Community Cast (2009–2015)
NBC / Yahoo Screen | Sitcom | 6 Seasons, 110 Episodes | Created by Dan Harmon
Community is an American sitcom created by Dan Harmon that aired on NBC from 2009 to 2014 before completing its run on Yahoo Screen in 2015. Set at the fictional Greendale Community College in Colorado, the show follows a diverse study group led by disbarred lawyer Jeff Winger as they form unlikely bonds while pursuing degrees. Known for its ambitious genre parody episodes, meta-textual humor, and an unusually passionate fan base, Community became a cult classic that defied network cancellations and showrunner changes to deliver a singular voice in American comedy.
The Community cast — often referred to by fans as the "Greendale Seven" — is one of the most distinctively assembled ensembles in sitcom history. Creator Dan Harmon built the show around sharp character archetypes that the performers transformed into something far richer than stereotype: Joel McHale's Jeff Winger is the reluctant leader whose cynicism masks genuine feeling; Danny Pudi's Abed Nadir is the pop-culture analyst whose neurodivergent perspective became the show's moral compass; Donald Glover's Troy Barnes grew from a naive jock into the ensemble's emotional heart before departing in season five. The supporting cast, including Ken Jeong as the increasingly unhinged Spanish teacher Ben Chang and Jim Rash as the flamboyant Dean Pelton, provided comic escalation in every episode. Knowing who plays each character in Community is the starting point for appreciating how the show's dense network of running gags and character callbacks rewards close attention.
Main Cast
Joel McHale
Jeff Winger
A disbarred lawyer forced to attend Greendale to earn a legitimate degree, whose charming cynicism slowly gives way to genuine care for the study group he reluctantly leads.
Danny Pudi
Abed Nadir
A pop-culture-obsessed film student who processes the world through the lens of movies and television, serving as the show's most self-aware and intellectually adventurous character.
Donald Glover
Troy Barnes
A former high school football star navigating adult life at Greendale, whose genuine sweetness and deep friendship with Abed anchors the show's most emotionally resonant storylines.
Gillian Jacobs
Britta Perry
An idealistic and self-described activist whose well-intentioned interventions almost always backfire, becoming the group's good-natured target for gentle mockery across the series.
Alison Brie
Annie Edison
A driven overachiever recovering from a past Adderall addiction, whose fierce academic ambition and moral seriousness make her the group's self-appointed conscience.
Yvette Nicole Brown
Shirley Bennett
A devout Christian mother returning to community college after her divorce, whose faith and maternal warmth sit alongside a sharp temper when her beliefs are challenged.
Chevy Chase
Pierce Hawthorne
A wealthy, casually bigoted, and chronically out-of-touch wet-wipe magnate who joins the study group and inadvertently becomes its antagonist, serving as a comic foil through seasons one through four.
Ken Jeong
Ben Chang
Greendale's erratic and frequently unhinged Spanish teacher — and later security guard and self-styled campus dictator — whose escalating instability provides anarchic energy throughout the series.
Jim Rash
Dean Craig Pelton
Greendale's enthusiastically incompetent dean, whose elaborate themed costumes and thinly veiled obsession with Jeff Winger became running gags that deepened into one of the show's most affectionate character portraits.
Supporting & Recurring Cast
| Actor | Character | Role | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Oliver | Professor Ian Duncan | Greendale's British psychology professor and Jeff's reluctant accomplice | 1–5 |
| Dino Stamatopoulos | Star-Burns | Eccentric Greendale student known for his distinctive sideburns | 1–5 |
| Jonathan Banks | Professor Marshall Kane | No-nonsense biology professor who takes an interest in Shirley | 3 |
| Rob Corddry | Koogler | Recurring older student at Greendale known for his inappropriately party-oriented lifestyle | 3–4 |
| Michael Kenneth Williams | Professor June Bauer | Biology professor and Anthropology TA | 3 |
| Keith David | Elroy Patashnik | New study group member and tech entrepreneur in season six | 6 |
| Paget Brewster | Frankie Dart | Administrative consultant brought in to improve Greendale in season six | 6 |
| Matt Lucas | Magnitude | Recurring Greendale student whose entire verbal repertoire consists of the phrase "Pop pop!" | 2–5 |
| Gillian Vigman | Michelle Slater | Greendale professor who briefly dates Jeff in season one | 1–2 |
| Kevin Corrigan | Professor Professorson | Visiting history professor with mysterious credentials | 2 |
Creators & Production
Dan Harmon
Creator & Showrunner — Developed the series and ran it for seasons one through three and again for seasons five and six; fired by Sony after season three due to conflicts on set, he returned following season four.
