Matthew Gray Gubler
Gubler in 2017
Born	(1980-03-09) March 9, 1980 (age 44) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Alma mater	New York University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2000–present
Website	matthewgraygubler.com

Matthew Gray Gubler (/ˈɡuːblər/, GOOB-lər;^[1] born March 9, 1980) is an American actor, best known for his role as criminal profiler Dr. Spencer Reid in the CBS television show Criminal Minds, for which he also directed several episodes. Gubler has appeared in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 500 Days of Summer, Life After Beth, Suburban Gothic, and Newness. He was also the voice of Simon in Alvin and the Chipmunks and its three sequels.

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.^[2] 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.^[3] He is a graduate of the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he majored in film directing.^[4]

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,^[5] among others. He has been ranked 46th on models.com's list of top 50 male models.^[6]

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.^[5] Criminal Minds ran from 2005 to 2020,^[7] and Gubler performed in all 15 seasons.^[8][9] Gubler played the starring role of Dr. Spencer Reid,^[8] a genius FBI profiler;^[10] Gubler is best known for playing this role^[9] and was regarded as a fan favorite.^[8][11][12] Criminal Minds won the 2017 People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Drama.^[13] Gubler did not appear in the 2022 reboot of the series.^[8]

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.^[14]

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.^[15] He directed and starred in a series of self-deprecating mockumentaries titled Matthew Gray Gubler: the Unauthorized Documentary^{[16][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.^[3][16][17]

Gubler directed, edited, and co-produced the music video for "Don't Shoot Me Santa" by the rock band The Killers.^[17]

Gubler directed 12 episodes of Criminal Minds.^[12]

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.^{[18][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.^{[19][better source needed]} Gubler contributed a painting of "Sandy The Mammoth" to the Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame.^{[20][better source needed]} In July 2010, his paintings were featured in Juxtapoz magazine.^[21]

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.^{[22][better source needed]}

Gubler's paintings were highlighted in a 2013 interview with BuzzFeed.^[23]

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.^[24] 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."^[25] Within weeks of its release, the book was ranked #1 in its category on the New York Times Best Seller list.^[26] 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 ^[27]

Personal life

As of 2009, Gubler divided his time between Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York City.^[28]

In 2009, while filming (500) Days of Summer in Los Angeles, Gubler dislocated his knee while out dancing. The injury required three surgical procedures and the use of a cane for nearly a year, which was written into the script of Criminal Minds.^[29]

On October 27, 2014, Gubler became a certified minister^[30] and officiated at the wedding of Steve Damstra and Gubler's Criminal Minds co-star Paget Brewster on November 29, 2014.^{[31][32][better source needed]}

Filmography

Film

Television

Miscellaneous