Matthew Gray Gubler (/ˈɡuːblər/, GOOB-lər; born March 9, 1980) is an American actor.
Early life and education[]
Gubler was born on March 9, 1980, in Las Vegas, Nevada, the son of Marilyn (née Kelch), a rancher and political consultant, and John Gubler, an attorney. Gubler is a high school graduate of the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, where he studied acting because the school did not offer his first choice, filmmaking. He is a graduate of the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he majored in film directing.
Career[]
Modeling[]
While studying film at NYU, Gubler was discovered by a model scout and then worked as a model with DNA Model Management for Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Jacobs, and American Eagle, among others. He has been ranked 46th on models.com's list of top 50 male models.
Acting[]
After he began modeling, Gubler had an internship with Wes Anderson, who encouraged him to audition for a part in his movie The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Gubler did, and landed the role of Nico (a.k.a. Intern #1). This led, in 2005, to Gubler being cast in Criminal Minds. Criminal Minds ran from 2005 to 2020, and Gubler performed in all 15 seasons. Gubler played the starring role of Dr. Spencer Reid, a genius FBI profiler; Gubler is best known for playing this role and was regarded as a fan favorite. Criminal Minds won the 2017 People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Drama. Gubler did not appear in the 2022 reboot of the series.
Gubler played Joe Joe in the film RV (2006). He voiced Simon the chipmunk in Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007), Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009), Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011), and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015). He appeared as Bart, the main character, in How to Be a Serial Killer (2008), and as Paul in (500) Days of Summer (2009). He provided the voice of Winsor in Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur (2011).
In 2014, Gubler acted in the zombie comedy Life After Beth and the film Suburban Gothic, for which he received the Screamfest Award for Best Actor.
Gubler has done voice work for the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line. He played Jimmy Olsen in All-Star Superman and voices the Riddler in the animated film, Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014). Gubler has also appeared in the films Band of Robbers (2015), 68 Kill (2017), Endings, Beginnings (2019), and Horse Girl (2020). He appeared in the 2019 Hulu series Dollface.
Filmmaking and directing[]
While making The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Gubler made a documentary titled Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal, a behind-the-scenes view of the making of the film, which was later included in The Criterion Collection DVD release. He directed and starred in a series of self-deprecating mockumentaries titled Matthew Gray Gubler: the Unauthorized Documentary[better source needed] in which he parodies Hollywood behavior, which were filmed on the set of Criminal Minds. A follow-up, Matthew Gray Gubler: The Authorized Documentary, was also made.
Gubler directed, edited, and co-produced the music video for "Don't Shoot Me Santa" by the rock band The Killers.
Gubler directed 12 episodes of Criminal Minds.
Painting[]
In September 2005, the Gallery of Fine Art in Ostrava, Czech Republic, held a showing of 12 watercolors by Gubler; all the works were sold.[better source needed] On September 6, 2008, his art was featured in a group show entitled "Paper Cuts" at The Little Bird art gallery in Atwater Village, California.[better source needed] Gubler contributed a painting of "Sandy The Mammoth" to the Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame.[better source needed] In July 2010, his paintings were featured in Juxtapoz magazine.
In October 2011, an original watercolor by Gubler entitled "Mushface" was sold on eBay for $10,100. Gubler donated the proceeds to the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas.[better source needed]
Gubler's paintings were highlighted in a 2013 interview with BuzzFeed.
Writing[]
Gubler wrote and illustrated his first book, Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging and Being Yourself, which was released on April 2, 2019. It is published as a children's book, but Gubler says it is for all ages, "for anyone who's ever felt like they didn't quite fit in, just to make them know that they're not alone ... My hope in writing the book was to find a way to give the world a 136-page hug." He hand-wrote or hand-drew everything in the book – "every single word, every single illustration, including the bar code and the lengthy copyright page." Within weeks of its release, the book was ranked #1 in its category on the New York Times Best Seller list. In 2023 The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand was published and was again ranked #1 in its category on the New York Times Best Seller list
Filmography[]
- The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
- RV (2006)
- Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
- How to Be a Serial Killer (2008)
- (500) Days of Summer (2009)
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
- All-Star Superman (2011)
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)
- Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014)
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)
- Band of Robbers (2015)
- 68 Kill (2017)
- Endings, Beginnings (2019)
- Horse Girl (2020)