Jared and Jerusha Hess

Jared Lawrence Hess (born July 18, 1979) and Jerusha Elizabeth Hess (née Demke; born May 12, 1980) are husband-and-wife American filmmakers best known for their work on Napoleon Dynamite (2004), Nacho Libre (2006) and Gentlemen Broncos (2009), all of which they co-wrote and which were directed by Jared (Nacho Libre was co-written with Mike White).

"Jared Hess" redirects here. For the mixed martial arts fighter, see Jared Hess (fighter).

Jared Hess
Hess in 2009
Born (1979-07-18) July 18, 1979
Glendale, Arizona, U.S.
OccupationFilmmaker
SpouseJerusha Hess
Children4
Jerusha Hess
Born
Jerusha Elizabeth Demke

(1980-05-12) May 12, 1980
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
OccupationFilmmaker
SpouseJared Hess
Children4

They also produced music videos for The Postal Service's third single, "We Will Become Silhouettes", and The Killers' Christmas charity single "Boots".

Personal life

Jerusha was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and Jared was born in Glendale, Arizona. Jared attended Manhattan High School in Kansas for two years before transferring to Preston High School in Idaho, from which he graduated in 1997.[1][2] Many scenes from Napoleon Dynamite were filmed there. As a teenager Jared worked in film production with T. C. Christensen.[3]

Career

Jared met Jerusha while attending Brigham Young University's (BYU) film school. Together they co-wrote the film Napoleon Dynamite, which was produced and edited by their classmate Jeremy Coon.

While at BYU, Jared wrote and directed a student film entitled Cardboard Only, which is about a seven-year-old Idaho farm boy who struggles to escape boredom while wearing a cardboard box over his head. While at BYU, Jared also wrote and directed a short film entitled Peluca, which became a prototype for Napoleon Dynamite and featured much of the same cast and plotline, including Jon Heder as Seth, "super nerd extraordinaire."[4]

Besides Napoleon Dynamite and Peluca, Jared has worked as a camera assistant in a number of films and has played minor roles in a few Latter-day Saint comedies. These include The Singles Ward, The R.M. and Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-day Comedy. Their second movie Nacho Libre, starring Jack Black, was released on June 16, 2006.

The third major film made by the Hesses, Gentlemen Broncos, was released in 2009. It is about a teenager who aspires to be a writer, but after attending a fantasy-writer's convention, he finds that his idea has been stolen by an established novelist. The film stars Michael Angarano as the teenager, Jemaine Clement as the established novelist, and Sam Rockwell as the story's fictional title character who appears in book-come-to-life sequences.[5]

In 2010, Jared created ads for the Utah State Fair which were run on the radio, but refused on television. The Utah State Fair representatives claimed they refused to run them due to sexual overtones, while Hess claimed the failure to run the ads was because the main actor in them, Markus T. Boddie, was an African-American.[6]

In 2011, Jerusha directed a film adaptation of the book Austenland, which was released in 2013. She also co-wrote the screenplay.[7][8]

Jared and Jerusha Hess are also among the executive producers of the Napoleon Dynamite series that aired in 2012. In addition, Jared voiced Don Moser, a returning character originally portrayed by Trevor Snarr in the film.

Jared directed the comedy heist film Masterminds (2016).[9][10]

Jared was among the executive producers for the Fox TV series Making History, which premiered in 2017.[11]

In 2019, it was announced that Jared would direct with Lynn Wang an animated musical movie adaptation of Thelma the Unicorn for Netflix. Both Jared and Jerusha would write it.[12][13]

Jared co-directed (with Tyler Measom) a true crime docu-series Murder Among the Mormons, which premiered on Netflix on March 3, 2021.[14]

In 2022, it was announced that Jared will direct the film adaptation of Minecraft for Warner Bros. Pictures, with Jason Momoa starring.[15]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Functioned as Notes
Director Writers
2002 Peluca Jared Jared Short film
2004 Napoleon Dynamite Jared Yes
2006 Nacho Libre Jared Yes
2009 Gentlemen Broncos Jared Yes
2013 Austenland Jerusha Jerusha
2015 Don Verdean Jared Yes
2016 Masterminds Jared No
2020 Ninety-five Senses Jerusha Jerusha Short film
2024 Thelma the Unicorn Jared Yes Jared co-directed with Lynn Wang[12][13]
2025 Minecraft Jared TBA [15]
TBA Overnight at 42nd Street Jared TBA [16]
Micronations Jared No [17]

Television
Year Title Functioned as Notes
Director Executive Producer
2012 Napoleon Dynamite No Jared & Jerusha 6 episodes
2016–2017 The Last Man on Earth Jared No 2 episodes
2017 Making History Jared Jared 3 episodes
2017 Son of Zorn Jared Jared 1 episode
2021 Murder Among the Mormons Jared Jared 3 episode miniseries; co-directed with Tyler Measom

References
  1. "We visit Preston, Idaho, hometown of Napoleon Dynamite (and director Jared Hess)". Music. August 15, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  2. Hollingshead, Natalie (June 17, 2016). "Preston residents look back on 'Napoleon Dynamite'". The Daily Universe. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  3. Toone, Trent (December 3, 2015). "BYU grad, 'Napoleon Dynamite' creator talks new religious comedy, family business and mentors". Deseret News. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  4. Hess, Jared (January 20, 2003), Peluca (Comedy, Short), Jon Heder, Greg Hansen, Chris Sanchez, Bracken Johnson, retrieved March 30, 2021
  5. ""Napoleon Dynamite" Helmer's New Comedy". Worst Previews. January 31, 2008. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. "Utah hates Jared Hess's Utah State Fair ads".
  7. "Jerusha Hess to Direct Romantic Comedy with 'Twilight' Author Stephenie Meyer Producing (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. July 5, 2011. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  8. Stern, Marlow (January 20, 2013). "'Austenland' Starring Keri Russell, Is A Delightful Hoot". The Daily Beast – via www.thedailybeast.com.
  9. "'Loomis Fargo' Is A Go; Jim Carrey Stars And Jared Hess Directs Real Life Heist Comedy". /Film. January 31, 2013.
  10. "Jim Carrey Confirmed to Star in NAPOLEON DYNAMITE Director Jared Hess' Action-Comedy LOOMIS FARGO". Collider. January 31, 2013.
  11. "FOX 2017 Spring Premiere Dates Announced". January 11, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  12. "Jared and Jerusha Hess To Adapt Acclaimed Children's Novel "Thelma the Unicorn" by Aaron Blabey Into Animated Musical Feature Film For Netflix". Netflix Media Center. June 5, 2019.
  13. "Netflix Sets Napoleon Dynamite's Jared & Jerusha Hess To Turn Children's Book Thelma The Unicorn Into Animated Musical". Deadline Hollywood. June 5, 2019. Archived from the original on June 5, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  14. Strause, Jackie (February 4, 2021). "Netflix Sets 'Murder Among the Mormons' Docuseries on 1985 Utah Bombings (Exclusive)". hollywoodreporter.com. The Hollywood Reporter.
  15. Couch, Aaron (April 18, 2022). "Jason Momoa to Star in 'Minecraft' Movie for Warner Bros". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  16. Wayt, Matt (March 6, 2015). "Napoleon Dynamite's Jared Hess to direct Disney's "Home Alone in a toy store" movie". The A.V. Club.
  17. "Cannes: Jack Black Reteams with Director Jared Hess on Comedy 'Micronations'". May 18, 2015.
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