# David Faustino
**David Faustino** (born 1974) is an American actor, producer, and voice actor best known for playing Bud Bundy, the son in the Fox sitcom *Married... with Children*, from 1987 to 1997.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino) After the sitcom ended, he built a substantial career in voice acting, most prominently as the voice of [Mako](https://www.edgepedia.org/mako-the-legend-of-korra) in the animated series *The Legend of Korra*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974, Los Angeles, California, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) |
| Signature role | Bud Bundy on *Married... with Children* (Fox, 1987–1997, 259 episodes)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/) |
| Early start | First job at three months old, playing Lily Tomlin's child in one of her TV specials (1974)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino) |
| Early output | About 150 TV, film, and TV commercial credits before he turned 20[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino) |
| Main voice roles | Mako in *The Legend of Korra* (2012–2014, 44 episodes); Dagur in *Dragons: Race to the Edge* (2015–2018, 28 episodes)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/) |
| Music ventures | Member of the rap group The Outlawed Posse; co-founded Balistyx in 1991, described as the first hip hop and funk nightclub on Sunset Boulevard[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino) |
| Marriage | Andrea Faustino, January 24, 2004 to December 28, 2007 (divorced)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) |
| Awards | 6 wins and 14 nominations, per his IMDb record[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/) |
## Early life and career
Faustino was born in Los Angeles, California. His full birth name is David Anthony Faustino, and he stands 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m) tall.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) His father, Roger Faustino, was a costumer; his siblings also acted, with his younger brother Michael Faustino appearing as an actor.[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/faustino-david-1974) • [5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/david-faustino/bio/3030623279/)
He entered the industry as an infant, at three months old, playing [Lily Tomlin](https://www.edgepedia.org/lily-tomlin)'s child in one of her television specials in 1974.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) By 1979 he had an acting part on an episode of *Little House on the Prairie*; in 1982 he played Ann-Margret's son in the feature film *I Ought to Be in Pictures*, and the following year he played [Michael Douglas](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-douglas)'s son in *The Star Chamber*.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino) His first work on a regular television series came in 1985, playing [Victor Garber](https://www.edgepedia.org/victor-garber)'s son on the short-lived CBS summer series *I Had Three Wives*.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino)
## Married... with Children
In 1987 Faustino was cast as Bud Bundy on *Married... with Children*, the first Fox network series to succeed and a deliberately coarse twist on the family sitcom, featuring the Bundy household, described by one television reference as a rather vulgar and bawdy nuclear family of four.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino) • [6](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Encyclopedias/Archive-Encyclopedia-of-Television/Encyclopedia-of-Television-Vol-3.pdf) Bud was the would-be loose and licentious son, and the series ran eleven seasons and, by one later account, 259 episodes, becoming one of the longest-running live-action sitcoms in television history.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/) • [7](https://extratv.com/2026/01/27/david-faustino-on-supporting-christina-applegate-with-married-with-children-reunion-exclusive/)
Faustino later reflected that his own outside life fed the scripts, from battles with acne to simply growing up on the show.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) He also worked behind the camera: he wrote an episode of the series called "T*R*A*S*H" and appeared in it alongside his brother Michael.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/david-faustino/bio/3030623279/) His parents, he told an interviewer, kept his paychecks from the show locked away from him.[8](https://www.nickiswift.com/869318/what-happened-to-david-faustino-after-married-with-children/)
## Music and nightlife
During the sitcom's run Faustino was active in Los Angeles hip hop. He belonged for a time to a rap group called The Outlawed Posse, and in 1991 he co-founded Balistyx, which one film reference work describes as the first hip hop and funk nightclub on [Sunset Boulevard](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunset-boulevard).[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino) He later performed music under the names D' Lil and Lil Gweed.[9](https://www.thelist.com/2064604/most-tragic-details-married-with-children-cast/) A documentary about the Balistyx chapter of his life has been announced.[10](https://albundystore.com/en-au/blogs/news/david-faustino-interview-2026)
