Jared Keeso is a producer, screenwriter, and actor from Canada. His most well-known work is the television show Letterkenny (2016–present), which he created and starred in and received the 2017 Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series.
He is also well-known for his roles as Don Cherry in the television series The Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II, released in 2012, and Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story, released in 2010.
He also won both the Leo Award and the Gemini Award, and he was also credited for Ben Chartier in the 2014 TV series “19-2” (2014-2017), for which he also won a Canadian Screen Award.
Jared Kesso’s Early Life
Richard and Anne Keeso’s son, Keeso was born on July 1st, in the year 1984, in the city of Listowel, Ontario.
Keeso spent a number of years working mostly in a sawmill before beginning his acting career; the sawmill was owned and run by his family since it was established in 1872. The sawmill experienced complete destruction from a fire on September 9, 2018. Like the majority of boys his age in the community, Keeso played junior hockey as a youngster.
With future two-time Stanley Cup champion Jeff Carter, he played for the Strathroy Rockets of the WOHL and the Listowel Cyclones of the GOJHL.
Jared Kesso’s Success in Career
In two CBC television movies depicting Don Cherry’s life, Keeso portrayed Cherry as coach, player, and commentator. The Don Cherry Story: Keep Your Head Up Kid debuted in early 2010, and The Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II debuted in 2012.
He received two honors for his work The Gemini Award for Best Acting in a Leading Role of a Drama Show and The Leo Award for Best Male Lead Acting in a Feature Length Drama.
In 2013, Keeso and his partner Mike Borden created a YouTube channel currently named Letterkenny Problems. Short sketches that portrayed the stereotypical Canadian farmer and his or her problems helped the channel become popular immediately.
The popular 2016 sitcom Letterkenny was based on the YouTube video Letterkenny Problems, which as of November 2022, had reached over 140 million views. Both the TV series and the skits were filmed in Sudbury, Ontario.
In 2022, Keeso produced a spin-off series centered on the title character of Shoresy, which is likewise set & shot in Sudbury, in response to the cult-like popularity of Letterkenny.
In addition to portraying Ben Chartier in the 2014 English-language version of 19-2, Keeso has portrayed a number of other characters in both television shows and feature pictures. He received the Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor Performance in a Continuing Lead Dramatic Role for this performance.
He also has supporting roles in a few other films, including Smokin’ Aces 2: Assassins’ Ball as Nicholas, Seven Deadly Sins, a Lifetime original movie about high school, as Adam, and Charlie, a drug-themed drama, as Simon.
Jared Kesso’s Appearance in Films and Television Series
In his lifetime, Kesso made numerous film and television appearances. In the 2004 film Eve’s Christmas, he made his screen debut as a bartender.
He performed the roles of Sean Ellis in Firestorm: Last Stand at Yellowstone, Paul Hale in Shock to the System, and Seventeen & Missing Curt in 2004. He also played Hockey Player #2 and Nate in the TV shows Life As We Know It and Smallville, respectively.
In the year 2007, he portrayed Keith in The Party Never Stops, Diary of a Binge Drinker, and Jerry in White Noise, The Light. In the television show Monster Warriors, he also played the role of Luke.
He made his acting debut in 2009 in the movies Charlie as Simon; I Love You, Dustin Klepacki, and Caprica as Rod Jenkins.
In 2010, Kesso appeared in several films, including Smokin’ Aces 2: Assassins’ Ball’s Agent Nicholas, A Trace of Danger’s Adrian, A Beginner’s Guide to Endings’ “Juicebox,” Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story’s Don Cherry, and Seven Deadly Sins’ Adam Morgan, and In the comedy Psych, he made his debut appearance as Gabe McKinley.
In The Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story II, Mr. Hunky, and The Marine 3: Homefront, he played Don Cherry, Mr. Hunky, and Harkin, respectively, in 2012 and 2013. In the television program Falling Skies he also portrayed Lars in Falling Skies.
He made his debut in popular movies, including Elysium(2013) as Rico, Godzilla(2014) as JumpMaster, Preggoland(2014) as Dr. Ted, and The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, portrayed as James Donovan.
Kesso also had lead roles in TV series, including 19-2(2014) as Ben Chartier, Letterkenny(2016) as Wayne, and Shoresy(2022) as Shoresy.
His Achievements and Awards
For his work on the TV show 19-2, Kesso received nominations for two “Leo Awards”: Best Lead Performance as a Male in a Dramatic Series & Best Performance as an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role.
In addition, he received nominations for the TV series Letterkenny’s Best Writing in a TV Comedy and Best Script from a Rookie Series at the Canadian Screen Awards and the Writers Guild of Canada, respectively. He played the role of Wayne in the movie Letterkenny and served as the series creator, writer, and director.
Jared received many awards, including the ‘Canadian Screen Awards for Best Acting in a Continuing Lead Drama Role in the Television Series “19-2” and Best Comedy and Writing in a Comedy Series for the Television Series Letterkenny. Also, the “Leo Awards” for Best Lead acting as a Male in a Drama Series.
In addition, he received honors from the “Writers Guild of Canada” for best writing in a TV comedy and the “Leo Awards” for the best music, comedy, or variety program or series for the TV show Letterkenny.