Alex Désert
Encyclopedia
Alex Désert is a Haitian-American actor and musician most known for his roles in the TV series The Flash
, Becker
, and Boy Meets World
. He is also a founding member of Los Angeles
-based ska
band Hepcat
.
where he co-starred with friend Matt LeBlanc
.
In 1992 he starred in the short lived Fox series the The Heights
.
From 1998 until 2004, he played the role of Jake Malinak, the blind magazine stand owner, on the American sitcom Becker
alongside Ted Danson
.
As a film actor he appeared in PCU
with Jeremy Piven
and Jon Favreau. He also appeared in Swingers
with Vince Vaughn
and Jon Favreau
, where he made famous the line "This place is dead anyway." He also had a small part as the character Louis in High Fidelity
in 2000.
Désert has lent his voice in the role of "Zip" in Crystal Dynamic's Tomb Raider: Legend and continue the voice role in Tomb Raider: Underworld
.
Désert also appeared in Sarah Silverman
's The Great Schlep web advertisement, which encouraged young Jews to drive to Florida and convince their Jewish grandparents to support Barack Obama
in the 2008 U.S. presidential election
.
In 2009, he provided the voice for Col. Nick Fury
in an episode of Wolverine and the X-Men. In early 2010 he starred in the film Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers
and Lego Clutch Powers: Bad Hair Day
. In late 2010, he reprised the role for the animated series, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and his father Jack Fury.
since their founding in 1989. The band is known internationally and has developed a cult status separate and aside from his acting career. They released 4 albums between 1993 and 2000, but have not released any new material since then. They were on hiatus from 2000–2003, but have since resumed playing shows in the Los Angeles area with the occasional tour.
Désert once alluded to the band on Boy Meets World
in the episode "I Was a Teenage Spy." Playing a beatnik
, he says "I am clearly the hep cat."
The Flash (TV series)
The Flash is a 1990 American television series that starred John Wesley Shipp as the superhero, the Flash , and co-starred Amanda Pays. The series was developed from the DC Comics characters by the writing team of Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo, and produced by their company, Pet Fly Productions, in...
, Becker
Becker (TV series)
Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, friends, and practically...
, and Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World is an American comedy-drama series that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, a kid from suburban Philadelphia who grows up from a young boy to a married man. The show aired for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000 on ABC, part of the...
. He is also a founding member of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band Hepcat
Hepcat
Hepcat is a ska and reggae band formed in southern California in 1989.Their soulful harmonies and mellow rhythms were unlike those of contemporaries and more akin to musicians from the heyday of 1960s Jamaican ska, also referred to as the first wave....
.
Acting
His first strong television presence was on a controversial CBS program entitled TV 101TV 101
TV 101 is an American drama series that aired on CBS from 1988 until 1989. The series starred Sam Robards, Brynn Thayer, Leon Russom and Andrew Cassese. Other notable cast members include Stacey Dash, Teri Polo, Alex Désert and Matt LeBlanc...
where he co-starred with friend Matt LeBlanc
Matt LeBlanc
Matthew Steven "Matt" LeBlanc is an American actor, best known for his role as Joey Tribbiani on the NBC sitcoms Friends and its spin-off Joey....
.
In 1992 he starred in the short lived Fox series the The Heights
The Heights (TV series)
The Heights is an American musical drama series that aired on the Fox network from August to November 1992.-Synopsis:The Heights centers on a fictional band made up of mostly middle-class young adults...
.
From 1998 until 2004, he played the role of Jake Malinak, the blind magazine stand owner, on the American sitcom Becker
Becker (TV series)
Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, friends, and practically...
alongside Ted Danson
Ted Danson
Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
.
As a film actor he appeared in PCU
PCU (film)
PCU is a 1994 comedy film. The film depicts college life at the fictional Port Chester University, and represents "an exaggerated view of contemporary college life...." The film is based on the experiences of writers Adam Leff and Zak Penn at...
with Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Samuel Piven is an American film producer and actor best known for his role as Ari Gold in the television series Entourage for which he has won three Emmy Awards as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor....
and Jon Favreau. He also appeared in Swingers
Swingers (1996 film)
Swingers is a 1996 comedy-drama film about the lives of single, unemployed actors living on the 'eastside' of Hollywood, California during the 1990s swing revival...
with Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
and Jon Favreau
Jon Favreau
Jonathan Kolia "Jon" Favreau is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and comedian. As an actor, he is best known for his roles in Rudy, Swingers , Very Bad Things, and The Break-Up. His notable directorial efforts include Elf, Iron Man and its sequel, and Cowboys & Aliens...
, where he made famous the line "This place is dead anyway." He also had a small part as the character Louis in High Fidelity
High Fidelity (film)
High Fidelity is a 2000 American comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears and starring John Cusack and the Danish actress Iben Hjejle. The film is based on the 1995 British novel of the same name by Nick Hornby, with the setting moved from London to Chicago and the name of the lead character...
in 2000.
Désert has lent his voice in the role of "Zip" in Crystal Dynamic's Tomb Raider: Legend and continue the voice role in Tomb Raider: Underworld
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Tomb Raider: Underworld is the eighth instalment of the Tomb Raider series. The story continues from the events in Tomb Raider: Legend as a direct sequel, but also addresses unexplained plot elements by association with Tomb Raider: Anniversary; the 2007 remake of the original Tomb Raider...
.
Désert also appeared in Sarah Silverman
Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman is a Jewish American comedian, writer, actress, singer and musician. Her satirical comedy addresses social taboos and controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and religion....
's The Great Schlep web advertisement, which encouraged young Jews to drive to Florida and convince their Jewish grandparents to support Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in the 2008 U.S. presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
.
In 2009, he provided the voice for Col. Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
in an episode of Wolverine and the X-Men. In early 2010 he starred in the film Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers
Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers
Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers is a 2010 American CGI comedy-adventure film. The film is based on the toy series of the same name, Lego. It's the first movie in the Clutch Powers series. It is a homage to the former president of Lego, Kjeld Kristiansen with one of the characters of the movie...
and Lego Clutch Powers: Bad Hair Day
LEGO Clutch Powers: Bad Hair Day
LEGO Clutch Powers: Bad Hair Day is a computer animated short that was shown with Lego: The Adventures of Clutch Powers in worldwide theaters and LEGOland theaters. The short centers around Artie Fol who made an invention that is named the Portalteller...
. In late 2010, he reprised the role for the animated series, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and his father Jack Fury.
Music
Désert has been a vocalist for ska band HepcatHepcat
Hepcat is a ska and reggae band formed in southern California in 1989.Their soulful harmonies and mellow rhythms were unlike those of contemporaries and more akin to musicians from the heyday of 1960s Jamaican ska, also referred to as the first wave....
since their founding in 1989. The band is known internationally and has developed a cult status separate and aside from his acting career. They released 4 albums between 1993 and 2000, but have not released any new material since then. They were on hiatus from 2000–2003, but have since resumed playing shows in the Los Angeles area with the occasional tour.
Désert once alluded to the band on Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World is an American comedy-drama series that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, a kid from suburban Philadelphia who grows up from a young boy to a married man. The show aired for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000 on ABC, part of the...
in the episode "I Was a Teenage Spy." Playing a beatnik
Beatnik
Beatnik was a media stereotype of the 1950s and early 1960s that displayed the more superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement of the 1950s and violent film images, along with a cartoonish depiction of the real-life people and the spiritual quest in Jack Kerouac's autobiographical...
, he says "I am clearly the hep cat."