Michael Cera

Michael Cera’s early screen work included commercials for Tim Hortons and Pillsbury. In 1999, he was cast as Larrabe Hicks on the Canadian children’s series I Was a Sixth Grade Alien (1999–2001). That year, he appeared in the television films What Katy Did (1999) and Switching Goals (1999). He made his theatrical film debut in Frequency (2000) and also appeared in Steal This Movie! (2000) and Ultimate G's: Zac's Flying Dream (2000). In 2001, he appeared in the television films My Louisiana Sky and The Familiar Stranger. From 2001 to 2004, he voiced Josh Spitz on Braceface. In 2002, he portrayed the young Chuck Barris in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and appeared in the unaired Fox pilot The Grubbs. He began playing George Michael Bluth on Arrested Development in 2003; the series ran until 2006 and was revived by Netflix for additional seasons in 2013 and 2018. He guest-starred on Veronica Mars in 2006.

In 2007, Cera starred in Superbad and Juno. In 2008, he appeared in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Extreme Movie, and began a recurring voice role on Childrens Hospital (2008–2016). In 2009, he starred in Paper Heart, Year One, and Youth in Revolt. In 2010, he played the title role in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and contributed to the Weezer album Hurley.

Cera made his stage debut in 2012 in Kenneth Lonergan’s This Is Our Youth at the Sydney Opera House; he later appeared in the Broadway production (2014–2015). In 2012, he appeared in The End of Love and the short film The Immigrant, and guest-starred on The Simpsons. In 2013, he starred in Magic Magic, Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus, and This Is the End, and appeared on Burning Love and Drunk History. He also co-created the YouTube channel Jash in 2013.

In 2014, he appeared in Hits and starred on Broadway in This Is Our Youth. In 2015, he appeared in Entertainment, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, A Very Murray Christmas, and Louie. In 2016, he voiced a character in Sausage Party. In 2017, his film credits included The Lego Batman Movie, How to Be a Latin Lover, Lemon, Person to Person, and Molly's Game, and he guest-starred on Twin Peaks. He returned to Broadway in Lobby Hero (2018) and The Waverly Gallery (2018). That year, he appeared in Gloria Bell and the fifth season of Arrested Development.

In 2021, he voiced a character in Cryptozoo. In 2022, he appeared in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. In 2023, he portrayed Allan in Barbie. In 2025, he appeared as Björn Lund in The Phoenician Scheme.

In music, Cera released the album True That in 2014. He has performed with the bands Mister Heavenly and The Long Goodbye, and contributed to the song “Best I Can” from the 2017 documentary Dina, which received a Critics’ Choice Documentary Award nomination.