Skip to content
Motif
Josh Ruben

Josh Ruben

Actor, director and producer, also writer · Born June 30, 1983 (43) · Washington, D.C., USA

Joshua Benjamin Ruben (born June 30, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, director, and producer. He formerly worked for CollegeHumor and continues to appear in Dropout's original shows. Description above from the Wikipedia article Josh Ruben, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 30, 1983 (43)
From
Washington, D.C., USA
Works as
Actor, director and producer, also writer
Titles
23 on Motif · 57 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 16% in 30 days

What are Josh Ruben's films like?

Across their 16 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
38%
Bonds
27%
Society
11%
Morality
8%
Ideas
7%
Survival
7%
Power
1%
Identity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 8 · Serious 2 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 7 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 6 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 7 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 7 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Shadow
2 of 6
Hero
2 of 6
Shapeshifter
1 of 6
Ally
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
13
Tense
7
Dread
3
Warm
3
Joyful
2
Other
14

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Josh Ruben's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 23 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Josh Ruben's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

57 credits, 23 with a Motif page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Heart Eyes 2 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2028)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Crossed Animals (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2026)

    as Little Mouse / Additional Voices (voice)

  • Toonout (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Mouse / Additional Voices (voice)

  • Ugly Cry(2026)

    Actor

    Motif score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Heart Eyes(2025)

    Director · as Movie Goer

    Motif score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Creep Tapes(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Brad

    Motif score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • The Disruptors(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Motif score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Very Important People(2023)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kepl / Dr. Milk

    Motif score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Knowing (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2023)

    Producer

  • Blood Relatives(2022)

    Producer · as Roger

    Motif score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Make Some Noise(2022)

    Show 13 episodes · Producer · as Self - Player · as Self - Surprise Guest

    Motif score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • A Wounded Fawn(2022)

    as Bruce Ernst

    Motif score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Death to 2021(2021)

    Director

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Are You Happy Now(2021)

    as Adam

    Motif score: 1st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Werewolves Within(2021)

    Director

    Motif score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Plan B(2021)

    as Philip Peterson

    Motif score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Hacks(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Briian

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Pare (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2020)

    Producer · as Dan

  • Troopers: Animated (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 4 episodes · as Larry (voice)

  • Scare Me(2020)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Fred

    Motif score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Die Hart(2020)

    Show Director

    Motif score: 4th percentile of all shows

  • Greener Grass(2019)

    as Swim Coach

    Motif score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Oh Jerome, No(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dan 7 & 8

    Motif score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Game Changer (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 7 episodes · as Roscoe The Creepy Clown · as Self - Contestant · as Self (archive footage)

  • Troopers: Rise of the Budget (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 1 episode · Creator · as Larry

  • WTF 101 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Hyena (voice) · as King Charles (voice)

  • The Shivering Truth(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

    Motif score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Unlovable(2018)

    as Sam

    Motif score: 55th percentile of all films

  • See Plum Run (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 9 episodes · as Blueberry Mama Miller

  • Freddy Derryl (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    Director · Writer · as Freddy

  • What Children Do(2017)

    as Pat

    Motif score: 56th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Tond (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • See You Around (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Thomas

  • Donald and Jess (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2015)

    Actor

  • Worst Friends(2014)

    as Marky

    Motif score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Britishes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 9 episodes · as Mr. Squint

  • You're the Worst(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Greg

    Motif score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • CAMP (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 10 episodes · Creator · Writer · as Barbara · as Cyrus · as Duncan · as Franklin · as Harry · as Hector · as Jarvin · as Josh

  • Precious Plum (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 12 episodes · as Mama · as Maybe Daddy

  • Yay or Nay (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • Final Destination (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · as Gale · as Josh

  • For a Good Time, Call...(2012)

    as Lamp Guy

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Pizza Quest! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • Troopers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 19 episodes · as Larry

  • Hello, My Name Is (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Barq Dogg · as Denise's Friend · as Donna Higby · as Duncan Donuss · as Executive from Hell · as Gale Beggy · as Maxmillion Jul · as Michael · as Perry Martin · as Yeardly Tinsley

  • Full Benefits (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 4 episodes · as Josh

  • Josh’s Mindhouse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 10 episodes · Creator · as Self

  • Very Mary-Kate (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 6 episodes · as Philip Seymour Hoffman

  • Obvious Child (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    as Joe

  • CollegeHumor Live (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hardly Working (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 42 episodes · Actor

  • Hardly Working: All-Nighters (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 9 episodes · as Gale Beggy · as Hans Gruber · as Josh · as Masked Creep · as Phil Hoffman · as Roger · as Thug #1

  • Phantom of the Office (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · as Gale Beggy

  • POV (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · as Josh

  • CollegeHumor Shorts (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · as Col. Hans Landa · as Doctor · as Josh · as Lt. Christopher Johnson · as Pet Store Employee · as Sim · as Tweetlejuice

  • Green Bank (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Director · Producer

  • Wilderness Reform (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

Star power in the 86th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 55 titles, 52 of them dated from 2007 to 2026; peak year 2021.

Biggest box office

Heart Eyes (2025)

$33M worldwide

Highest rated

Make Some Noise (2022)

Motif 99th

Film career

20072026

Peak 2021 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 2 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting45 of 55: 36 only acting, 9 with another role · typical Motif score56thDirecting12 of 55: 5 only directing, 7 with another roleWriting4 of 55: 0 only writing, 4 with another roleProducing6 of 55: 2 only producing, 4 with another roleOther crew3 of 55: 1 only other crew, 2 with another role

55 titles, 11 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 5 of them.

By decade

2000s7 · 7 acting · 2 crew2010s27 · 24 acting · 6 crew2020s18 · 14 acting · 8 crew

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 17% of 6 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Josh Ruben's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 42nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Motif score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 23 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Ugly Cry (2026)

88th percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, producer

Make Some Noise (2022)

Motif 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Josh Ruben's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 Motif titles with content scores, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 72 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles18–54 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles49–81 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles17–60 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles29–80 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Josh Ruben work with?

People who share at least 2 of Josh Ruben's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Catherine Curtin shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers