Editing Hank Azaria (section)

==Early life and education==
Henry Albert Azaria was born in the [[Manhattan]] borough of [[New York City]] on April 25, 1964 to Ruth and Albert Azaria.<ref name=aoat>{{cite AV media |people=Matz, Jenni |date=2015-04-06 |title=Hank Azaria Interview Part 1 of 2 |time=0.36-1:13 |language=English |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9pb-74z_VY |access-date=2023-02-22 |publisher=[[Archive of American Television]]}}</ref><ref name=essential>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/283296 |title=The essentials |access-date=June 14, 2010 |work=[[Toronto Star|The Star]] |author=Ouzounian, Richard |location=Toronto |date=December 8, 2007}}</ref> He began going by the name "Hank" as a child, after a pediatrician he visited said he felt it was a more suitable name for a child than "Henry".<ref name=aoat/> His grandparents on both sides were [[Sephardic Jews]] from the Greek city of [[Thessaloniki]]. His family spoke [[Judaeo-Spanish|Ladino]], also known as Judaeo-Spanish, which he described as "a strange, antiquated Spanish dialect written in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] characters."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/11238/hank-azaria/ |title=Interviews: Hank Azaria |author=Henderson, Kathy |publisher=Broadway.com |date=December 3, 2007 |access-date=June 18, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://animatedtv.about.com/od/hankazaria1/p/profazaria.htm |title=Hank Azaria |author=Basile, Nancy |access-date=June 18, 2013 |publisher=About.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513084315/http://animatedtv.about.com/od/hankazaria1/p/profazaria.htm |archive-date=May 13, 2013 }}</ref> Azaria's father ran several dress-manufacturing businesses while his mother raised him and his two older sisters, Stephanie and Elise.<ref name=freshair/><ref name=godzilla/><ref name=yahoo>{{cite web |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019189/bio |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111113229/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019189/bio |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 11, 2013 |title=Hank Azaria |access-date=August 14, 2007 |publisher=Yahoo!}}</ref> Before marrying his father, Azaria's mother had been a publicist for [[Columbia Pictures]], promoting films in Latin American countries as she was fluent in both English and Spanish.<ref name=freshair/> During his childhood, Azaria would often "memorize and mimic" the scripts of films, shows, and stand-up comedy routines he enjoyed.<ref name=avclub/>

Azaria attended [[The Kew-Forest School]] in Queens' [[Forest Hills, Queens|Forest Hills]] neighborhood.<ref name=Worcester/> He decided to become an actor after performing in a school play at the age of 16, becoming "obsessed with acting" at the expense of his academic studies.<ref name=avclub/> Both of his parents loved all forms of show business, which further spurred him to become an actor.<ref name=freshair/> He studied drama at [[Tufts University]] from 1981 to 1985,<ref name=Worcester>{{cite news |title=Cartoon voice-over brings quiet fame |date=October 23, 1991 |work=[[Telegram & Gazette]] |first=Daniel M. |last=Kimmel |page=A11}}</ref> where he met and befriended actor [[Oliver Platt]] and noted that Platt was a "better actor" than he was and inspired him.<ref name=mania/> Together they starred in various college stage productions, including ''[[The Merchant of Venice]],''<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/arts/television/31huff.html?pagewanted=print |title=Back Together on 'Huff,' 2 Friends Enjoy the Moment |access-date=December 31, 2007 |date=March 31, 2006 |work=The New York Times |author=Steinberg, Jacques}}</ref> before Azaria went to train at the [[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]].<ref name=essential/><ref name=msn>{{cite news|url=http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=190753&mpc=2 |title=Hank Azaria: Not just a pretty voice |publisher=MSN |access-date=December 31, 2007 |date=May 4, 2005 |first=Jenelle |last=Riley |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928141902/http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=190753&mpc=2 |archive-date=September 28, 2011 }}</ref> Although he did not expect the endeavor to be successful, he decided to become a professional actor so that he would not regret not having tried later in life.<ref name=avclub /> His first acting job was an advertisement for Italian television when he was 17 years old.<ref name=freshair /> He also worked as a [[busboy]].<ref name=wales /> He originally intended to work predominantly as a theatrical actor, and he and Platt set up a company called Big Theatre, although [[Harold Pinter]]'s ''[[The Dumb Waiter]]'' was the only show they ever performed.<ref name=msn /> Azaria decided that television was a better arena and offered more opportunity, and moved to [[Los Angeles]] after being offered work with talent agent Harry Gold.<ref name=avclub /><ref name=msn />