Chris McKenna
Executive Producer & Writer — One of Harmon's key collaborators; oversaw the writing room and served as showrunner alongside Harmon in seasons five and six.
Moses Port & David Guarascio
Season Four Showrunners — The writing team brought in to replace Harmon for season four, whose work was generally received less enthusiastically by the show's core fan base.
Anthony & Joe Russo
Directors & Producers — The Russo brothers directed several of the show's most acclaimed episodes, including the paintball installments, before going on to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the Avengers films.
Sony Pictures Television
Production Company — Produced Community in association with Universal Cable Productions and NBC; held the rights that enabled the show's revival on Yahoo Screen after NBC's cancellation.
About the Community Cast
Community assembled a cast with remarkably varied backgrounds. Joel McHale was best known as the host of E!'s The Soup before landing the lead role of Jeff Winger, and his combination of sharp wit and movie-star physicality gave the show a conventional comic anchor around which its more experimental elements could orbit. Danny Pudi had minimal television credits before Community, but his portrayal of Abed Nadir became one of the most discussed depictions of neurodivergence in mainstream American comedy, praised by many viewers for its specificity and humanity. Donald Glover, then primarily known as a writer for 30 Rock and a stand-up comedian, used Community to establish himself as a triple threat before departing to focus on his music career as Childish Gambino and developing Atlanta for FX.
The show's behind-the-scenes turbulence — most dramatically the firing and rehiring of creator Dan Harmon — is inseparable from understanding the cast's experience. Chevy Chase's famously difficult relationship with Harmon became public knowledge and contributed to his departure after season four. Despite these tensions, many cast members have described the show as a high point of their careers. Jim Rash and Nat Faxon won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Descendants (2011) while Rash was simultaneously playing Dean Pelton, a detail that became a running joke among Community fans. The announcement of a Community movie, long a fan dream referenced in the show itself, was confirmed for production in the years following the series' end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Community?
Community stars Joel McHale as Jeff Winger, Danny Pudi as Abed Nadir, Donald Glover as Troy Barnes, Gillian Jacobs as Britta Perry, Alison Brie as Annie Edison, Yvette Nicole Brown as Shirley Bennett, Chevy Chase as Pierce Hawthorne, Ken Jeong as Ben Chang, and Jim Rash as Dean Pelton.
Who plays Abed Nadir in Community?
Danny Pudi plays Abed Nadir, a pop-culture-obsessed film student whose encyclopedic knowledge of movies and television becomes the show's primary vehicle for its genre-bending parody episodes. Pudi's performance was widely praised and won the show a devoted fan base.
How many seasons of Community are there?
Community ran for six seasons: five on NBC (2009–2014) and a sixth on Yahoo Screen (2015). The show's fans famously campaigned under the slogan "Six seasons and a movie," a reference to a line Abed delivers in the series.
Who created Community?
Community was created by Dan Harmon, who also co-created the animated series Rick and Morty. Harmon was fired from Community after season three and then rehired for seasons five and six.
When did Donald Glover leave Community?
Donald Glover left Community after the first five episodes of season five, with his character Troy departing on a sailing voyage. Glover left to focus on his music career as Childish Gambino and his acting career, which later included Atlanta and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
How we build these cast lists
For background on how Cast.biz compiles and orders cast credits, see understanding billing order, how TV show casts are built, and our glossary of cast credits.