## Voice acting and later career
After the sitcom ended, Faustino worked steadily in film, television, and voice acting. His largest voice roles include Mako in *The Legend of Korra* (2012–2014, 44 episodes) and Dagur in *Dragons: Race to the Edge* (2015–2018, 28 episodes).[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/) In 2023 he voiced Normal Nate in *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem*, which stands as his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes at 95 percent, compared with a low of 14 percent for *Sharknado: The 4th Awakens* (2016), in which he reprised Bud in a cameo.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino)
His on-camera credits after the sitcom include a recurring run of low-budget films such as *Pucked* (2006) and *MacArthur Park* (2001), a self-titled appearance as himself in *Entourage* (2015), and guest parts on shows including *Modern Family*, *Bones*, and *The Young and the Restless*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/) In 2009 he created, directed, and starred in *Star-ving*, a 12-episode web series in which he played a version of himself; former co-star [Ed O'Neill](https://www.edgepedia.org/ed-oneill) reunited with him for two episodes.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/) • [11](https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2011/11-1322_rpt_boe_7-26-2011.pdf) He has also been a founding partner of F.N.B Entertainment and a co-owner of the Central, a restaurant on the [Sunset Strip](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunset-strip).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/)
## Reunion and revival efforts
Faustino has stayed closely associated with the series. In 2026 he produced a live cast reunion, *An Evening with The Bundys: The Married with Children Cast Reunion*, whose proceeds benefit the Race to Erase MS; his former co-star [Christina Applegate](https://www.edgepedia.org/christina-applegate), who played Kelly Bundy, had been away from the spotlight since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021.[7](https://extratv.com/2026/01/27/david-faustino-on-supporting-christina-applegate-with-married-with-children-reunion-exclusive/) • [12](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/david-faustino-praises-christina-applegate-amid-health-battle/) In a 2026 interview, Faustino said a potential reboot had been extremely close to happening, to the point that he had signed his deal, and he has publicly supported Applegate's continued involvement in an animated version of a revival.[13](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/david-faustino-talks-potential-married-with-children-reboot/) • [14](https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/09/89/64/06474/06-04-2023.pdf)
## Personal life
Faustino married Andrea Elmer on January 24, 2004; the marriage ended in divorce on December 28, 2007.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) He has a daughter, Ava Marie Grace Faustino, born in 2015 with his girlfriend Lindsay Bronson.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/) Speaking on the podcast *MesSy* hosted by Christina Applegate and [Jamie-Lynn Sigler](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamie-lynn-sigler), he said he was only able to properly mourn his mother, Kay Freeman, after her death from Alzheimer's disease once he quit drinking and drugging.[15](https://www.aol.com/married-children-alum-david-faustino-210044528.html)
## References
1. [David Faustino Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/bio/)
2. [David Faustino, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_faustino)
3. [David Faustino, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004910/)
4. [Faustino, David 1974–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/faustino-david-1974)
5. [David Faustino Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/david-faustino/bio/3030623279/)
6. [Married… with Children, The Encyclopedia of Television](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Encyclopedias/Archive-Encyclopedia-of-Television/Encyclopedia-of-Television-Vol-3.pdf)
7. [David Faustino on Supporting Christina Applegate with 'Married with Children' Reunion (Exclusive), ExtraTV](https://extratv.com/2026/01/27/david-faustino-on-supporting-christina-applegate-with-married-with-children-reunion-exclusive/)
8. [What Happened To David Faustino After Married... With Children?, Nicki Swift](https://www.nickiswift.com/869318/what-happened-to-david-faustino-after-married-with-children/)
9. [The Most Tragic Details About The Married... With Children Cast, The List](https://www.thelist.com/2064604/most-tragic-details-married-with-children-cast/)
10. [David Faustino Interview: Bud Bundy on the 2026 Married with Children Reunion & More, Al Bundy Store](https://albundystore.com/en-au/blogs/news/david-faustino-interview-2026)
11. [Ed O'Neill report, Los Angeles City Clerk](https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2011/11-1322_rpt_boe_7-26-2011.pdf)
12. [David Faustino Praises Christina Applegate Amid Health Battle, Us Weekly](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/david-faustino-praises-christina-applegate-amid-health-battle/)
13. [David Faustino Reveals 'Married With Children' Reboot Was 'Extremely Close' to Happening, Us Weekly](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/david-faustino-talks-potential-married-with-children-reboot/)
14. [The Barbados Advocate, June 4, 2023](https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/09/89/64/06474/06-04-2023.pdf)
15. [Married…with Children Alum David Faustino Got Sober After Mom's Death, AOL](https://www.aol.com/married-children-alum-david-faustino-210044528.html)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Ev to F*
*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