Topic: Zach Galifianakis

Zacharius Knight "Zach" Galifianakis (pronounced /ˌɡælɨfəˈnækɨs/ GAL-i-fə-NAK-iss; born October 1, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian and actor, known for his numerous film and television appearances including his own Comedy Central Presents special. While initially more of an "underground" comedian, he garnered mainstream attention in the early 2010s for his roles in the Todd Phillips-directed comedy films The Hangover and Due Date.

Galifianakis was born in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. His mother, Mary Francis (née Cashion), ran a community center for the arts, and his father, Harry Galifianakis, was a heating oil vendor who emigrated from Crete, Greece. Galifianakis was raised in his father's Greek Orthodox faith. He has two siblings, a younger sister, Merritt, and an older brother, Greg. His uncle, Nick Galifianakis, was a congressman from North Carolina between 1967 and 1973.

Galifianakis attended Wilkes Central High School, and subsequently North Carolina State University, where he majored in communication.