Danny Pudi as Abed Nadir, a film student of Palestinian and Polish descent, with an encyclopedic knowledge of TV shows and movies. Abed struggles to interact with others via normal means, so he often chooses to interpret the group's everyday activities by comparing them to film and TV clichés. Despite being out-of-touch with reality at times, Abed is a keen observer of human behavior and often the wisest member of the group.