Jake Kasdan

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Jake Kasdan
Jake Kasdan.jpg
Kasdan at Paleyfest 2012
Born
Jacob Kasdan

(1974-10-28) October 28, 1974 (age 46)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation
  • Director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
  • actor
Years active1983–present
Spouse(s)Inara George
Children3
Parent(s)Lawrence Kasdan
RelativesJonathan Kasdan (brother)

Jacob Kasdan (born October 28, 1974) is an American film and television director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is best known for directing Bad Teacher (2011), Sex Tape (2014), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019).

Early life[]

Kasdan was born and raised in a Jewish family, with little religious education[1] in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Meg (née Goldman), a writer, and writer-director Lawrence Kasdan.[2] His younger brother, Jon Kasdan, also works in the film and television industry as an actor and writer.

Career[]

Kasdan has directed seven theatrical films: Zero Effect (1998), Orange County (2002), The TV Set (2006), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), Bad Teacher (2011), Sex Tape (2014), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019). He has also worked in television, most notably with Judd Apatow, as a consulting producer and director on Freaks and Geeks and as a director on Undeclared. He has also directed numerous stage productions. He is attached to direct John Grisham novel Calico Joe to a family film adaptation.

In 2008, Kasdan received his first Golden Globe nomination for Walk Hard in the Best Original Song category (shared with John C. Reilly, Judd Apatow, and Marshall Crenshaw), but lost to "Guaranteed" from Into the Wild (written by Eddie Vedder).

As a child, he made several appearances in his father's movies such as The Big Chill and Silverado (in the former he is an autograph seeker at a funeral and in the latter a stable boy).

In February 2015, Fox announced it had greenlit a pilot for the comedy The Grinder to be directed by Kasdan and starring Rob Lowe.[3]

Personal life[]

Kasdan is married to singer-songwriter Inara George of The Bird and the Bee. They have three children: Otis, and twins Beau and Lorelei.[4]

Filmography[]

Films[]

Filmmaking credits[]

Year Title Director Producer Writer
1998 Zero Effect Yes Yes Yes
2002 Orange County Yes No No
2006 The TV Set Yes Yes Yes
2007 Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Yes Yes Yes
2008 Shades of Ray No Executive No
2011 Bad Teacher Yes Executive No
2011 Friends with Kids No Yes No
2014 Sex Tape Yes Executive No
2017 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Yes Executive No
2019 Jumanji: The Next Level Yes Yes Yes

Acting credits[]

Year Title Role
1983 The Big Chill Autograph Seeker
1985 Silverado Stable Boy
1988 The Accidental Tourist Scott Canfield
1998 Zero Effect Bank Teller (voice)
2008 Shades of Ray Director # 3

Soundtrack credits[]

Year Film Song written
1998 Zero Effect Let's Run Off and Get Married
Cold and Dark in My Heart
2007 Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Walk Hard
Take My Hand
(Mama) You Got To Love Your Negro Man
Cut My Brother in Half Blues
There's a Change a'Happening (I Can Feel It)
(You Make Me So) Hard

Other credits[]

Year Title Credited as
1991 Grand Canyon Production assistant
1994 Wyatt Earp Archivist

Television and web[]

Year(s) Title Director Producer Writer Notes
1999–00 Freaks and Geeks Yes Consulting No Director (5 episodes) / Producer (15 episodes)
2000 Grosse Pointe Yes No No 2 episodes
2001 Undeclared Yes No No Episode: "Prototype"
2002 Zero Effect Yes Co-Executive Yes Unsold television pilot
2006 Cracking Up Yes No No Episode: "The Fixer"
2008 Californication Yes No No Episode: "In a Lonely Place"
2011 Spring/Fall Yes No No TV movie
2011–18 New Girl Yes Executive No Director (7 episodes) / Producer (146 episodes)
2012–13 Ben and Kate Yes Executive No Director (2 episodes) / Producer (16 episodes)
2015 Weird Loners Yes Executive No Director (2 episodes) / Producer (6 episodes)
2015–16 The Grinder Yes Executive No Director (2 episodes) / Producer (22 episodes)
2015–20 Fresh off the Boat Yes Executive No Director (Episode: "The Shunning") / Producer (116 episodes)
2016–19 Speechless No Executive No 63 episodes
2017 Jalen Vs. Everybody No Executive No TV movie
2019 Heart of Life No Executive No TV movie
2019–20 Bless This Mess No Executive No 26 episodes
2021 Doogie Kamealoha, M.D No Executive No

Music video[]

Awards[]

Year Award Category Film Result Notes
2007 Sierra Award Best Song Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Won Shared with Judd Apatow,
Marshall Crenshaw and John C. Reilly
2008 Golden Globe Best Original Song Nominated
2009 Grammy Best Song Written for Motion Picture
Television or Other Visual Media		 Nominated
2012 Emmy Award Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding
Directing for a Comedy Series		 New Girl Nominated Pilot

References[]

  1. ^ Jewish Daily Forward: "What's a Nice Jewish Boy Like Jake Kasdan Doing Making a 'Sex Tape?'" by Curt Schleier July 18, 2014
  2. ^ Lawrence Kasdan Biography (1949–)
  3. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth. "Fox Orders Rob Lowe Comedy 'The Grinder' To Pilot". Variety.
  4. ^ Audio commentary to Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

External links[]

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