire Guinea Pig (voice) - *Sonic Drone Home* (2022), as Sonic the Hedgehog (voice) - *Lightning Wolves* (2022), series, Actor - *Sonic the Hedgehog 2* (2022), as Sonic (voice) — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog-2.md) - *The Boys Presents: Diabolical* (2022), series, as Kingdom’s Dad (voice), Simon (voice) - *The Afterparty* (2022), series, as Yasper - *Rugrats* (2021), series, as Lord Crater (voice) - *Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.* (2021), series, as Louis 'Lou' Tarleton (voice) - *Star Wars: The Bad Batch* (2021), series, as TAY-0 (voice) - *INVINCIBLE* (2021), series, as Shapesmith / Rus / Punk Thug (voice), Shapesmith (voice), Shapesmith / Rus / Tech Trooper #2 (voice), Shapesmith / Rus / Corey (voice), Shapesmith / Rus Livingston / Doctor (voice), Rus (voice) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/invincible-2021.md) - *Calls* (2021), series, as Andy (voice) - *Flora & Ulysses* (2021), as George - *Rumble* (2021), as Jimothy Brett-Chadley III (voice) - *Music* (2021), as Rudy - *Die Hart* (2020), series, as Andre - *Crossing Swords* (2020), series, as Keefer (voice) - *Staged* (2020), series, as Tom, Ben - *Sonic the Hedgehog - Around the World in 80 Seconds* (2020), as Sonic (voice) - *Space Force* (2020), series, as F. Tony Scarapiducci - *A Parks and Recreation Special* (2020), as Jean-Ralphio Sapperstein - *Middleditch & Schwartz* (2020), series, Creator - *Standing Up, Falling Down* (2020), as Scott · Executive Producer - *Sonic the Hedgehog* (2020), as Sonic (voice) — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/sonic-the-hedgehog.md) - *Bless the Harts* (2019), series, as Bryce Aldredge (voice) - *Human Discoveries* (2019), series, as Leader Elk (voice) - *The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part* (2019), as Banarnar (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lego-movie-2-the-second-part.md) - *Runnin'* (2019), Actor - *Medal of Honor* (2018), series, as Vito Bertoldo - *Night School* (2018), as Marvin - *An Actor Prepares* (2018), as Jimmy - *Blue Iguana* (2018), as Paul Driggs - *Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2018), series, as Leonardo (voice) - *DuckTales: Destination Adventure!* (2018), as Dewey Duck (voice) - *Happy Anniversary* (2018), as Sam - *Outside In* (2018), as Ted - *DreamWorks Home: For the Holidays* (2017), as Ben Schwartz (voice) - *DuckTales* (2017), series, as Dewey Duck (Voice) - *The New V.I.P.'s* (2017), series, as Lenny - *How to Be a Latin Lover* (2017), as Jimmy / Valet - *The Earliest Show: Outtakes & Bloopers* (2016), as Josh Bath · Director, Writer - *The Earliest Show* (2016), series, as Josh Bath · Director, Writer, Creator - *The Intervention* (2016), as Jack - *Bajillion Dollar Propertie$* (2016), series, as Quistian Gayle - *Star Wars: The Force Awakens* (2015), as Stormtrooper (uncredited) — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens.md) - *The Walk* (2015), as Albert - *The Interview* (2014), as Publicist - *This Is Where I Leave You* (2014), as Rabbi Charles Grodner - *BoJack Horseman* (2014), series, as Rutabaga Rabitowitz / Tawnie's Boyfriend (voice), Rutabaga Rabitowitz (voice) — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/bojack-horseman.md) - *Transformers: Age of Extinction* (2014), as Bumblebee (voice) (uncredited) — Fi1m 38, [page](https://film.one/film/transformers-age-of-extinction.md) - *Better Living Through Chemistry* (2014), as Noah - *HitRECord on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt* (2014), series, Actor - *I'm a Mitzvah* (2014), as David - *House of Lies Live* (2013), Executive Producer - *Runner Runner* (2013), as Craig - *Turbo* (2013), as Skid Mark (voice) - *Coffee Town* (2013), as Gino - *Seth Rogen Is the Worst Person in the World* (2013), as Ben Schwartz - *Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja* (2012), series, as Randy Cunningham / The Ninja (voice) - *TRON: Uprising* (2012), series, as Rilo - *House of Lies: Fridays at Galweather* (2012), series, as Clyde Oberholt · Writer - *House of Lies* (2012), series, as Clyde Oberholt - *Stay Awake Contest* (2011), Actor - *Bob's Burgers* (2011), series, as Josh (voice), Rick (voice) - *Undercovers* (2010), series, as Bill Hoyt - *Peep World* (2010), as Nathan - *The Other Guys* (2010), as Beaman's Assistant - *Perfect Audition* (2010), Actor - *Everybody's Fine* (2009), as Writer - *Modern Family* (2009), series, as Nick — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/modern-family.md) - *Accidentally on Purpose* (2009), series, as Max - *Mystery Team* (2009), as Dougie's Buddy - *I Hate Valentine's Day* (2009), as Tammy's Date - *Parks and Recreation* (2009), series, as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/parks-and-recreation.md) - *Job Interview* (2008), as Interviewee · Writer, Director - *Valentine's Break Up* (2008), Actor - *Mayne Street* (2008), series, as Evan Mintz - *Hardly Working* (2008), series, Actor - *Hardly Working: All-Nighters* (2008), series, as Branch Windwood, Ben · Writer - *Teddy Saw* (2007), as Jason · Writer - *New York City Serenade* (2007), as Russ - *Bronx World Travelers* (2007), series, as Ben · Co-Director, Writer, Creator - *Ysketball* (2007), Writer, Director - *The Sarah Silverman Program* (2007), series, as Writer - *Starveillance* (2007), series, as Glenn - Host - *Cheating* (2006), as Ben · Writer - *Robot Chicken* (2005), series, as Scaredy Smurf / Roger Radcliffe / Toy Announcer (voice), Dickwax / Oog (voice) - *American Dad!* (2005), series, as Fire Marshall (voice), Brigham (voice), (voice) - *Arrested Development* (2003), series, as John Beard Jr. — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/tv/arrested-development.md) - *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as The Raw Barn Clerk (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md) - *DNA*, Writer, Executive Producer - *79ers*, Screenplay - *Weezer: Security Threat*, Actor - *Happiness Isn't Everything*, series, as Jacky Hamburger ## Gallery - ![Ben Schwartz in 2025](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-ff68d09474c7.jpg) Ben Schwartz in 2025 — John Manard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Ben_Schwartz%2C_December_7%2C_2025_Galaxy_Con_Columbus.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![KILL SCREEN - UCB CAGEMATCH SNAPKIN VS KILL SCREEN (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-73936b021ed3.jpg) KILL SCREEN - UCB CAGEMATCH SNAPKIN VS KILL SCREEN (2009) — Jared eberhardt from Los Angeles, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Ben_Schwartz.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Star of House of Lies, Parks and Recreation, and voice of BB-8 and Dewey on new Duck Tales. (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-1d004a6d1c49.jpg) Star of House of Lies, Parks and Recreation, and voice of BB-8 and Dewey on new Duck Tales. (2019) — Greg2600 on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Ben_Schwartz_%2840817487103%29.jpg/1280px-Ben_Schwartz_%2840817487103%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Star of House of Lies, Parks and Recreation, and voice of BB-8 (Star Wars), Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog) and Dewey (DuckTales). (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-5bec62517513.jpg) Star of House of Lies, Parks and Recreation, and voice of BB-8 (Star Wars), Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog) and Dewey (DuckTales). (2019) — Greg2600 on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Ben_Schwartz_%2840817487103%29_cropped.jpg/1280px-Ben_Schwartz_%2840817487103%29_cropped.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Ben Schwartz](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-144d33be274e.jpg) Ben Schwartz — Image via TMDB - ![Ben Schwartz](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-607dfb991945.jpg) Ben Schwartz — Image via TMDB - ![Ben Schwartz](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-e224ea6fa7ff.jpg) Ben Schwartz — Image via TMDB - ![Ben Schwartz](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-4b9d898302d7.jpg) Ben Schwartz — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Ben_Schwartz_Photo_Op_GalaxyCon_Columbus_2025.jpg/1280px-Ben_Schwartz_Photo_Op_GalaxyCon_Columbus_2025.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Ben Schwartz](https://film.one/media/person/10242/gallery-23e2a6bf83f7.jpg) Ben Schwartz — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won - 2009: Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/ben-schwartz