Jay Baruchel | |
|---|---|
 Baruchel atJoint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, 2014 | |
| Born | Jonathan Adam Saunders Baruchel (1982-04-09)April 9, 1982 (age 43) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director, producer, writer |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse | |
Jonathan Adam Saunders Baruchel[1] (/ˈbærəʃɛl/;[2] born April 9, 1982)[1] is a Canadian actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his voice role asHiccup Haddock in theHow to Train Your Dragon franchise (2010–2019), and for his lead roles in the comediesFanboys (2009),She's Out of My League (2010), andThis Is the End (2013). Baruchel was the co-lead in the Disneyaction-fantasy filmThe Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010). Films in which Baruchel has had a starring role have grossed over $1.28 billion at the worldwide box office as of 2024.[3]
Baruchel has also had supporting roles in comedy movies such asKnocked Up (2007),Tropic Thunder (2008),Goon (2011), andThe Art of the Steal (2013). In television, he had lead roles as Steven Karp inJudd Apatow's comedy seriesUndeclared (2001–2002) and Josh Greenberg in theFXX comedy seriesMan Seeking Woman (2015–2017), both of which received praise from critics.[4][5]
Baruchel had a lead role asBlackBerry co-founderMike Lazaridis in the filmBlackBerry (2023). He has also had non-comedic lead roles in films such asGood Neighbours (2010),The Kindness of Strangers (2019), andHumane (2024), and supporting roles inMillion Dollar Baby (2004),Cosmopolis (2012), andRoboCop (2014). Baruchel has directed the filmsGoon: Last of the Enforcers (2017) andRandom Acts of Violence (2019), both of which he also acted in.
Baruchel was born inOttawa, Ontario,[1][6] the son of Robyne (née Ropell), a freelance writer, and Serge Baruchel, anantiques dealer.[7][8] He grew up in theNotre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood ofMontréal,Quebec,[9] and has a younger sister.[10] His father was born inParis, France.[11] Baruchel is of one-quarterJewish descent,[12] with the rest of his ancestry being French and Irish-Catholic.[12] He has stated that he believes his Irish roots are fromCounty Mayo.[13]
Baruchel got his first acting job when he was just 12. One of his first major acting roles was on the local television seriesMy Hometown in 1996. From 1997 to 1998, he co-hostedPopular Mechanics for Kids withElisha Cuthbert. After appearing briefly inCameron Crowe'sOscar winning filmAlmost Famous, Baruchel won the role of Steven Karp onJudd Apatow's acclaimed yet short-lived television seriesUndeclared, where he starred alongsideSeth Rogen,Carla Gallo,Charlie Hunnam, andMonica Keena. He then appeared withJames Van Der Beek inRoger Avary'sThe Rules of Attraction.
In 2004, Baruchel played boxing hopeful Danger Barch inClint Eastwood'sMillion Dollar Baby. Baruchel then starred inNemesis Game andFetching Cody, before appearing oppositeDon Johnson on theWB'sJust Legal in 2005, and guest-starring on theCBS dramaNumb3rs in 2006.
Baruchel appeared in the filmsKnocked Up (which reunited him with Judd Apatow,Jason Segel, and Seth Rogen),I'm Reed Fish,Just Buried, and theBen Stiller-directedTropic Thunder, alongsideJack Black,Nick Nolte,Steve Coogan, andRobert Downey Jr. He co-starred withSeth Rogen in the 2007 trailer forJay and Seth versus the Apocalypse, created by Rogen andEvan Goldberg as a strategy to garner interest and funding for a similar, larger-scale project (later made in 2013 asThis Is the End). In 2008, he appeared inNick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. He also made a brief appearance inNight at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian.
In 2010, Baruchel starred in the filmsThe Trotsky,DreamWorks'She's Out of My League (oppositeAlice Eve),[14] and the live-action Disney adaptation ofThe Sorcerer's Apprentice. He also voiced the starring role in the acclaimed animated feature,How to Train Your Dragon, a role he has subsequently continued throughout thefranchise, including its television series. Also in 2010, he played two supporting characters in the Canadian comedy seriesThe Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour.[15] He developed the screenplay forGoon, withEvan Goldberg, playing Johnny Klutz, a character of his own creation.[16]Goon co-starsSeann William Scott and fellow Canadian actorEugene Levy.[17]
Baruchel also appeared in the 2010Adidas Originals ad campaign, "Cantina", in conjunction with the FIFA World Cup and in video clips for Canadian prog-rockers Rush's 2012–13 Clockwork Angels tour.
In July 2012, he appeared in the music video for the song "Toxsik Waltz" by rapperNecro. In the summer of 2013, he starred in the hit apocalyptic comedyThis Is the End and in 2014, he appeared in theRoboCop remake and reprised his role as Hiccup inHow to Train Your Dragon 2.
In July 2014, it was announced that Baruchel would be starring in the FXX comedyMan Seeking Woman which premiered in January 2015.[18] He also appeared in the 2015 music video for the song "Every Little Means Trust" byIdlewild.[19]
Baruchel was also involved in writing the Chapterhouse comic book seriesCaptain Canuck.[20]
Baruchel wrote, directed, and starred in the 2017 sports comedy filmGoon: Last of the Enforcers, the sequel to the 2011 filmGoon.
In 2018, he made his debut as an author, withBorn Into It: A Fan's Life, released on Harper Collins. The book explored his love of theMontreal Canadiens with anecdotes, childhood memories, and heartfelt tales about his life as a fan of the team.
