Josh Ruben | |
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Ruben in 2012 | |
| Born | Joshua Benjamin Ruben June 30, 1983 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Website | joshsmindhouse |
Joshua Benjamin Ruben (born June 30, 1983)[1] is an American actor, comedian, director, and producer. He formerly worked for CollegeHumor and continues to appear in Dropout original shows.
Early life and education
Ruben was born in Washington, D.C.[2] He grew up in Woodstock, New York, with two half-siblings, one of whom is the singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata.[2][3] He acted in youth theatre and aspired to become a comic actor.[3] He graduated from Onteora High School in 2001.[3] He worked at a gas station before being accepted into the New Actors Workshop in New York City at age 19.[3][4]
Career
Unable to get an agent in his first years in New York City, Ruben worked as a film extra and at Best Buy.[3] With childhood friend Sam Reich and others, he formed the comedy group Dutch West, which made sketch comedy videos for the internet.[3][4] Thanks to his work with the group, CollegeHumor hired him as a staffer, and he wrote and directed hundreds of its "Originals" short videos.[3][4] He has appeared on the Dropout game show Game Changer and its spinoff Make Some Noise, both hosted by Reich, and is credited as an executive producer on the latter series.[5]
Ruben moved to Los Angeles in 2016.[3] He drew from his CollegeHumor 401(k) to write, produce, and direct Scare Me, a comedy horror film shot at Cooper Lake outside of Woodstock.[3][4] Starring Ruben as an aspiring writer staying in a cabin in the woods, it premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.[4] His next film, Werewolves Within, based on the video game, was also shot in the area in the Hudson Valley.[3][4] It premiered to critical acclaim at the Tribeca Festival in June 2021.[6][7] He directed Heart Eyes, a romantic comedy slasher film.[8] He is set to direct the sci-fi horror film Green Bank[9][7] as well as the horror film Wilderness Reform.[10]
Filmography
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Executive Producer |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Zoolander Returns to the Runway | Yes | No | No | Co-directed with Vincent Peone |
| 2016 | Tond | Yes | No | No | |
| 2017 | Freddy Derryl | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Cabin | No | Yes | Yes |
Feature film
- Scare Me (2020) (Also writer and producer)
- Werewolves Within (2021)
- Heart Eyes (2025)
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–2013 | CollegeHumor | Yes | Yes | Directed 48 episodes; Wrote 22 episodes |
| 2012–2013 | Hardly Working | Yes | Yes | Directed episode "Fire Warden"; Wrote 4 episodes |
| 2013 | Remix the Movies | Yes | No | 7 episodes |
| 2014 | That Couple You Know | Yes | No | |
| Step 9 | Yes | No | 3 episodes | |
| CQ Originals | Yes | No | Episode "Adam Drive Meets His Man Crush" | |
| 2015 | Adam Ruins Everything | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | Boondoggle | Yes | No | Episodes "Pilot Error" and "The Course" |
| 2021 | Death to 2021 | Yes | No | Co-directed with Jack Clough |
| 2024 | Die Hart | Yes | No | 7 episodes |
References
- ^ Ruben, Josh [@joshruben] (June 30, 2021). "It's my birthday ..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
Ruben, Josh [@joshruben] (August 11, 2023). "I'm 40 years of age" (Tweet) – via Twitter. - ^ a b "Survey Answers (thanks, Josh!)". Tumblr. May 6, 2009. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Warren, Robert Burke (March 8, 2020). "Filmmaker Josh Ruben returns to the community he loves". Hudson Valley One. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Hoffman, Jordan (June 25, 2021). "Werewolves Within: How Josh Ruben Accidentally Made a Great Video-Game Movie". Vanity Fair. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ Ronquillo, Emmanuel (March 30, 2023). "This Underrated Game Show Changes the Rules With Every New Episode". Collider. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ Flint, Sunshine (June 17, 2021). "Talking childhood haunts with 'Werewolves Within' filmmaker Josh Ruben". Times Union. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Ravindran, Manori (February 2, 2023). "Tatiana Maslany, 'Scream' Star Jasmin Savoy Brown Lead Sci-Fi Horror 'Green Bank,' Protagonist Launching Sales at EFM". Variety. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ Goslin, Austen (January 7, 2025). "The writer of Happy Death Day is giving Valentine's Day the slasher it deserves". Polygon. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ Johnson, Rich (July 23, 2023). "Interview with Josh Ruben, Actor, Writer and Director of Scare Me". Arrow Films. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (November 19, 2025). "'Heart Eyes' Helmer Josh Ruben To Direct Horror Pic 'Wilderness Reform' For Paramount". Deadline. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
External links
- Living people
- 1983 births
- People from Woodstock, New York
- Film directors from New York (state)
- Screenwriters from New York (state)
- Comedians from New York (state)
- Film producers from New York (state)
- American television directors
- CollegeHumor people
- American horror film directors
- American comedy film directors
- American male web series actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American impressionists (entertainers)
- American male comedians
