Hayes MacArthur’s Age and the Comedy Career That Spanned Decades

How Old Is Hayes MacArthur? His Age and Career Timeline

Hayes MacArthur is 48 years old as of 2026, born on April 14, 1977. The Chicago-born actor and comedian has spent over two decades in Hollywood, building a steady career across television, film, and stand-up comedy.

Known for his roles in Angie Tribeca, Super Fun Night, and films like She’s Out of My League, Hayes MacArthur married actress Ali Larter in 2009. Compare his career earnings to Hollywood’s richest actors and Cruise vs Pitt.

At 48, Hayes MacArthur represents the working-class backbone of Hollywood — consistent, reliable, and always booked.

Quick Facts: Hayes MacArthur

Full Name	Hayes MacArthur
Age (2026)	48
Date of Birth	April 14, 1977
Birthplace	Chicago, Illinois
Nationality	American
Profession	Actor, Comedian, Writer
Spouse	Ali Larter (m. 2009)
Children	2
Net Worth (2026)	Under Review
Notable Works	Angie Tribeca, She’s Out of My League

Hayes MacArthur’s Age and Career Timeline

Born in 1977 in Chicago, Hayes MacArthur took a methodical path to Hollywood that spanned years of groundwork:

• 1977 — Born in Chicago, Illinois
• Late 1990s — Began performing stand-up comedy in Chicago clubs
• 2003 — First television appearances on late-night shows
• 2005–2008 — Landed recurring TV roles and small film parts
• 2009 — Married Ali Larter; appeared in She’s Out of My League
• 2013 — Co-starred in Super Fun Night (ABC)
• 2016–2019 — Starred as Det. Jay Geils in Angie Tribeca (TBS)
• 2020–2026 — Continued TV appearances and voice work

The average breakthrough in comedy acting happens after 7–10 years of below-minimum-wage effort. Hayes MacArthur fits that timeline precisely.

Personal Life: Family with Ali Larter

Hayes MacArthur married actress Ali Larter in 2009. The couple has two children together and maintains one of Hollywood’s more low-key marriages.

Ali Larter, known for her roles in Heroes and Resident Evil, has a reported net worth that surpasses her husband’s — a dynamic common in entertainment couples where one partner landed a major franchise. Compare this power couple dynamic at Aniston vs Cox net worth.

The family splits time between Los Angeles and New York, keeping their children largely out of the public eye.

How Hayes MacArthur’s Age Affects His Earning Power

At 48, Hayes MacArthur sits in Hollywood’s “reliable character actor” zone — a sweet spot for consistent work without the A-list price tag:

• Ages 20–30 — Grinding years, below-average income
• Ages 30–40 — Breakthrough period, steady TV work
• Ages 40–50 — Peak reliability premium, always booked
• Ages 50+ — Transition to authority/mentor roles

Character actors in their late 40s often earn more annually than during their “leading man” years because they work more frequently. For comparison, see how Leonardo DiCaprio’s career earnings grew over time.

From Comedy Central Stages to Network Television

Hayes MacArthur was born on April 14, 1977, in Chicago, Illinois, and his path to comedy started in the city’s improv tradition. After attending Deerfield Academy and later Bowdoin College, where he played football, MacArthur moved to Los Angeles to pursue comedy full-time. He trained at the Groundlings Theatre, the legendary improv school that has produced talent like Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and Melissa McCarthy. His stage work there earned him recognition in LA’s comedy circuit and led to his first television appearances.

MacArthur’s early screen work included a memorable appearance on Comedy Central and guest spots on shows like The Practice and How I Met Your Mother. His stand-up also landed him a half-hour special on Comedy Central Presents, which aired in 2007. That exposure helped him secure his first regular television role as Jimmy on the ABC sitcom Sons & Daughters (2006), produced by Lorne Michaels. Though the show was cancelled after 11 episodes, it established MacArthur as a reliable comedic presence capable of both sharp improv and scripted comedy.

