Schwimmer, David (1966- )

US actor and director. He is best known as the angst-ridden, hopelessly romantic paleontologist Ross on the hit television comedy series Friends (1994-2004).

He starred as a character similar to Ross in The Pallbearer (1996), his first lead role in a Hollywood feature film. Other films include Crossing the Bridge (1992), Breast Men (1997), and Six Days, Seven Nights (1998). An accomplished stage actor and director, he has also directed several episodes of Friends as well as the television movie Since You've Been Gone (1998) and the Friends spin-off series Joey (2004- ). He starred in and produced Kissing a Fool (1998).

He was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, majoring in theater in speech. After graduation he co-founded with fellow Northwestern graduates the Lookingglass Theater Company, for which he directed several productions. His film debut was in the made-for-TV thriller A Deadly Silence (1989). He later appeared in the coming of age comedy series The Wonder Years (1991-92) and guest starred on several television series, such as NYPD Blue and LA Law. He earned an Emmy nomination for his performance as Ross on Friends, a role that was written especially for him.