After the release ofHow to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, 2019 saw Baruchel star in the Danish filmThe Kindness of Strangers and the Canadian horror filmRandom Acts of Violence, which was his second film as a director.[21]
In 2021, Baruchel hosted the original audiopodcast documentary series forAudible.ca,Highly Legal, that explored the political and economic history and aftermath of Canada's legalization ofmarijuana.[22] In the same year, Baruchel and his wife, Rebecca-Jo Dunham, both appeared in the music video for "Ouch", the lead single fromThe Tragically Hip's archival EPSaskadelphia.[23] He was also named host ofLOL: Last One Laughing Canada, which premiered on February 18, 2022 onAmazon Prime Video.[24] He appears in the seventh episode ofThe Kids in the Hall revival.[25]
In 2022, Baruchel hosted theCrave original seriesWe're All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel), a six-episode docuseries about the end of the world that explored potential world-ending risks. Baruchel, as host, met with scientists and other experts to discuss the feasibility of the risks and the potential solutions and innovations to counter the issues.[26]
Baruchel had a lead role asBlackBerry co-founderMike Lazaridis in thebiographicalcomedy-drama filmBlackBerry (2023), for which he won aCanadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in a Comedy Film.[27]
In November 2024, Baruchel joined the cast of the romcom filmMile End Kicks.[28] He is also set to playKen Carter inThe Stunt Driver, a comedy film about the Canadian stunt driver's exploits.[29]
Baruchel was engaged to actressAlison Pill from 2011 to 2013. He alluded to their break-up in aTwitter post on February 16, 2013.[30] In May 2018, Baruchel announced his engagement to his girlfriend Rebecca-Jo Dunham.[31] They were married on September 21, 2019, in Portugal.[32] Baruchel has said that he is "probably agnostic".[33][34]
Baruchel has several tattoos among which, aCeltic cross on his upper right arm to honour his Irish heritage,[35] and a redmaple leaf on his left pectoral.[36]
Baruchel has been a supporter of Scottishfootball clubCeltic F.C. since the early 2000s; in 2016, he co-produced a documentary detailing his journey towards falling in love with the club.[37][38]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995, 1999–2000 | Are You Afraid of the Dark? | Joe / Alex / Ross Doyle / Jason Midas | 4 episodes |
| 1996–1998 | My Hometown | Thomas Thompson | Main role |
| 1997–1998 | Popular Mechanics for Kids | Himself | |
| 1998 | The Worst Witch | Bean Pole | Episode: "The Great Outdoors" |
| 2001–2002 | Undeclared | Steven Karp | Main role |
| 2002 | Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher | Jimmy Fleming | Television film |
| 2004 | The Stones | Winston Stone | 6 episodes |
| 2005–2006 | Just Legal | Skip Ross | 8 episodes |
| 2006–2007 | Numb3rs | Oswald Kittner | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour | Private Prosciutto / Falcon | 2 episodes |
| 2012–2018 | DreamWorks Dragons | Hiccup (voice) | Main role |
| 2012 | Being Human | Stu | Episode: "When I Think About You I Shred Myself" |
| 2014 | Trailer Park Boys | N/A | Directed Episode: "Crawling Through the Shitpipe" |
| 2015–2017 | Man Seeking Woman[41] | Josh Greenberg | Main role |
| 2018 | Letterkenny | "Hard Right" Jay | 2 episodes |
| The Magic School Bus Rides Again | Dr. Tillage (voice) | Episode: "Ghost Farm" | |
| 2019 | The Moodys | Sean Moody Jr. | Main role |
| How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming | Hiccup (voice) | Short film | |
| 2019–20 | Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series | Fucknel (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | LOL: Last One Laughing Canada | Host | |
| Son of a Critch | N/A | Director only | |
| The Kids in the Hall | Smoker | Episode 7 | |
| We're All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel) | Self | Main role | |
| 2023 | Son of a Critch | Scott Howell | Episode "Pope Visit" |
| 2023–2025 | FUBAR | Carter Perlmutter | Main role |
| Year | Band | Song | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Alexisonfire | "Sweet Dreams of Otherness" | Director | [42][43] |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | US Comedy Arts Festival | Best Actor Award | I'm Reed Fish | Won | |
| 2010 | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by a Male – Film | The Trotsky | Won | [44] |
| 2011 | Annie Awards | Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production | How to Train Your Dragon | Won | |
| Genie Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | The Trotsky | Nominated | ||
| Jutra Awards | Best Actor (Meilleur Acteur) | Won | |||
| Vancouver Film Critics Circle | Best Actor in a Canadian Film | Nominated | |||
| 2013 | Canadian Screen Awards | Adapted Screenplay(shared withEvan Goldberg) | Goon | Nominated | |
| Vancouver Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actor in a Canadian Film | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | Canadian Screen Awards | Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | The Art of the Steal | Nominated | |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Musical Moment | This Is the End | Won | ||
| 2019 | ACTRA Award | Award of Excellence | N/A | Won | [45] |
| Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program | Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 6 | Won | ||
| 2024 | Canadian Screen Awards | Best Lead Performance in a Comedy Film | BlackBerry | Won | [27] |
| Canadian Screen Awards | Performance in a guest role in a comedy series | Son of a Critch | Nominated |
...the Ottawa-born Baruchel..
The funny thing is, Baruchel is only a quarter Jewish... His background is also French and Irish-Catholic... He may be hard to identify ethnically...
