New York University in popular culture

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New York University (NYU) has been the subject of numerous aspects of popular culture. NYU is often portrayed in a variety of television shows, motion pictures, literature, and other media. This is a partially sorted list of NYU's representation in various films and television programs. Fictional NYU students and faculty include Kramer's intern Darren in Seinfeld , who helps him run "Kramerica Industries"; [1] a student reporter in a different episode of Seinfeld who interviews Jerry; Theo Huxtable (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) from The Cosby Show , who graduates from NYU in the series finale; [2] Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) from Friends , who becomes an NYU professor in Season 6; [3] Character Tom Collins from Rent , who taught there; Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) in the movie Wall Street (1987); Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) from the American Pie films; Paul Tannek (Jason Biggs) in Loser (2000); Alex Foreman (Scarlett Johansson) in In Good Company (2005); Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) in The Family Man (2000); Céline (Julie Delpy) in the Before trilogy; Clark Kellogg (Matthew Broderick) in The Freshman (1990); Justin Cobb (Lou Taylor Pucci) in the film version of Thumbsucker (2005), who secretly applies and is accepted to NYU; the songwriter Albert Peterson in the musical Bye Bye Birdie who promises his sweetheart Rosie to start studying at NYU and become an English teacher; and the characters Blair Waldorf, Dan Humphrey, Vanessa Abrams and Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl . [4] In the 1998 film Stepmom (1998 film) , the character Isabel (Julia Roberts), in a scene says that she attended NYU. [5] In the 1999 film The Bone Collector , an NYU student gets abducted. In the Hindi film Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na , the lead character decides to go to the USA to study film-making at New York University. [6] In the film, Death Wish (2018 film) , Jordan Kersey, the daughter of Paul and Lucy, gets accepted to and attends NYU. [7]

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In addition, the campus of NYU has been the backdrop for various pieces of fiction: Grace Adler's office in Will & Grace is portrayed in the show as being in the Puck Building, home to NYU's Wagner School; Henry James' novel Washington Square is set around the NYU area; and Rose of Washington Square (1939), 13 Washington Square (1928), Annie Hall (1977), When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Tithonus (The X-Files) (1999), I Am Legend (2007), August Rush (2007), Remember Me (2010), Step Up 3-D (2010) and The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010) are centered on the NYU campus. In Ralph Bakshi's animated feature Fritz The Cat (1972), the dormitory that Fritz burns down is clearly supposed to be NYU's Weinstein Hall, located at 5-11 University Place near the northeast corner of Washington Square Park. The Warner Brothers show Felicity was set at the "University of New York", clearly modeled after NYU. [8] NYU is also featured in the TV show Californication . [9]

Mentions of NYU In Music

Nicki Minaj - "Feeling Myself ft. Beyoncé" [10]

Common - "Get 'Em High ft. Kanye West and Talib Kweli" [11]

A Tribe Called Quest - "Ego" [12]

Steely Dan - "What a shame About Me" [13]

Childish Gambino - "Sunrise" [14]

List of fictional characters

The following are characters in film, television, literature, and other media that have a connection to the university:

NamePortrayalNotabilityReference
Princess Daisyplayed by Samantha Mathis Paleontology student in Super Mario Bros.
Isabelplayed by Julia Roberts in Stepmom (1998 film) [5]
Darin, Kramer's internplayed by Jarrad Paul in Seinfeld TV series
James Daltonplayed by Patrick Swayze "The Cooler" at The Double Deuce in Road House
Ross Geller, professor of paleontologyplayed by David Schwimmer in the TV show Friends
Bud Foxplayed by Charlie Sheen main character in Wall Street
Charlieplayed by Charlie Sheen in TV show Spin City
Paul Finchplayed by Eddie Kaye Thomas in the American Pie films
Victor Wardin Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis
Denise Flemingplayed by Lauren Ambrose in the film Can't Hardly Wait
Emma Hayesplayed by Kerri Meddersin CBS SEAL Team
Tom Collinsoriginated by Jesse L. Martin NYU professor in the musical Rent
Fritz the Cat voiced by Skip Hinnant in the film directed by Ralph Bakshi
Theo Huxtableplayed by Malcolm-Jamal Warner in The Cosby Show
Dr. Guy Luthanplayed by Hugh Grant in Extreme Measures (NYU Med Student)
Jack Campbellplayed by Nicolas Cage in The Family Man
Alvy Singerplayed Woody Allen in Annie Hall
Daltonplayed by Patrick Swayze in Road House graduated from NYU with a degree in philosophy
Alex Foremanplayed by Scarlett Johansson in In Good Company (2004)
Dr. Roy Tamplayed by Sab Shimonois an NYU science professor in The Shadow (1994)
Célineplayed by Julie Delpy attended NYU between Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004)
Will Truman played by Eric McCormack in Will and Grace
Blair Waldorf played by Leighton Meester in Gossip Girl
Dan Humphrey played by Penn Badgley in Gossip Girl
Vanessa Abrams played by Jessica Szohr in Gossip Girl
Georgina Sparks played by Michelle Trachtenberg in Gossip Girl
Olivia Burkeplayed by Hilary Duff in Gossip Girl
Em Lewinplayed by Kristen Stewart in Adventureland
Tyler Hawkinsplayed by Robert Pattinson in Remember Me
Ally Craigplayed by Emilie De Ravin in Remember Me
Robert "Moose" Alexander IIIplayed by Adam G. Sevani in Step Up 3D
Camille Gageplayed by Alyson Stoner in Step Up 3D
Topanga Lawrenceplayed by Danielle Fishel in Boy Meets World ends up with a scholarship to NYU Law in Season 7
Shoshanna Shapiroplayed by Zosia Mamet in Girls
Graceplayed by Selena Gomez in Monte Carlo
Naomiplayed by Victoria Justice in Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List
Elyplayed by Pierson Fodé in Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List
Ravithe unseen intern in Oh, Hello on Broadway
Christine "Lady Bird" McPhersonplayed by Saoirse Ronan in Lady Bird . Ronan was nominated for Best Actress at the 90th Academy Awards, for this role.
Jordan Kerseyplayed by Camila Morrone in Death Wish . [15]
Hope Shlottmanplayed by Erin Moriarty (actress) NYU student and track star in Jessica Jones (TV series)
Harvey Reginald Specterplayed by Gabriel Macht in Suits (U.S. TV series)
Rachel Chuplayed by Constance Wu NYU economics professor in novel and film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians
Nick Youngplayed by Henry Golding (actor) NYU history professor in novel and film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians
Mr. AntoliniNYU Professor in The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
John Gedsudski (aka "The Chief")NYU law student in "The Laughing Man," one of the stories in Nine Stories by J. D. Salinger
Payton Hobartplayed by Ben Platt (actor) NYU student in The Politician (TV series)
Bill Gambiniplayed by Ralph Macchio (actor) NYU student in My Cousin Vinny
Lara Jean Coveyplayed by Lana Condor in To All the Boys: Always and Forever
Jenny Youngplayed by Gina Rodriguez in Someone Great

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