Jared Keeso, born on July 1, 1984, is a Canadian actor, screenwriter, and producer. He created and stars in the hit comedy series Letterkenny. He later built the spinoff series Shoresy into a hit of its own.
Who is Jared Keeso?
Jared Keeso is a Canadian actor, screenwriter, and producer from Listowel, Ontario. He is best known for creating and starring in the comedy series Letterkenny, which ran from 2016 to 2023.
The show grew out of Letterkenny Problems, a YouTube sketch series Keeso launched in 2013 with his own money.
That web series drew more than 100 million views before Keeso developed it into a full sitcom with filmmaker Jacob Tierney. Letterkenny went on to win the Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series in 2017.
In 2022, Keeso created a spinoff series called Shoresy, which follows a hockey player he originally played on Letterkenny. He also starred as Ben Chartier in the police drama 19-2 from 2014 to 2017.
Early Life of Jared Keeso
Jared Keeso was born on July 1, 1984, in Listowel, Ontario, to Richard and Anne Keeso. He grew up alongside his brother Alan and sister Abigail.
His family owned and operated the Keeso Sawmill Company, founded in 1872.
Keeso spent several years working in the family sawmill before pursuing acting full time. A fire destroyed the sawmill on September 9, 2018, ending the family business.
As a teenager, Keeso played junior hockey for the Listowel Cyclones, the Strathroy Rockets, and the Kincardine Bulldogs between 2000 and 2003. He once hoped to play professional hockey before shifting his focus toward acting around age 18.
Jared Keeso Age
Jared Keeso is 42 years old as of 2026, born on July 1, 1984. Their zodiac sign is Cancer.
He continues starring in and producing Shoresy, which premiered its fifth season in February 2026. Keeso also has a new Crave comedy series in production for a 2026 premiere.
Jared Keeso Ethnicity and Nationality
Jared Keeso holds Canadian nationality. He is of white ethnic background.
He was born and raised in Listowel, a small town in rural Ontario. That small-town upbringing later shaped much of the setting and humor found in Letterkenny and Shoresy.
Jared Keeso Height and Weight
Jared Keeso stands at 5 feet 9 inches, which converts to approximately 1.75 meters. He weighs around 160 pounds, or 73 kilograms.
He has kept an athletic build tied to his background in junior hockey.
That physicality carried into his hockey-focused role in Shoresy. Keeso has said he had a tooth surgically removed to better fit the look of his Shoresy character.
Jared Keeso Education
Keeso attended the University of Waterloo for half a semester before leaving to pursue acting. He then moved to Toronto to begin auditioning for roles.
That early decision to leave school marked a turning point in his career.
Keeso has said his parents encouraged him to pursue acting once his hockey ambitions did not pan out. He never returned to complete a college degree after moving to Toronto.
Jared Keeso Career
Jared Keeso’s acting career began with small television roles before growing into a two-decade run as a writer, producer, and star. That growth followed a steady, methodical path.
Early Career
Keeso’s first credits came in 2004, with appearances in the television movie Eve’s Christmas and the series Smallville. He also had recurring roles on Monster Warriors and The Guard between 2006 and 2009.
He guest starred on other series, including Supernatural, The 4400, and Psych.
In 2010, Keeso played hockey commentator Don Cherry in the CBC television film Keep Your Head Up, Kid: The Don Cherry Story. That role earned him a Leo Award and a Gemini Award, and he reprised the part in 2012’s The Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II.
Breakthrough with 19-2 and Letterkenny
From 2014 to 2017, Keeso starred as police officer Ben Chartier in the drama series 19-2. He won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role for the role in 2015.
During that same period, Keeso began posting short comedy sketches called Letterkenny Problems to YouTube.
He funded the early episodes himself, investing about $5,000 of his own money. Those sketches grew into the sitcom Letterkenny, which premiered on Crave in February 2016 and ran for twelve seasons.
Recent Work
Following Letterkenny’s conclusion in 2023, Keeso continued developing the Shoresy spinoff, which he had launched in 2022. Shoresy’s fifth season premiered on Crave on December 25, 2025, and on Hulu on February 21, 2026.
The series has already been renewed for a sixth season, set to premiere in 2027.
Keeso is also developing a new Crave comedy series called I Kill the Bear, which began production in Sudbury, Ontario, with a cast that includes Chad Kroeger and Kristin Kreuk. That series is set to premiere on Crave later in 2026.
Jared Keeso Awards and Recognition
Keeso has won multiple Canadian Screen Awards across his career, including honors for both his writing and acting on Letterkenny. He also earned a Canadian Screen Award for his lead role in 19-2 in 2015.
His performance as Don Cherry brought him a Leo Award and a Gemini Award in 2010.
He has also received recognition from the Writers Guild of Canada for his writing on Letterkenny. Those combined honors have made him one of the most decorated figures in Canadian television comedy.
Jared Keeso Wife
Jared Keeso married Magali Brunelle, a Canadian corporate lawyer, in July 2018. The couple has kept much of their married life away from the public eye.
Brunelle previously worked in civil rights law before shifting to corporate law.
Keeso rarely discusses his marriage in interviews, preferring to keep his personal life private. He has continued splitting his time between Sudbury productions and his family life in Ontario.
Jared Keeso Net Worth
Jared Keeso’s estimated net worth is $4 million as of 2026. His earnings come primarily from acting, writing, and producing across Letterkenny and Shoresy.
His work as both star and executive producer has given him a larger share of profits from his shows.
Merchandise deals and live comedy events tied to the Letterkenny brand have added further to his income. Keeso’s ongoing partnership with Crave continues to support his earnings through new projects.
The Bottom Line
Jared Keeso turned a self-funded YouTube sketch series into Letterkenny, which won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series in 2017. He later expanded that success into Shoresy, now heading into its sixth season in 2027.
Keeso grew up working in his family’s Ontario sawmill and playing junior hockey before shifting fully into acting. He has kept his productions rooted in small-town Canadian settings throughout his career.
He is currently developing a new Crave series called I Kill the Bear alongside his continued work on Shoresy. Keeso remains one of the most recognized names in Canadian television comedy.
We hope you enjoyed reading about Jared Keeso. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!