Joshua Malina

Joshua Charles Malina (born January 17, 1966) is an American film and stage actor. He has played Will Bailey on the NBC drama The West Wing, Jeremy Goodwin on Sports Night, and David Rosen on Scandal.

Personal life

Malina was born in New York City. His parents, Fran and Robert Malina, were founding members of Young Israel of Scarsdale in New Rochelle where he grew up. His father was an attorney, investment banker and Broadway producer. The actor has commented that while the name "Malina" does not sound Jewish to most people and often leads them to assume he is Latino, the name is Polish in origin, from the "Polish [word] for 'raspberry.'"

Malina graduated from Westchester Day School from 8th grade and the Horace Mann School and Yale University with a B.A. in Theater. He made his acting debut in the Broadway production of Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men and later in the play's run moved into a major role. Malina had contacted Sorkin initially at the suggestion of his parents when he first went to New York City, as they knew Sorkin was a high-school classmate and friend of Malina's cousins. The cousins, in turn, had spoken highly of Malina to Sorkin, who suggested he audition for the play. Malina has joked in interviews that Sorkin's casting him in subsequent productions may owe to the fact that he once performed the Heimlich maneuver on Sorkin, saving his life, when the writer began to choke while eating a hamburger at a bowling match with the cast of the play. He has since appeared in many Sorkin film and TV projects.