Zachary Michael Cregger (born March 1, 1981) is an American comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is a founding member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U' Know and starred in the sitcoms Friends with Benefits, Guys with Kids, and Wrecked. He wrote and directed the horror films Barbarian (2022) and Weapons (2025).
Zach Cregger | |
|---|---|
 Cregger in mid-2010 | |
| Born | Zachary Michael Cregger March 1, 1981 Arlington, Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1998–present |
| Spouse | Sara Paxton (m. 2019) |
Early life and education
Cregger was born in Arlington, Virginia. He performed in various local comedy and music groups before moving to Brooklyn, New York City, to attend the School of Visual Arts.
Career
Cregger is a founding member of the Whitest Kids U' Know comedy troupe, formed alongside Trevor Moore and Sam Brown in 2000. While shooting an independent film, he met Darren Trumeter who subsequently joined the group. The Whitest Kids U' Know garnered success locally and online, leading to an invitation to the HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in 2006. The troupe won the award for Best Sketch Group and attracted the attention of several networks. Following their successful showcase, Fuse ordered a sketch series from the group.The Whitest Kids U' Know aired its first season on the network in 2007 before moving to then-sister network IFC. The series ran for five seasons before concluding in 2011.
Alongside Moore, he starred in and co-directed the films Miss March and The Civil War on Drugs. The latter received a limited theatrical release and aired as a recurring serial during the final season of The Whitest Kids U' Know. Trevor Moore passed away due to an accident in 2021. The troupe's second feature film, Mars, premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 6, 2024.
In 2008, Cregger made his first film appearance in Deb Hagan's directorial debut College. In 2011, he joined the cast of the NBC sitcom Friends with Benefits. He then starred on the NBC sitcom Guys with Kids from 2012 to 2013. From 2016 to 2018, he starred as Owen O'Connor on the TBS sitcom Wrecked.
Cregger wrote and directed the 2022 horror film Barbarian, starring Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long. He wrote and directed the 2025 horror film Weapons, which garnered critical acclaim and several accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Amy Madigan.
In January 2025, it was announced that Cregger would write and direct an upcoming horror film based on the Resident Evil video game franchise from Capcom. In December 2025, it was announced that he will serve as a producer on a feature film adaptation of Torso for Netflix.
At the Warner Bros. Pictures panel at CinemaCon 2026, a new film directed by Cregger, the science fiction thriller The Flood, was announced, which is set for release on August 11, 2028, which is set to be co-produced with Amblin Entertainment. In that same panel, New Line announced a Weapons prequel titled Gladys, set for release on September 8, 2028, which is expected to be co-written with Zach Shields, but will not be directed by Cregger.
Personal life
In 2013, Cregger met Sara Paxton in Austin, Texas on the set of Love & Air Sex while playing an on-screen couple. The couple became engaged in 2018 and married the following year in October 2019.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Miss March | Yes | Yes | No | Co-directed and co-written with Trevor Moore |
| 2011 | The Civil War on Drugs | Yes | Yes | Executive | Co-directed with Trevor Moore |
| 2022 | Barbarian | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2024 | Mars | No | Yes | Yes | Co-written with The Whitest Kids U' Know |
| 2025 | Companion | No | No | Yes | |
| Weapons | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also composer | |
| 2026 | Resident Evil | Yes | Yes | No | Post-production |
Acting roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | College | Cooper | |
| 2009 | Miss March | Eugene Bell | |
| 2011 | The Civil War on Drugs | Abraham Lincoln / various roles | |
| The Death and Return of Superman | Hal Jordan / Green Lantern | Short film | |
| 2013 | Love & Air Sex | Jeff | |
| 2014 | Date and Switch | Greg | |
| 2016 | Opening Night | Micky | |
| 2018 | Doubting Thomas | Graham | |
| 2022 | Barbarian | Everett | |
| 2024 | Mars | Various |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Lounge | No | No | Yes | |
| 2004–2006 | Uncle Morty's Dub Shack | No | No | Yes | |
| 2006 | Comedy Zen | No | No | Yes | |
| 2007–2011 | The Whitest Kids U' Know | Yes | Yes | Executive | Also co-creator |
| 2021 | Sasquatch | No | No | Executive | Documentary series |
Acting roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Dean Stamper | Episode: "Brotherly Love" |
| 2007–2011 | The Whitest Kids U' Know | Various roles | |
| 2011 | Friends with Benefits | Aaron | Main role |
| 2012–2013 | Guys with Kids | Nick | |
| 2014 | About a Boy | T.J. | Recurring role |
| 2015 | The McCarthys | Doug | Episode: "The Ref" |
| 2016–2018 | Wrecked | Owen | Main role |
| 2019 | Adam Ruins Everything | Berch | Episode: "Adam Ruins Nature" |
| Just Roll with It | Brent | Episode: "Gator's Reunion" |
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Director | Barbarian | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Nominated | ||||
| 2026 | Astra Film Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Weapons | Nominated | |
| Critics' Choice Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Nominated | |||
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | Nominated | |||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |