Jay Baruchel
Quick Facts
Biography
Jonathan Adam Saunders "Jay" Baruchel (/ˈbæruːˌʃɛl/; born April 9, 1982) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, and producer. He plays Josh Greenberg in the FXX comedy television series Man Seeking Woman and played the lead character in Judd Apatow's comedy series, Undeclared. He is known for his voice role as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, and for his roles in comedy movies such as Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder, Fanboys, She's Out of My League, Goon, and This Is the End.
Early life
Baruchel was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of Robyne (née Ropell), a freelance writer, and Serge Baruchel, an antiques dealer. He grew up in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec, and has a younger sister, Taylor. His paternal grandfather was a Sephardic Jew, while his three other grandparents were from a Christian background (of French, Irish, and German descent). Baruchel has said that he is "probably agnostic".
Career
One of his first major acting roles was on local television series My Hometown in 1996. From 1997 to 1998, he co-hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids with Elisha Cuthbert. After appearing briefly in Cameron Crowe's Oscar-winning Almost Famous, Baruchel won the role of Steven Karp on Judd Apatow's acclaimed yet short-lived television series Undeclared, where he starred alongside Seth Rogen, Carla Gallo, Charlie Hunnam and Monica Keena. He then appeared with James Van Der Beek in Roger Avary's The Rules of Attraction.
In 2004, Baruchel played boxing hopeful Danger Barch in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. Baruchel then starred in Nemesis Game and Fetching Cody, before appearing opposite Don Johnson on the WB's Just Legal in 2005, and guest-starring on the CBS drama Numb3rs in 2006.
Baruchel appeared in the films Knocked Up (which reunited him with Judd Apatow, Jason Segel, and Seth Rogen), I'm Reed Fish, Just Buried, and the Ben Stiller-directed Tropic Thunder, alongside Jack Black, Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan and Robert Downey, Jr. He co-starred with Seth Rogen in the 2007 trailer for Jay and Seth vs. The Apocalypse, created by Rogen and Evan Goldberg as a strategy to garner interest and funding for a similar, larger-scale project (later made in 2013 as This Is the End). In 2008, he appeared in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. He also made a brief appearance in Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian.
In 2010, Baruchel starred in the films The Trotsky, DreamWorks' She's Out of My League (opposite Alice Eve), and the live-action Disney adaptation of The 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 the franchise, including its television series. Also in 2010, he played two supporting characters in the Canadian comedy series The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour. He developed the screenplay for Goon, with Evan Goldberg, playing Johnny Klutz, a character of his own creation. Goon co-stars Seann William Scott and fellow Canadian actor, Eugene Levy. Baruchel will also star in and direct the comedy/horror/slasher film Pig.
Baruchel also appeared in the 2010 Adidas 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 rapper Necro. In the summer of 2013, he starred in the hit apocalyptic comedy This Is the End and in 2014, he appeared in the RoboCop remake and reprised his role as Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon 2.
Baruchel is in the process of writing the sequel to Goon.
In July 2014, it was announced that Baruchel will be starring in the FXX comedy Man Seeking Woman which premiered in January 2015.
Personal life
Baruchel was previously engaged to actress Alison Pill from 2011 to 2013. He alluded to their break-up in a Twitter posting on February 16, 2013.
Baruchel has several tattoos: a Celtic cross (on his upper right arm) to honour his Irish heritage, his mother's maiden name (on his forearm) and a red Maple Leaf on his left pectoral (which can be seen in Fanboys, Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder and This Is the End).
Baruchel is also an avid fan of Celtic F.C. and the Montreal Canadiens.
He appeared in the 2015 music video for the song "Every Little Means Trust" by Idlewild.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Running Home | Kid #2 | |
Who Gets the House? | Jonathan | ||
2000 | Almost Famous | Vic Munoz | |
2002 | The Rules of Attraction | Harry | |
Edgar and Jane | Short film; director, writer and producer | ||
2003 | Nemesis Game | Jeremy Curran | |
2004 | Million Dollar Baby | Danger Barch | |
2005 | Fetching Cody | Art Frankel | |
2007 | Knocked Up | Jay | |
Jay and Seth versus the Apocalypse | Jay Baruchel | Short film; also writer | |
I'm Reed Fish | Reed Fish | ||
Just Buried | Oliver Whynacht | ||
2008 | Real Time | Andy Hayes | |
Tropic Thunder | Kevin Sandusky | ||
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist | Tal Hanson | ||
2009 | Fanboys | Windows | |
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian | Sailor Joey Motorola | ||
2010 | She's Out of My League | Kirk Kettner | |
How to Train Your Dragon | Hiccup (Voice) | ||
The Trotsky | Leon | ||
The Sorcerer's Apprentice | Dave Stutler | ||
Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon | Hiccup (Voice) | Short film | |
Good Neighbours | Victor | ||
2011 | Book of Dragons | Hiccup (Voice) | Short film |
Gift of the Night Fury | |||
2012 | Goon | Pat | Also writer and producer |
Cosmopolis | Shiner | ||
2013 | This Is the End | Jay Baruchel | Also co-producer |
The Art of the Steal | Francie | ||
2014 | RoboCop | Tom Pope | |
Don Peyote | Bates | ||
How to Train Your Dragon 2 | Hiccup (Voice) | ||
Dawn of the Dragon Racers | Short film | ||
2016 | Lovesick | Mark | |
2017 | Goon: Last of the Enforcers | Pat | Also director and writer |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1995, 1999–2000 | Are You Afraid of the Dark? | Joe / Alex / Ross Doyle / Jason Midas | 4 episodes |
1996–1997 | My Hometown | Thomas Thompson | 40 episodes |
1997–1998 | Popular Mechanics for Kids | Himself | 22 episodes |
1998 | The Worst Witch | Bean Pole | Episode: "The Great Outdoors" |
2001–2002 | Undeclared | Steven Karp | 17 episodes |
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–present | DreamWorks Dragons | Hiccup (voice) | 92 episodes |
2012 | Being Human | Stu | Episode: "When I Think About You I Shred Myself" |
2014 | Trailer Park Boys | Directed episode: "Crawling Through the Shitpipe" | |
2015 | Man Seeking Woman | Josh Greenberg | 30 episodes |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Result | Work |
---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | US Comedy Arts Festival | Best Actor Award | Won | I'm Reed Fish |
2010 | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by a Male - Film | Won | The Trotsky |
2011 | Jutra Awards | Best Actor (Meilleur Acteur) | Won | The Trotsky |
2011 | Online Film & Television Association | Best Voice-Over Performance | Won | How to Train Your Dragon |
2011 | Vancouver Film Critics Circle | Best Actor in a Canadian Film | Nominated | The Trotsky |
2011 | Genie Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | Nominated | The Trotsky |
2011 | Annie Awards | Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production | Won | How to Train Your Dragon |
2013 | Canadian Screen Awards | Adapted Screenplay (shared with Evan Goldberg) | Nominated | Goon |
2013 | Vancouver Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actor in a Canadian Film | Nominated | Goon |
2014 | Canadian Screen Awards | Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | Nominated | The Art of the Steal |
2014 | MTV Movie Awards | Best Musical Moment | Won | This Is the End |