Josh Ruben

Josh Ruben
Ruben in 2012
Born
Joshua Benjamin Ruben

(1983-06-30) June 30, 1983 (age 41)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • director
  • producer
Websitewww.joshsmindhouse.com

Joshua Benjamin Ruben (born June 30, 1983)[1] is an American actor, comedian, director, and producer. He has directed the comedy horror films Scare Me (2020) and Werewolves Within (2021), both of which were filmed near his hometown in the Hudson Valley in New York, along with the upcoming film Heart Eyes (2025). 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 is set to direct the sci-fi horror film Green Bank.[8][7]

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b "Survey Answers (thanks, Josh!)". Tumblr. May 6, 2009. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Ronquillo, Emmanuel (March 30, 2023). "This Underrated Game Show Changes the Rules With Every New Episode". Collider. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Flint, Sunshine (June 17, 2021). "Talking childhood haunts with 'Werewolves Within' filmmaker Josh Ruben". Times Union. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Johnson, Rich (July 23, 2023). "Interview with Josh Ruben, Actor, Writer and Director of Scare Me". Arrow Films. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
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