Film Roles and the Romantic Comedy Sweet Spot

MacArthur found a recurring niche in the late-2000s romantic comedy wave. He appeared in She’s Out of My League (2010), playing one of the friends who helps average-guy Kirk (Jay Baruchel) chart an improbable relationship with a “10.” The film grossed $49.3 million worldwide on a $20 million budget, and MacArthur’s performance as the brash, overconfident Stainer became one of the movie’s most quoted characters.

He followed that with roles in Life as We Know It (2010) alongside Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, and Bachelorette (2012), the dark comedy starring Kirsten Dunst and Rebel Wilson that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. In Bachelorette, MacArthur played Joe, one of the groomsmen, holding his own in an ensemble known for its sharp, caustic dialogue. These films capitalized on MacArthur’s strength: playing the guy who says what everyone else is thinking but should not say out loud.

Angie Tribeca and the TBS Comedy Experiment

From 2016 to 2019, MacArthur played Jason “Jay” Geils on Angie Tribeca, the TBS police procedural parody created by Steve and Nancy Carell. The show starred Rashida Jones as the titular detective and MacArthur as her partner and eventual love interest. Angie Tribeca was a bold experiment in television comedy — it launched with a 25-hour marathon of its entire first season on January 17, 2016, a stunt that generated significant media attention.

The series ran for four seasons and 40 episodes, developing a dedicated cult following for its rapid-fire sight gags and deadpan absurdity in the tradition of Police Squad! and Airplane!. MacArthur’s chemistry with Jones was a central element, and his ability to deliver ridiculous dialogue with complete sincerity became one of the show’s comedic anchors. His work on Angie Tribeca remains the most sustained and visible role of his career, and it demonstrated that he could carry a series rather than just steal scenes.

Personal Life and the Ali Larter Partnership

MacArthur married actress Ali Larter on August 1, 2009, at the MacArthur family estate in Kennebunkport, Maine. Larter, known for her roles in Heroes, the Final Destination franchise, and Legally Blonde, has been a consistent presence alongside MacArthur throughout their 16-plus years of marriage. The couple has two children: son Theodore, born in 2010, and daughter Vivienne, born in 2015.

MacArthur has also appeared on Super Fun Night (2013-2014) as Richard Royce, the love interest to Rebel Wilson’s character, and had a recurring role on the CBS sitcom Happy Together (2018). At 48, he represents a particular tier of Hollywood professional — the working character actor who is never out of work for long. His career, spanning from Groundlings improv stages to streaming series, illustrates how steady comedic talent builds lasting careers without necessarily becoming a household name.

The Super Fun Night Years and Television Comedy Craft

Beyond Angie Tribeca, MacArthur’s television work includes a significant arc on the ABC sitcom Super Fun Night (2013-2014). Created by and starring Rebel Wilson, the show cast MacArthur as Richard Royce, a handsome attorney and the object of Wilson’s character’s affection. The role required MacArthur to balance romantic leading-man charm with the show’s broader comedic sensibility, a combination he handled with the easy confidence of someone trained in both improv and scripted comedy. Though the series was cancelled after one season and 17 episodes, it expanded MacArthur’s visibility beyond the comedy-club circuit and introduced him to audiences who might not have caught his stand-up work.

MacArthur has also made notable guest appearances across a range of comedies. He appeared on Happy Together (2018), the CBS sitcom loosely based on Ben Winston’s experience with Harry Styles, and has popped up in episodes of Suburgatory, Wrecked, and The McCarthys. His voice work includes the animated series Allen Gregory (2011), the short-lived Fox show co-created by Jonah Hill. At 48, MacArthur continues to be cast as the affable, slightly chaotic presence who elevates whatever scene he is in, a reputation built on two decades of consistent comedic performances.

Financial Breakdown: Earnings Across Two Decades

Estimating Hayes MacArthur’s career earnings requires examining the standard pay ranges for each phase of a working character actor’s career. During the grind years from approximately 1999 through 2005, MacArthur likely earned between $10,000 and $30,000 per year from comedy performances, with sporadic television appearance fees in the $2,000 to $5,000 range per guest spot. The total income during this seven-year period was probably under $150,000, consistent with the below-poverty-line existence that most aspiring comedians endure before breaking through.

