His movies have grossed more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. He's seemingly been on every single comedic TV show in the last 10 years. He's a co-founder of one of the most prolific improv and sketch comedy troupes of our time, the Upright Citizens Brigade.
He is Matt Walsh (If that doesn't sound familiar, just Google him... you'll know).
Walsh, a native of Chicago and graduate of Hindsdale South High School and later, Northern Illinois University, may have taken the title of "hardest working man in showbiz" from both James Brown and Ron Jeremy. When he's not hosting his Bear Down: Chicago Bears Podcast during football season, he's writing and directing movies, like his upcoming improvised flick High Road. In April, he'll be co-starring alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the highly-anticpated HBO show VEEP.
In an attempt to get Chicago celebrities to give me their Oscar predictions via Twitter, Walsh was the only one brave enough to do so (Thanks for nothing, John Cusack, Fred Savage and Barack Obama!). He knows what he's talking about, people; he was the fifth lead in Cyrus, a movie which featured one Oscar winner (Marisa Tomei) and three nominees (John C. Reilly, Catherine Keener, and Jonah Hill).
Here are Walsh's bold predictions for the Academy Awards come Sunday night:
"As they say in sports, 'Win or go home!' If you are going to act in a movie, produce or direct one, you have only one goal in mind: win an Oscar. Anything less is a disappointing failure and you are left to lick your wounds til next season. It's a combination of getting hot at the right time, getting a few breaks from the judges, and getting home field advantage. These picks are guaranteed so put a lot of money into your Oscar pool and get ready to be a millionaire.
Best Picture -- The Artist
The judges love a movie about Hollywood, especially if it's innovative and harkens back to a romantic, innocent era when box office revenues weren't part of the news cycle. This one is teed up to have a big nite.
Best Actor -- George Clooney, The Descendants
It's Clooney. He's the best and a class act. Of course everyone nominated is super talented, but Clooney is Clooney.
Best Actress -- Viola Davis, The Help
Sentimental favorite. How can you vote against an oppressed character who reminds us of our not so distant racist past? To do so would be the equivalent of ripping up the Emancipation Proclamation and joining an all-white country club all in the same moment. Not to mention, it's a film filled with an awesome female ensemble, which doesn't get made very often.
Best Supporting Actor -- Christopher Plummer, Beginners
How can you vote against Captain Von Trapp. He bamboozled the Nazi's with his family singing, then fled over the Alps to open a bed and breakfast in New Hampshire.
Best Supporting Actress -- Octavia Spencer, The Help
This is a result of getting hot at the end of the season. This gal is super hot right now and playing out of her mind. Remember this is not a best of seven game series, but a one and done. She's acting the lights out right now.
Best Director -- Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
This is a big home field advantage picture. You've got a foreigner coming back to L.A. to make his movie here. He's bringing production jobs back to L.A. when all the rest of native sons can't get on the plane fast enough to make their silver screen gems out of town."