Zach Galifianakis

Perhaps best known for his role as Alan in the smash hit film, The "Hangover," Zach Galifianakis has built a considerable cult following around his performances, both live and on the Internet.

His style is unorthodox — incorporating a piano and occasionally other musical elements, often straying from his scripted jokes and interacting with audience members. He is a force on stage, taking the audience along for a ride, an experience beyond your average day at the comedy club. He admits that sometimes even he doesn't know what he's going to do before he goes on stage.

Galifianakis' presence on the web has also garnered him legions of fans. Among the variety of the clips, gags and sketches currently in Internet orbit, favorites include a series of ads he did for Absolut vodka, and a video with Will Oldham to the tune of Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing." He also has a series of videos on the Funny Or Die website titled "Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis."

His acting career began in 1996 with a part in the TV series Boston Common, and in 2001 he got his own late-night comedy show, Late World With Zach on VH-1, which was canceled soon after. The show's unpopularity (and Galifianakis's own obscurity) were running gags from the beginning. In one segment, he interviewed people waiting in line for tickets outside his studio; virtually none of them had a clear idea of which show they were waiting to see, let alone who the host was.

Luckily for audiences everywhere, he kept at it and had his own Comedy Central Presents special. He received bit parts in movies and then received international acclaim for his role in The Hangover, earning the MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance. His other films include the Oscar winner "Up In The Air," "Dinner For Schmucks," "It's Kind of A Funny Story," "Due Date," and "The Hangover Part II," "The Hangover Part III" and "Birdman."