Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum (born October 22, 1952) is an American actor. Currently, he stars as Detective Zach Nichols on the USA Network's crime drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Goldblum was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Homestead, Pennsylvania, the son of Shirley S. (née Temeles), a radio broadcaster who later ran a kitchen equipment and appliances sales firm, and Harold L. Goldblum, a medical doctor. He has a sister, Pamela and an older brother, Lee. Another older brother, Rick, lived to age 23. His family is Jewish and belonged to an Orthodox synagogue; Goldblum's paternal grandfather, Josef Povartzik (whose surname was changed to Goldblum), emigrated from Minsk, Russian Empire in 1911, and his maternal grandfather, Samuel Louis Temeles, from Złoczów, Austria–Hungary, in 1910.

Goldblum's parents were interested in show business. Goldblum moved to New York City at 17 to become an actor. Goldblum worked on the stage and studied acting at the renowned Neighborhood Playhouse under the guidance of acting coach Sanford Meisner. He made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning musical Two Gentlemen of Verona. He is also an accomplished jazz pianist and declared that if he did not act, he would have become a professional musician. He made his film debut as a thug in the 1974 Charles Bronson film Death Wish. He briefly appeared as a protester in the TV movie Columbo A Case of Immunity (1975).