Member Spotlight: Andy Hirsch, School of Communication

Posted on January 21, 2020

Los Angeles-based actor and School of Communication alumnus Andy Hirsch set his Northwestern direction early on in life. Growing up in the northern suburbs of Chicago, he was introduced to Northwestern through the National High School Institute’s Theatre Arts Division summer program, in which admitted students are affectionately known as “cherubs.” As a cherub, Hirsch was bitten by the acting bug for the first time. Seeing shows at Steppenwolf Theatre “blew my mind,” he says. “That summer solidified my desire to go to Northwestern. I knew I wanted to be an actor and was drawn to Northwestern’s renowned theatre department.”

As a student in the theatre program, Hirsch also appreciated the University’s proximity to downtown Chicago. This meant he could jump-start his professional acting career while he was still in school. “I wanted a well-rounded liberal arts education,” Hirsch adds, “and I liked that at Northwestern, half of my classes would be outside of my major.”

Hirsch’s favorite memory was participating in the Mee-Ow Show—Northwestern’s premier short-form comedy group, combining sketch comedy, improv, and live music. The bonds created among the former castmates were so strong that they all still remain in touch today. “Our entire cast had a reunion last year in Los Angeles. People came from all over the country,” Hirsch says. “It was incredible to reconnect with everyone and share memories from our performances and from when we took the show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. I’m glad to see the Mee-Ow show is still going strong today.”

Today, Hirsch is working on many projects, one of which is a recurring role on the upcoming Adam McKay–directed HBO series about how the Los Angeles Lakers became the most successful professional basketball team of the 1980s. He recently finished a stint in a production at the Cherry Lane Theater in New York City. Previously, he starred in and executive produced the award-winning World War II film Fort McCoy with Eric Stoltz, and starred with Gary Cole in the courtroom drama The Chicago 8. He’s also the narrator of Grave Mysteries on the Investigative Discovery (ID) network, and the voice of the Rice Krispies character Snap.

In his free time, Hirsch loves spending time with his family, playing tennis and poker, and cheering on the Chicago Cubs and, of course, the Wildcats.

Hirsch has been inspired to give back to Northwestern and has made annual gifts for 15 consecutive years, meaning he’s a gold-level member of NU Loyal. “Some of my best memories are from my time at Northwestern. It shaped me so much as an actor and as a person, and I’m grateful for my theater education, great friendships, and the incredible opportunities I was given,” he says. His preferred area of giving is the School of Communication. “I so enjoyed my time there, and I want other students to enjoy the same opportunities I did. Northwestern did so much for me, and I’m happy to be able to give back.”