Jared and Jerusha Hess

Personal lives

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. Many scenes from Napoleon Dynamite were filmed there. As a teenager Jared worked in film production with T. C. Christensen.

The Hesses have four children. The family are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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."

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.

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.

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

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).

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

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.

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

In 2025, Jared directed A Minecraft Movie for Warner Bros. Pictures, with Jason Momoa and Jack Black starring. The film reunited Jared with Black after the two previously worked on Nacho Libre (2006).

Filmography

Short film

Feature film

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Television

Jared Hess

Acting roles

Jared Hess

References

References

1. (January 25, 2024). "'We make big, dumb comedies': 'Napoleon Dynamite' creator on 'sheer shock' of scoring first Oscar nomination".
2. (August 15, 2013). "We visit Preston, Idaho, hometown of Napoleon Dynamite (and director Jared Hess)".
3. Hollingshead, Natalie. (June 17, 2016). "Preston residents look back on 'Napoleon Dynamite'".
4. Toone, Trent. (December 3, 2015). "BYU grad, 'Napoleon Dynamite' creator talks new religious comedy, family business and mentors".
5. (September 26, 2022). "Filmmakers look to go beyond 'Napoleon Dynamite'".
6. Strause, Jackie. (February 4, 2021). "Netflix Sets 'Murder Among the Mormons' Docuseries on 1985 Utah Bombings (Exclusive)".
7. Cohen, Alex. (November 2, 2009). "In 'Broncos,' An Atypical Hollywood Team Rides Again". [[NPR]].
8. Hess, Jared. (January 20, 2003). "Peluca".
9. (January 31, 2008). ""Napoleon Dynamite" Helmer's New Comedy". Worst Previews.
10. (September 15, 2010). "Utah hates Jared Hess's Utah State Fair ads".
11. Kit, Borys. (July 5, 2011). "Jerusha Hess to Direct Romantic Comedy with 'Twilight' Author Stephenie Meyer Producing (Exclusive)". [[Hollywood Reporter]].
12. Stern, Marlow. (January 20, 2013). "'Austenland' Starring Keri Russell, Is A Delightful Hoot". The Daily Beast.
13. Lussier, Germain. (January 31, 2013). "'Loomis Fargo' Is A Go, Jim Carrey Stars And Jared Hess Directs Real Life Heist Comedy".
14. Chitwood, Adam. (January 31, 2013). "Jim Carrey Confirmed to Star in NAPOLEON DYNAMITE Director Jared Hess Action-Comedy LOOMIS FARGO".
15. (January 11, 2017). "FOX 2017 Spring Premiere Dates Announced".
16. (June 5, 2019). "Jared and Jerusha Hess To Adapt Acclaimed Children's Novel "Thelma the Unicorn" by Aaron Blabey Into Animated Musical Feature Film For Netflix".
17. Fleming, Mike Jr.. (June 5, 2019). "Netflix Sets ''Napoleon Dynamite''{{'}}s Jared & Jerusha Hess To Turn Children's Book ''Thelma The Unicorn'' Into Animated Musical". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
18. (February 4, 2021). "Netflix Sets 'Murder Among the Mormons' Docuseries on 1985 Utah Bombings (Exclusive)". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
19. Couch, Aaron. (April 18, 2022). "Jason Momoa to Star in 'Minecraft' Movie for Warner Bros.".
20. https://deadline.com/2025/10/minecraft-2-release-date-1236574896/