Dave Franco (born June 12, 1985) is an American actor and filmmaker who began his career with minor roles in Superbad (2007) and the final season of Scrubs (2009–2010) before achieving his breakthrough in the buddy comedy 21 Jump Street (2012). He subsequently starred in major franchises and hits, including Now You See Me (2013), Neighbors (2014), Nerve (2016), The Disaster Artist (2017), and Day Shift (2022). In 2020, Franco made his directorial debut with The Rental, starring his wife, actress Alison Brie, and the pair later reunited onscreen in Together (2025). Raised in Palo Alto, California, he is the younger brother of actors James and Tom Franco, and he studied at the University of Southern California, originally planning to teach creative writing before a theater class shifted his focus to acting. His diverse heritage includes Portuguese, Swedish, and Russian Jewish ancestry, and his family boasts a rich legacy in the arts. Franco also won an MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo (with Zac Efron) for Neighbors (2014), cementing his status as a versatile comedic star.