# Brian Stepanek
**Brian Stepanek** (born 1971) is an American actor, voice actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He began his career in Chicago musical theater, winning a Joseph Jefferson Award for his portrayal of Bill Snibson in *Me and My Girl*, and became widely known for playing the eccentric janitor Arwin Hawkhauser on [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel)'s *The Suite Life of Zack & Cody*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). On television he has played Tom Harper on Nickelodeon's *Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn*, Hubert Givens on CBS's *Young Sheldon*, and Lynn Loud Sr. across the animated *Loud House* franchise and its live-action counterpart[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). His film work includes the maitre d' Graham Kindell in the Oscar-winning *Green Book* (2018) and roles in [Michael Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-bay) films[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971, Cleveland, Ohio[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/) |
| Training | Syracuse University; Second City and Act One Studios, Chicago[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971) |
| Theater award | Joseph Jefferson Award, Actor in a Principal Role in a Musical, for *Me and My Girl* at the Drury Lane Theatre, Oakbrook, Illinois[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/) |
| Signature TV roles | Arwin Hawkhauser, *The Suite Life of Zack & Cody* (27 episodes); Tom Harper, *Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn* (84 episodes, 2014–2018); Hubert Givens, *Young Sheldon* (22 episodes, 2017–2024)[3](https://mooveedb.com/actor/brian-stepanek/346761) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/) |
| Loud House franchise | Lynn Loud Sr. in *The Loud House* (159 episodes, 2015–2025), *The Really Loud House* (38 episodes, 2022–2024), and the franchise's TV movies[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/) |
| Own series | Produced, co-wrote, and starred in the silent slapstick series *Brian O'Brian* (2008), which aired in more than 60 countries[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/) • [4](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/) |
| Notable film | Graham Kindell in *Green Book* (2018), which grossed $322 million worldwide[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/) • [5](https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/person/brian-stepanek) |
## Early life and training
Stepanek grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where he watched [Jerry Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-lewis) and [Abbott and Costello](https://www.edgepedia.org/abbott-and-costello) films on Saturday mornings and did theater in high school[4](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/). He enrolled at [Syracuse University](https://www.edgepedia.org/syracuse-university) as a musical theater major, then transferred into speech and communications while auditing theater classes and performing in 11 or 12 university productions as a non-major[4](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/) • [6](https://www.creativereverberations.com/p/cr-074-brian-stepanek-on-the-ever-changing-enterainment-industry?action=share).
He moved to Chicago to perform in the one-man musical *Herringbone* and worked extensively in musical theater there, training with [The Second City](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-second-city) and at Act One Studios[4](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971). He toured nationally with The Second City's touring company, and after winning the Joseph Jefferson Award for *Me and My Girl* he decided to move to Los Angeles[4](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/). His Chicago stage credits also include *Company* at Pegasus Players, *Hello Dolly!* at the Drury Lane Theatre, and *The House of Martin Guerre* at the Goodman Theatre[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971).
## Television career
**Early roles.** Stepanek's first television appearances came on comedies such as *Cupid* (ABC, 1998), *Shasta McNasty* (UPN, 2000), and *The West Wing*, with episodic parts on *JAG*, *The Drew Carey Show*, *Six Feet Under*, *Malcolm in the Middle*, and *NYPD Blue*[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-stepanek/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971).
**Disney Channel.** After moving to Los Angeles, he gained wide recognition as the janitor and inventor Arwin Hawkhauser on *The Suite Life of Zack & Cody*, appearing in 27 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/) • [3](https://mooveedb.com/actor/brian-stepanek/346761). He reprised the character in three episodes of the sequel series *The Suite Life on Deck* and filmed a pilot, *Arwin!* (also known as *Housebroken*), for the Disney Channel in 2007[3](https://mooveedb.com/actor/brian-stepanek/346761) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971).
**Nickelodeon and family comedy.** From 2014 to 2018 he played Tom Harper, father of the title quadruplets, in 84 episodes of *Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). He also directed four episodes of that series between 2016 and 2018[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/).
**Recurring work.** A guest role on CBS's *Two and a Half Men* impressed writer and producer [Chuck Lorre](https://www.edgepedia.org/chuck-lorre) enough that Lorre created a recurring role for Stepanek on the show and cast him in guest parts on *Mike & Molly* and *Mom*[4](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/). On *Young Sheldon* he played the irritable Hubert Givens in 22 episodes from 2017 to 2024[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). Other recurring credits include *Best Foot Forward* and *For All Mankind*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/).
## The Loud House franchise
Stepanek has voiced Lynn Loud Sr., the father in Nickelodeon's animated series *The Loud House*, across 159 episodes from 2015 to 2025, along with the robot character Todd[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). He carried the role into live action, playing Lynn Loud Sr. in the Paramount Plus series *The Really Loud House* (38 episodes, 2022–2024) and in the TV movies *A Loud House Christmas* (2021), *A Really Haunted Loud House* (2023), and *A Loud House Christmas Movie: Naughty or Nice* (2025)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). He also voiced the character in *The Loud House Movie* (2021) and *No Time to Spy: A Loud House Movie* (2024)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/).
## Voice acting
Stepanek's voice work spans animated series, films, and video games. His feature animation credits include Nugent the dog in DreamWorks' *Over the Hedge* (2006), Martin in Disney's *Bolt* (2008), and multiple alien Boov roles, including the Gorg, in DreamWorks' *Home* (2015)[3](https://mooveedb.com/actor/brian-stepanek/346761) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971). His work on *Home* began when he was brought in to record the scratch track used in early storyboarding; his performances of various characters, including a version of Captain Smek later cast with [Steve Martin](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-martin), led to speaking roles in the finished film, one of them a Boov named after him[4](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/).
On television he voiced Harold Buttowski in [Disney XD](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-xd)'s *Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil* for 103 episodes, Roger the orangutan in NBC's *Father of the Pride*, and Dode in *The Penguins of Madagascar*, with additional roles in *Phineas and Ferb* and *Kim Possible*[3](https://mooveedb.com/actor/brian-stepanek/346761) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971). Early video game credits include *Lionheart* (2003), *Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events* (2004), and *Jade Empire* (2005)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971).
## Film work
His film appearances include Peter in *Kissing Jessica Stein* (2002), a parole board marshal in *Murder by Numbers* (2002), Gandu Three Echo in Michael Bay's *The Island* (2005), a Sector Seven agent in *Transformers* (2007), Brad McCalister in *Pain & Gain* (2013), Rufus Youngblood in *LBJ* (2016), and Nedley Blake in *Daphne & Velma* (2018)[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-stepanek/) • [3](https://mooveedb.com/actor/brian-stepanek/346761). In the Oscar-winning *Green Book* (2018) he played Graham Kindell, a maitre d' opposite [Viggo Mortensen](https://www.edgepedia.org/viggo-mortensen) and [Mahershala Ali](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahershala-ali)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). *Green Book* is his biggest box-office hit at $322 million worldwide[5](https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/person/brian-stepanek).
## Writing, directing, and producing
Stepanek created, produced, co-wrote, and starred in *Brian O'Brian*, a silent slapstick short-form series on the Disney Channel that aired in more than 60 countries[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/) • [4](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/). His directing credits include four episodes of *Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn*, one episode of *Cousins for Life* (2019), and the short film *Debt Limit* (2011)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/).
## Personal life and return to the stage
Stepanek married Parisa Yazdanfar on July 14, 2002; IMDb lists three children[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). He stands 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). In commercial work, he appeared as the werewolf in [Capital One](https://www.edgepedia.org/capital-one)'s "What's in Your Wallet" campaign and in advertisements for [Dairy Queen](https://www.edgepedia.org/dairy-queen), T. J. Maxx, Pennzoil, Outback Steakhouse, and [Office Depot](https://www.edgepedia.org/office-depot)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971).
He returned to musical theater playing Max Bialystock in *The Producers* at the Renaissance Theatre in [Mansfield, Ohio](https://www.edgepedia.org/mansfield-ohio)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/). In 2025 he and his sister Sheila launched the podcast *Here From There*, in which they interview people from different fields about the decisions that shaped their paths[6](https://www.creativereverberations.com/p/cr-074-brian-stepanek-on-the-ever-changing-enterainment-industry?action=share).
## References
1. [Brian Stepanek, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826745/)
2. [Stepanek, Brian 1971–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/stepanek-brian-1971)
3. [Brian Stepanek, MooveeDB](https://mooveedb.com/actor/brian-stepanek/346761)
4. [Actor Brian Stepanek on Going "Home" for DreamWorks Animation, Anime Superhero News (2015)](https://animesuperhero.com/actor-brian-stepanek-on-going-home-for-dreamworks-animation/)
5. [Brian Stepanek: Movies & Box Office, What's After the Movie](https://www.whatsafterthemovie.com/person/brian-stepanek)
6. [CR 074: Brian Stepanek on Acting, Podcasting, and Why Today's Creatives Need to Do It All, Creative Reverberations (2025)](https://www.creativereverberations.com/p/cr-074-brian-stepanek-on-the-ever-changing-enterainment-industry?action=share)
7. [Brian Stepanek, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-stepanek/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Sp to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license