// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Denny Love a restaurateur? Does he have a lot of love for diners?
Denny Love | |
|---|---|
| Born | Denzel Irby December 30, 1992[1] Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | DePaul University |
| Occupations | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Known for | Mayor of Kingstown Looking for Alaska |
Denzel Irby (born December 30, 1992), known professionally as Denny Love, is an American actor and comedian. His biggest roles are Chip "The Colonel" Martin in Looking for Alaska (2019) and Kevin Jackson in Mayor of Kingstown (2024–2025). He also had minor roles on Chicago P.D. (2015), Empire (2016–2017), and Lucifer (2019), and appeared in the 2020 film Unpregnant.
Early life and education
[edit]Love is from Madison, Wisconsin.[1] He was raised by his grandmother,[2] and belonged to the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.[3] He attended Madison West High School,[3] then studied theater at DePaul University, graduating in 2015.[3][4]
Career
[edit]Denny Love is a Los Angeles-based actor and comedian whose career spans television, live stand-up, and digital content.
Empire
[edit]Love appeared in three episodes of Empire as Barry.[5][3][6]
Looking for Alaska
[edit]Though Love was unfamiliar with John Green's work, he read the novel Looking for Alaska in preparation, and for his audition he recited a monologue from the book.[7] He received a phone call of congratulations from him upon getting the role.[1][7]
Love appeared in all eight episodes of Looking for Alaska as Chip "The Colonel" Martin, a Black scholarship student at the fictional Culver Creek Academy.[7] In the novel, the Colonel's race is not specified but is assumed to be white.[8][9][10] Nasim Mansuri, writing for Hypable, says, "In no part of the novel does it say that the Colonel is Black, and being Black doesn't particularly change his character… but [...] his race brings a lot more meaning to every interaction. It also makes the Colonel's rage a lot more understandable, even if his actions aren't always justified.[8]
The Kevin Langue Show
[edit]Love is a regular panelist on the Kevin Langue Show, a popular YouTube comedy and game show.[11]
Comedic shows
[edit]As of 2026, Love has done multiple comedic shows. He has done shows in the United States, Canada, Australia, and more.
In June 2026, he announced his first headline tour, the 'Denny Love Show Love Tour' throughout the United States.[12]
Personal life
[edit]Love previously stated that he was primarily raised by his grandmother. According to Love, she "was [his] hero in many ways"[13]; and played a pivotal role in his life. He describes his pursuit in acting as a dedication to her. [14]
Love became engaged to his partner, Amy, in January 2026. As of July 1, 2026 Mr. Love has been officially married to his wife Amy [15]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Slasher Party | Dre | |
| 2020 | Unpregnant | Jarrod | [16][17] |
| 2023 | Impulse | Jake | |
| 2024 | Rule of Thirds | Quinton | |
| The Duel | Sam | ||
| 2025 | Swiped | Hoodie Guy | [18] |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Chicago P.D. | Marcus | Episode: "Get Back to Even"[2] |
| 2016–2017 | Empire | Barry | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | The Neighborhood | Young Man | Episode: "Welcome to the Housewarming" |
| 2019 | Lucifer | Caleb Mayfield | Episode: "Super Bad Boyfriend"[19] |
| L.A.'s Finest | Dakari Adams | Episode: "Dangerous Minds" | |
| Looking for Alaska | Chip "The Colonel" Martin | Main cast; 8 episodes | |
| 2021 | Kenan | Jordan | Episode: "Christmas Show" |
| 2024–2025 | Mayor of Kingstown | Kevin Jackson | Recurring cast; 13 episodes |
| 2026 | Funny AF with Kevin Hart | himself/contestant | Episode: "Auditions: Los Angeles" |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Chappell, Robert. "Madison South Sider Lands Role in Major Hulu Series". Madison365. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- 1 2 "Who Plays The Colonel On 'Looking For Alaska'? Denny Love Manifested The Role". Bustle. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- 1 2 3 4 Chappell, Robert. ""He's a star": Madison West Grad Heads to Hollywood". Madison365. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ↑ "DePaul's Theatre School presents Awards for Excellence in the Arts". DePaul University. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ↑ "Of Course Cookie Shouldn't Have Accepted Angelo's Proposal On Empire". Yahoo. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Who Plays Barry On Empire? Denzel Love". Empire BBK. October 13, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- 1 2 3 "A Conversation With Looking For Alaska Breakout Denny Love". Den of Geek. October 22, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- 1 2 "Looking for Alaska episode 2: The Colonel makes this adaptation great". Hypable. October 24, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (October 9, 2019). "'Looking for Alaska' Review: High-School Melodrama Done Right". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ↑ "How Hulu's Looking for Alaska Updates the Book for 2019". Time. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ↑ Lorusso, Gina; Curtin, Lillian (September 3, 2025). "Kevin Langue's channel brings back the fun of YouTube". The Quinnipiac Chronicle. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ↑ Dennylove4real. "MY FIRST HEADLINE TOUR!!!! 🥹🌹 All Tickets On My Website!!!". Instagram.com. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Rivera, Irvin. "Who is Denny Love? Looking for Alaska's breakout star talks about manifesting the role". abookof.us. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ Rivera, Irvin. "Who is Denny Love? Looking for Alaska's breakout star talks about manifesting the role". abookof.us. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
- ↑ dennylove4real. "SHE SAID YES 💍 GOT ENGAGED TO MY BEST FRIEND". Instagram. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Who Is the Actor Behind Jarrod in 'Unpregnant'? Meet 27-Year-Old Denny Love". Distractify. September 11, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ↑ "Unpregnant Is a Spirited Comedy About a Woman's Right to Choose". Time. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ↑ Swiped Cast IMDB
- ↑ "Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant :: Burbank :: Claremont :: Comedy Workshops". Flappers Comedy. Retrieved November 30, 2021.