Jared Keeso
Jared is a talented screenwriter, actor and producer, born in Listowel, Ontario, Canada, on 1st July 1984. He’s probably best known for being the creator and leading man of the award-winning comedy series “Letterkenny”, which premiered in 2016 and has run for several seasons since. Other notable roles include his portrayal of Don Cherry in “Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story”, and its sequel, “The Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II”, with his performances garnering him a Gemini Award and a Leo Award.
Jared was raised by Anne and Richard Keeso and enjoyed a comfortable upbringing thanks to the family business, the Keeso Sawmill Company, which was founded in 1872. Prior to becoming an actor, Jared himself worked in the sawmill for several years; unfortunately, it was destroyed by a fire in late 2018. During his adolescent years, Jared was also a skilled hockey player, playing for the Listowel Cyclones and the Strathroy Rockets.
Career
Jared made his acting debut in 2004, playing a bartender in the TV movie “Eve’s Christmas”, and having minor roles in episodes of “Life As We Know It” and “Smallville”. The next year was a decidedly slow one for Jared’s career, with just one minor appearance in an episode of “The 4400”; however, things picked up in 2006, as he became a regular cast member on “Monster Warriors”, and appeared in the TV movies “Seventeen & Missing”, “Shock to the System”, and “Firestorm: Last Stand at Yellowstone”.
Before reaching mainstream success portraying Don Cherry in the TV movies about his life, Jared specialized in small-budget TV movies, such as “I Love You, Beth Cooper”, “White Noise: The Light”, and “The Party Never Stops: Diary of a Binge Drinker”. The Canadian also had a recurring role as Rob Chambers in eight episodes of “The Guard”, and a minor role as Tom Wiley in an episode of “ReGenesis”.
The success of the Don Cherry TV miniseries led to Jared winning a Leo Award in the Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama category, and a Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series. “Keep Your Head Up, Kid” was written by Don’s son, Tim Cherry, and directed by Jeff Woolnough; it reportedly took Tim six years to get permission from his father to film the series. “Keep Your Head Up, Kid” covered Don’s life from his minor-league hockey player days to his time as the Boston Bruins coach.
Jared’s hard work and creative merit became even more evident from 2010 onwards, with roles in “A Trace of Danger”, “Seven Deadly Sins”, and “Nearlyweds” to name a few. In 2013, he and Mike Borden created the YouTube channel Play Fun Games Pictures, which became an instant hit thanks to its short comedic sketches of a Canadian farmer and his day-to-day struggles. As of 2023, his YouTube series “Letterkenny Problems” – the inspiration behind the 2016 sitcom “Letterkenny” – has also accumulated over 100 million views.
“Letterkenny” follows the lives of the people in a small rural community in Ontario which adopted its name from Letterkenny, Ireland; many are descendants of Irish immigrants from the country during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. Most episodes begin with the text: “There are 5000 people in Letterkenny. These are their problems.” The main characters of the show are siblings Wayne and Katy, who operate a small farm and produce stand, and Wayne’s friends Daryl and Dan.
The fictional community of Letterkenny is a vibrant and diverse one: from farmers and drug addicts to Mennonites and First Nation reservation members, the show pokes fun at just about every demographic, making it even more appealing to audiences. Early storylines revolved around the town’s unsuccessful ice hockey team, Wayne’s attempts at defending his reputation as the toughest guy in town, and Wayne’s lackluster dating life.
Following the success of “Letterkenny”, Jared created a spin-off series “Shoresy”, based on the character of the same name. Other highlights of his career include winning a Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role, and a Writers Guild of Canada Award for his work on “Letterkenny”.
Here's what #Letterkenny star Jared Keeso could look like as #Wolverine in the #MCU:https://t.co/bhIPPR7vL4 pic.twitter.com/S6enolNXym
— ComicBook.com (@ComicBook) August 15, 2021
Personal Life
Jared’s stunning wife, legal commercial director Magali Brunelle, has managed to stay out of the spotlight since tying the knot with the actor and screenwriter in July 2018. The low-key couple live in Quebec, and although Magali isn’t prone to giving interviews or sharing details of her private life, we can confirm that she graduated from Université de Montréal in 2013.
Magali’s career as a social rights advisor for Project Genesis began in August 2012; from October of the same year to December 2013, she also worked as an undergraduate research assistant for her alma mater. After leaving Project Genesis, Magali joined Stikeman Elliott LLP as a student-at-law, holding the role for two years and three months until she was promoted to a corporate lawyer position.
In July 2016, Magali left her job at Stikeman Elliott, and began working at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin. Finally, she joined Coveo in February 2018, working on the senior legal counsel team for the search engine company until she was promoted to senior manager of the legal department in 2021. In January 2022, Magali moved up the ranks yet again, becoming the director of legal commercials for the company.
With over a decade of corporate experience, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Studies from the University of Valencia, and her intricate knowledge of law, Magali is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Furthering her studies even more, Magali earned her professional certificate in IP law from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, and is currently pursuing her Master in Law degree from the same institution.
Jared’s net worth is estimated at over $4 million as of mid-2023. He stands tall at 5ft 10isn (177cm), weighing approximately 161lbs (73kgs).
