What To Know About Jack McBrayer, The Host Of HGTV's Zillow Gone Wild
Before HGTV's "Zillow Gone Wild" was a TV show hosted by Jack McBrayer, it was an Instagram page run by Samir Mezrahi. Mezrahi worked with HGTV to turn it into a TV show that explores the eclectic side of the real estate market. On the show, McBrayer explores houses with strange, interesting, and — as expected — "wild" features. McBrayer told HGTV: "Everyone loves to scroll endlessly, looking at all the pretty houses for sale online. But I'm on a mission to find out the story behind America's strangest and most extraordinary homes. I want to meet the owners and, most importantly, see for myself what's inside."
However, McBrayer isn't a real estate agent. He's an actor and a comedian known for projects such as "30 Rock," "Wreck-It Ralph," and "History of the World: Part II." He got his start in the Chicago comedy scene after graduating with a theater management degree. McBrayer performed with the iO and Second City groups, and while performing with Second City's e.t.c. company, "his southern charm, Georgia accent, and character work made him a crowd favorite," according to Second City. On a podcast, McBrayer explained how discovered his love for improv comedy and got started.
Watching an improv show during a heatwave changed Jack McBrayer's life
When Jack McBrayer was interviewed on "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" in 2022, he described an intense heatwave in Chicago in 1995, shortly after moving there. McBrayer and one of his roommates visited Second City for a free improv performance (primarily for the air conditioning). Watching that show changed McBrayer's life. He told O'Brien: "And it really was one of those things where I was like, 'This is, this is what I do with my friends, just hanging out. They're doing this for a job. This whole audience is eating them up with the spoon!'"
That inspired McBrayer to take improv classes. He watched comedians like Tina Fey perform at shows often, and then got to collaborate with them. "They were the bridge that got me to you," McBrayer pointed out, referring to when he appeared in sketches on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
The "Amphibia" actor worked on O'Brien's talk show before his big break on "30 Rock" — and the "Late Night" team helped him secure the role of oddball NBC Page Kenneth Parcell on Fey's sitcom. Although Fey and her husband Jeff Richmond both worked with McBrayer at Second City and the part was mostly written for him, he still needed to audition. While in New York to do so, McBrayer actually borrowed an NBC Page uniform from the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" team, and their hair and makeup team helped him get ready.
Jack McBrayer has collaborated with famous friends
Jack McBrayer explained to Conan O'Brien on his podcast that his successful audition won him the part of Kenneth, but O'Brien couldn't help but quip, "Is it fair for me to say that you owe me?" much to the disdain of everyone in the podcast studio.
McBrayer was nominated for the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy in 2009 for playing Kenneth. He also participated in a "30 Rock" reunion for Fey's 2024 Super Bowl commercial, featuring himself and fellow star of the show Jane Krakowski. However, O'Brien and the "30 Rock" cast aren't his only friends in the entertainment industry. He has an unexpectedly close friendship with actor Alexander Skarsgard. The duo often goof around in interviews and photoshoots and reportedly used to be neighbors in L.A. They also co-starred in "Jack & Alex Save the Arctic" from Funny or Die, which entertained watchers while educating them on climate change.
McBrayer has expressed excitement for his HGTV venture, telling People meeting the people that sold and bought those "Zillow Gone Wild" homes was enjoyable. "I just love the passion behind these homeowners," he said. "Why did you choose this old general store or diner to build your home? Guess what — it works."