Zachary Levi: Geek Hero

A name that’s been in every geek’s mouth these past few months is Zachary Levi. The actor will be portraying DC hero Shazam (aka Captain Marvel) in the character’s upcoming film, but who is Zachary Levi?
Some may know him as Kipp Steadman from the ABC sitcom Less than Perfect. Others may also recognize him as the voice of one Eugene “Flynn” Rider from Disney’s Tangled. He’s already been on another superhero movie, where he played Fandral in Thor: The Dark World. He’s been on Broadway shows and has been nominated for a Tony, but most may remember him as the lead role in the NBC dramedy Chuck, where he played nerd-turned-spy Chuck Bartowski and made a name for himself in the geek community.
His character Chuck has become a hero for many geeks around the world, but Levi himself has proven himself to be worthy of the same title.
He has always described himself as a nerd who loves comic books, films and video games.

During his time on Chuck he met David Coleman and together they founded a company called The Nerd Machine. Through the company they sought to make a brand for nerds. They sold t-shirts, hoodies, bags, hats, everything with a nerdy touch with a simple “NERD” inscription or a reference to pop culture.

They created an online forum where people could discuss TV, films, music and even daily life. When the website took off they made fans even more involved, creating spaces for articles and videos where people could write and talk about their passions.

He gave his own definition of the word nerd:

Nerd: One who's unbridled passion for something, or things, defines who they are as a person, without fear of other people's judgement.

— Zachary Levi (@ZacharyLevi) October 16, 2010

After a little while, The Nerd Machine started organizing an off-site event at San Diego Comic-Con: Nerd HQ. Stars that attended SDCC to promote their movies and shows came to the intimate and fan-driven Nerd HQ panels as well, raising money for Operation Smile. Nerd HQ proved to be a highlight of Comic-Con with amazing panels and dance parties. It didn’t only bring artists and their fans together (and gave the Internet plenty of GIF-worthy moments), but it created a community that transpires frontiers. Recently Levi and Coleman revealed that The Nerd Machine (now Nerd HQ) will transition this year to a non-profit organization.

Zachary Levi has become a household name at San Diego Comic-Con through his work with Nerd HQ and his work as an actor. His passion for video games, movies and comic books make him relatable and lovable. He’s part of this community and motivates those in it.
Nerd HQ and Levi have inspired people around the world to embrace their nerdiness and provided with a space to meet people with the same love and passion for all things geek.
Zachary Levi is someone that every geek can look up to, he’s a geek who’s made his dreams come true. Most importantly, he seeks to make nerds and geeks around the world feel appreciated and welcome in the community he has created. What could be more motivating for geeks than that?

Written by: Cecilia López Closs

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