Why These Liberty Mutual Commercial Actors Look So Familiar

Liberty Mutual loves entertaining its potential customers with memorable catchphrases and amusing commercials that keep audiences tuned in, even if they're not in the market for more insurance, and it's thanks in no small part to the characters in these ads. These characters include LiMu Emu and Doug (David Hoffman), two claims adjusters who act like old-fashioned television cops as they attend to various claims made with the company. Then there's the "Liberty Biberty" actor (Tanner Novlan), a clueless, wannabe individual who has severe problems pronouncing the company's name, which often results in many takes and retakes while he "shoots" commercials for Liberty Mutual.

While LiMu Emu has been played by various animal actors whose appearances have been augmented with CGI work, the two actors who portray Doug and "Liberty Biberty" have thick resumes and a long list of credentials behind them. One of them has gained fame both in prime time and as a soap opera actor; the second has cultivated a career out of a series of comedic cameos and guest roles. This is why both of them look so familiar.

David Hoffman has been playing Doug, the human sidekick for LiMu Emu, ever since 2019. When he's not chewing on Doug's signature toothpick or sporting his sunglasses, he can be spied in a variety of comedic roles. He's had many supporting roles on Nickcoms and Disneycoms such as "Victorious," "Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn," and "Big Time Rush."  He's also had a variety of parts in dramas, sitcoms, and soap operas alike, in "The Young & the Restless," "New Girl," "Modern Family," "2 Broke Girls," "Bones," Castle," and "Franklin and Bash." 

His most substantive part thus far has been in the Hulu series "Quick Draw." He pops up for seven episodes in the partially improvised Western comedy as Clay Tidwell, a schoolteacher who may or may not secretly be a murderer. He also had a recurring role on the streamer's "There's... Johnny!" as Jim.

Aside from appearing in multiple sitcoms and dramas, Hoffman has used his experience in sketch and improvisational comedy and appeared in sketches on talk shows such as "Conan" and "Tosh.0." The actor keeps a frequently-updated Instagram, where he often chronicles his career and sometimes posts pictures from the sets of Liberty Mutual commercials. 

Hoffman told the New York Post that in spite of Doug's popularity, he's never been recognized as his commercial alter ego in public. He added that he invented one specific aspect of the character's appearance — his iconic facial hair. "There was no physical description of [Doug]. The role didn't call for a mustache; I just decided he should have a mustache," he said.

Tanner Novlan has only been in the acting game since 2009, but he's already achieved minor fame thanks to a combination of Liberty Mutual ads and his prominent role in a soap opera. He's otherwise known as Dr. John Finnegan, erstwhile husband to Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) and biological son of notorious villain Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) on "The Bold and the Beautiful." Novlan has appeared in over 400 episodes of the show.

Novlan may otherwise be familiar to television viewers via his role in "Roswell, New Mexico." He appears on the program as Gregory Manes, older brother to Alex Manes (Tyler Blackburn) and son of the abusive Jesse Manes (Trevor St. John), in nine episodes. Gregory and Jesse come into conflict over Alex's contact with alien life, which ultimately forces him to act in defense of his brothers.

Novlan has had small parts on "Parenthood," "Modern Family," "Bones," "Rizzoli & Isles," and "Letterkenny." He's no stranger to Christmas films and has popped up in "Christmas Class Reunion" and "My Best Friend's Christmas." The actor keeps his fans abreast of his activities both on "The Bold and the Beautiful" and his Liberty Mutual commercial work via his Instagram.