# Nicholas Podany
**Nicholas Podany** (born 1996) is an American actor, songwriter, and composer known for playing Albus Potter in the Broadway production of *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*, Billy Crystal in the film *Saturday Night* (2024), and Ray Symanski in the Peacock spy series *Ponies* (2026).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38897/nicholas-podany)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1996, Los Angeles, California[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) |
| Training | BFA, Juilliard Drama Division (Group 47), 2018; recipient of the John Houseman Award[3](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/nicholas-podany/profile/) |
| Broadway role | Albus Potter in *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*, 2019–2020[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) |
| Film breakthrough | Billy Crystal in *Saturday Night* (2024)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38897/nicholas-podany) |
| Television lead | Ray Symanski, a CIA analyst, in *Ponies* (Peacock, 2026), 8 episodes[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38897/nicholas-podany) |
| Other notable TV | Joey Shorter in *Hello Tomorrow!* (Apple TV+, 2023)[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nicholas-podany/) |
| Music | Songwriter and score composer; singles and EPs available on Spotify and Apple Music[3](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/nicholas-podany/profile/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38897/nicholas-podany) |
## Early life and training
Podany was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1996.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) He has said that his mother, who is originally from England, read him the [Harry Potter](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-potter) books with all the accents, and that this was how he started learning dialects and got into acting; his parents enrolled him in acting classes because he had energy to spare and was not much good at sports.[5](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196318/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-childs-nicholas-podany-on-always-wanting-to-be-a-wizard-more/) One of his early roles was Duke Orsino in a kindergarten production of *Twelfth Night*.[5](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196318/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-childs-nicholas-podany-on-always-wanting-to-be-a-wizard-more/)
As a teenager he was recognized in national arts programs: he was a YoungArts Foundation finalist in drama in 2013, one of 21 in the United States, and a semi-finalist for U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts in 2014, one of six in the country.[6](https://www.juilliard.edu/ju_field_formatters/media-download/17466) He trained at the [Juilliard School](https://www.edgepedia.org/juilliard-school)'s Drama Division in New York, graduating with a BFA in 2018 as a member of [Group 47](https://www.edgepedia.org/group-47) and receiving the John Houseman Award.[3](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/nicholas-podany/profile/) His Juilliard stage work included *Henry V*, *The Marriage of Bette and Boo*, *Triumph of Love*, and *Waiting for Godot*; his pre-Juilliard theater credits include *Turning Off The Morning News* at the McCarter Theatre and *On Golden Pond* at the Colony Theatre.[3](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/nicholas-podany/profile/) His resume also lists Los Angeles theater awards, including Scenie Awards for *Identity Crisis*, *Ah, Wilderness!*, and *Hermetically Sealed*.[6](https://www.juilliard.edu/ju_field_formatters/media-download/17466)
## Stage career
**Albus Potter.** Podany joined the second Broadway cast of *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* in 2019, playing Albus Severus Potter opposite Bubba Weiler as Scorpius Malfoy and Nadia Brown as Rose Granger-Weasley.[7](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Nicholas-Podany/) He performed the role on Broadway from 2019 to 2020.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) He described being a fan of the books since age six and recalled that when the seventh book's epilogue came out, his mother told him he could play Albus in the movies.[5](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196318/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-childs-nicholas-podany-on-always-wanting-to-be-a-wizard-more/) The production's schedule required the cast to perform two different plays for Parts 1 and 2.[5](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196318/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-childs-nicholas-podany-on-always-wanting-to-be-a-wizard-more/)
In 2025 he played Jonah in Nick Blaemire's apocalyptic chamber musical *Soon* [Off-Broadway](https://www.edgepedia.org/off-broadway), which opened at the East Village Basement in October 2025.[7](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Nicholas-Podany/)
## Screen work
Podany's early screen credits include guest roles as Max Burgess in *Hart of Dixie*, Officer Mark Cooper in *Blue Bloods*, and Matthew Nelson in *Law & Order*, followed by Cam Boyd in *Chicago P.D.* in 2024.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nicholas-podany/) He played Dave in the film *Summertime Dropouts* (2021) and voiced Teen Boy #1 in an episode of the animated series *Invincible*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) • [7](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Nicholas-Podany/)