The breakthrough period from 2006 through 2012 saw substantially improved earnings. Regular television roles on shows like Sons & Daughters and Super Fun Night paid approximately $15,000 to $35,000 per episode, while film roles in She’s Out of My League and Bachelorette likely commanded fees of $50,000 to $150,000 each. Annual income during this phase probably ranged from $80,000 to $250,000, depending on the number and size of roles in any given year. The Angie Tribeca years from 2016 through 2019 represented MacArthur’s most consistent income period, with per-episode fees estimated at $20,000 to $40,000 for a 10-episode season, generating approximately $200,000 to $400,000 per season in acting income alone.

The Ali Larter Financial Dynamic: Combined Household Wealth

Any assessment of Hayes MacArthur’s financial position must account for his marriage to Ali Larter, whose career earnings substantially exceed his own. Larter’s roles in the Resident Evil franchise — which grossed over $1.2 billion across six films — and her long-running part on Heroes generated per-episode and per-film fees that routinely exceeded $500,000. Her estimated net worth of $10 to $12 million dwarfs the typical earnings of a working character actor, creating a household financial dynamic where MacArthur’s income serves as supplemental rather than primary.

This dynamic is increasingly common in Hollywood, where dual-career households often feature one partner with franchise-level earnings and another with steady but more modest income. The practical effect is that MacArthur has the financial freedom to be selective about roles, choosing projects based on creative satisfaction rather than financial necessity. This selectivity has likely contributed to his reputation for quality work — he is not forced to take every available job, which means the jobs he does take tend to be better matches for his abilities and more visible to audiences and casting directors.

Business Ventures and Side Projects

Beyond acting and stand-up comedy, MacArthur has pursued several business and creative ventures that contribute to his overall professional portfolio. He has developed television pilots, written screenplays, and explored producing opportunities — the kind of behind-the-camera work that character actors often pursue as they age and seek more creative control. While none of these ventures have resulted in a produced series or released film as of 2026, the development process itself generates income through option payments and writing fees that typically range from $25,000 to $75,000 per project.

MacArthur has also maintained an active stand-up comedy schedule throughout his acting career, performing at clubs and theaters across the country. Stand-up income for performers at MacArthur’s level typically ranges from $5,000 to $15,000 per engagement, with annual stand-up earnings of $50,000 to $150,000 depending on touring frequency. This income stream, while modest compared to television or film work, provides cash flow consistency that bridges the gaps between acting jobs and reinforces the brand recognition that keeps him on casting directors’ radar.

Future Career Projections

At 48, Hayes MacArthur is entering a career phase that typically offers increased opportunity for character actors. The transition from “affable friend” roles to “authority figure” and “mentor” roles begins in the early 50s and can extend well into the 60s and beyond — the career arcs of actors like J.K. Simmons, Bryan Cranston, and the late Fred Willard demonstrate that comedic character actors often do their most visible and highest-paying work in the second half of their careers. If MacArthur continues to work at his current pace, annual acting income of $200,000 to $500,000 is sustainable through his 50s, with potential for higher earnings if a recurring role on a hit streaming series materializes.

The streaming era has been particularly beneficial for character actors, as the volume of content production has created demand for reliable performers who can step into supporting roles with minimal rehearsal time. MacArthur’s improv training and quick adaptability make him especially valuable in this environment, where production schedules are compressed and directors need actors who can deliver polished performances without extensive takes. Industry projections suggest that the demand for experienced character actors will continue to grow as streaming platforms maintain their current content output levels through at least 2030.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hayes MacArthur

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only. Age and birthdate are based on publicly available records. Net worth data is Under Review. We do not claim official affiliation with Hayes MacArthur. For the latest information, refer to official sources. Financial estimates are approximations based on industry benchmarks and have not been independently verified.

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