It’s quite a trick to be a standout on an ensemble comedy—especially a cult hit like “Arrested Development” (Fox, 2003-06)—but Will Arnett did just that in his breakthrough role: as the middle brother George Oscar 'GOB' Bluth II –pronounced like the Biblical “Job”—Arnett made the role of the mediocre magician, foil to older brother Michael (Jason Bateman) and all-around screw-up a scene-stealing wonder. The Canadian-born Arnett sneaked onto the Hollywood scene in a handful of smaller movies. Like many actors, his first credited part didn’t have a name—he played “Weather Video Guy” on the little known movie “Ed’s Next Move,” and proceeded from there to small parts in “Weekend Getaway” and “Broken Giant.” He next appeared in “Southie,” (1998) which was written and directed by good friend Dave McLaughlin, followed by parts in other smaller films, “The Waiting Game,” (1999) and “The Acting Class” (2000).
Around the same time, Arnett began making his first television appearances, notably HBO’s “Sex & The City” (1999), playing the character of Jack in the episode, “La Douler Exquise!” That was followed by bit parts on “Third Watch” (NBC, 2000) “Boston Public,” (Fox, 2000) and “Yes, Dear,” (CBS, 2002). He then returned to HBO to play the character of Mike Waldrup on two 2002 episodes of “The Sopranos.” More guest appearances followed, including a 2002 episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Next was his standout turn on the critically hailed but often ratings-impaired sitcom “Arrested Development,” which was perhaps helped by the fact that, along with Tony Hale, he was one of just two relative comedy newcomers among the central cast, and thus brought no preconceived image with him and allowed him to inhabit his character from scratch. But there was no denying his comedic skills, whether it’s his trademark authoritative, resonant declaration of “Michael” to his brother, or his insistence on being labeled an “illusionist” instead of a magician.
After his breakthrough, he had a memorable turn on the hit NBC sit-com “Will & Grace” in 2004 as dancer Artemis Johnson—who vies with Sean Hayes’ Jack for a spot as one of Janet Jackson’s back-ups. A return to the big screen is marked by a feature role the Universal comedy “Monster-in-Law,” (2005) with Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda, and the 9/11 drama, “The Great New Wonderful” (2005). He next gave voice to Lone Gunslinger the vulture in “Ice Age: The Meltdown” (2006), the wildly successful sequel to “Ice Age” (2002) that that reunited Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), Manny the wooly mammoth (Ray Romano), Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) and Scrat the prehistoric squirrel (Chris Wedge) in a quest to find Manny a mate despite possibly being the last mammoth in their rapidly melting world.
In early 2005, Arnett filmed “Let’s Go To Prison,” a comedy about a criminal who teaches the naïve son of a judge how to be a thief when they become incarcerated together. He next worked on “R.V.” (2006), a comedy starring Robin Williams as an overworked executive who convinces his family to take a vacation to the Rocky Mountains despite having ulterior motives for the trip. Arnett next appeared in “Blades of Glory” (2007), a goofball comedy about two rival figure skaters—one an arrogant, overtly sexual ladies man (Will Ferrell), the other a fastidious child prodigy (Jon Heder)—who form a doubles routine after both are banned for life from solo competition. Arnett and real-life spouse Amy Poehler played a champion brother and sister couple who actively scheme against the man-pair after they re-entered the skating world through a loophole. Meanwhile, Arnett starred in “Brothers Solomon” (2007), a comedy about two good-hearted and well-meaning brothers nonetheless socially inept and clueless with women who try to grant their father his dying wish of having a grandchild.