**Hello Tomorrow!** In the Apple TV+ retro-futuristic series *[Hello Tomorrow!](https://www.edgepedia.org/hello-tomorrow)* (2023), Podany played Joey Shorter, the estranged son of [Billy Crudup](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-crudup)'s traveling salesman Jack, who joins the sales team selling lunar timeshares without knowing who Jack is.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nicholas-podany/) • [8](https://time.com/6255213/hello-tomorrow-review/) In interviews about the role, Podany said the science-fiction elements were secondary to the human story at the center of the show.[9](https://www.scifivision.com/interviews/6770-exclusive-video-interview-stars-billy-crudup-nicholas-podany-talk-hello-tomorrow-premiering-today)
**Saturday Night.** In Jason Reitman's 2024 film *Saturday Night*, about the chaotic debut broadcast of *Saturday Night Live* in October 1975, Podany played a young [Billy Crystal](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-crystal), who in the film angsts about having to cut his standup set from about five minutes to about two and ends up not performing, which happened in real life.[10](https://time.com/7024579/saturday-night-movie-cast-real-people/) Casting director John Papsidera noted that Podany, like [Dylan O'Brien](https://www.edgepedia.org/dylan-obrien) as [Dan Aykroyd](https://www.edgepedia.org/dan-aykroyd), both looked and sounded like the person he was playing.[11](https://www.moviemaker.com/john-papsidera-saturday-night/) Podany said that once he was cast, Reitman told him not to do any more research, and then he did every amount of research anyway.[12](https://www.eonline.com/news/1408364/see-the-saturday-night-cast-vs-the-real-original-stars-of-saturday-night-live)
**Ponies.** Podany stars as Ray Symanski (also spelled Szymanski), a sweet-natured CIA analyst in 1977 Moscow, in the Peacock series *Ponies* (2026), appearing in all eight episodes of the first season.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38897/nicholas-podany) • [13](https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/ponies-emilia-clarke-haley-lu-richardson-peacock-tv-review-2026) The series follows two American secretaries at the U.S. embassy who become CIA operatives after their husbands are killed.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) A prominent subplot involves Ray and his combative wife Cheryl ([Vic Michaelis](https://www.edgepedia.org/vic-michaelis)) as they bring a Russian nanny into their home; a review in the *Los Angeles Times* describes Bea's mission as getting close to Podany's character Ray.[13](https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/ponies-emilia-clarke-haley-lu-richardson-peacock-tv-review-2026) • [14](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2026-01-15/ponies-review-peacock) His performance earned him a place on the Television Academy's 2025–2026 performer nomination ballot for the role.[15](https://www.televisionacademy.com/files/assets/ballots/performer-2026-v3.pdf)
His other screen work includes Mercutio in the movie musical *[Juliet & Romeo](https://www.edgepedia.org/juliet-and-romeo-film)* (2025), Anton in the science-fiction film *O Horizon* (2025), Wes in an episode of *Doc* (2025), and David in the podcast series *Hit Singles* (2025).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) Upcoming projects include *Enigma Variations*, in which he plays Harlan, and *Lucy Is A Good Girl*, in which he plays Baker.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/)
## Music and writing
Podany works as a songwriter and score composer, with composing credits including *Shanghai Sole*, *Writer's Block*, *The Ballad of Sheriff Kid McLain*, *The Beckett Project*, and *Summertime Dropouts*.[3](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/nicholas-podany/profile/) His IMDb credits list six composing jobs, including the short *We're Late* (2024) and the series *Standardized Patience* (2016–2017), plus a songwriter credit on an episode of the animated series *Hamster & Gretel* (2022).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) He has also released singles and EPs available on Spotify and Apple Music.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38897/nicholas-podany)
He created the web series *Lucids*, playing multiple characters and handling the writing, scoring, editing, and production himself.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/) His listed skills include piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, singing, songwriting, soundtrack composition, musical arranging, tap dancing, stage combat, and accents.[6](https://www.juilliard.edu/ju_field_formatters/media-download/17466)
## References
1. [Nicholas Podany – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4580489/)
2. [Nicholas Podany – TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38897/nicholas-podany)
3. [Nicholas Podany Star File – Broadway.com Buzz](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/nicholas-podany/profile/)
4. [Nicholas Podany – TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nicholas-podany/)
5. [Harry Potter and the Cursed Child's Nicholas Podany on 'Always Wanting to Be a Wizard' & More – Broadway.com](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196318/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-childs-nicholas-podany-on-always-wanting-to-be-a-wizard-more/)
6. [Nicholas Podany resume – The Juilliard School](https://www.juilliard.edu/ju_field_formatters/media-download/17466)
7. [Nicholas Podany – BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Nicholas-Podany/)
8. [Retro-Futuristic Dramedy Hello Tomorrow! – TIME](https://time.com/6255213/hello-tomorrow-review/)
9. [Exclusive Video Interview: Stars Billy Crudup & Nicholas Podany Talk Hello Tomorrow! – SciFi Vision](https://www.scifivision.com/interviews/6770-exclusive-video-interview-stars-billy-crudup-nicholas-podany-talk-hello-tomorrow-premiering-today)
10. [A Who's Who of the Famous Faces in Saturday Night – TIME](https://time.com/7024579/saturday-night-movie-cast-real-people/)
11. [John Papsidera on Casting the Famous for Saturday Night – MovieMaker](https://www.moviemaker.com/john-papsidera-saturday-night/)
12. [See the Saturday Night Cast vs. the Real Original Stars of SNL – E! Online](https://www.eonline.com/news/1408364/see-the-saturday-night-cast-vs-the-real-original-stars-of-saturday-night-live)
13. [Ponies review – RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/ponies-emilia-clarke-haley-lu-richardson-peacock-tv-review-2026)
14. ['Ponies' review: Emotional depth, female friendship elevate spy story – Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2026-01-15/ponies-review-peacock)
15. [Television Academy performer nomination ballot, 2025–2026 season](https://www.televisionacademy.com/files/assets/ballots/performer-2026-v3.pdf)
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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 Pi to Q*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 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