Jacob Tremblay
Jacob Tremblay is a Canadian actor who first gained widespread recognition as a child performer in the 2010s and has since transitioned into a career encompassing voice roles in major animated films and mature dramatic parts. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tremblay's breakthrough came with his emotionally demanding performance in the 2015 drama Room, which earned him critical acclaim and made him the youngest nominee for a Screen Actors Guild Award in his category at the time. His subsequent roles in family-friendly dramas like Wonder and the R-rated comedy Good Boys solidified his status as one of Canada's most versatile young actors. In the 2020s, Tremblay has expanded his repertoire with significant voice work in Pixar's Luca and Disney's The Little Mermaid, while also taking on darker, more complex biographical roles in films like Sovereign and the upcoming Unabomber .
Early life and family
Jacob Tremblay was born on October 5, 2006, in Vancouver, British Columbia, and was raised in the nearby municipality of Langley. He is the middle child in his family, with two sisters, Erica and Emma Tremblay, who are also actresses. His father works as a police detective and had some prior experience as a child actor himself, which provided a familiar context for the family when Jacob began pursuing acting. Tremblay's maternal grandfather is Chilean, adding a multicultural dimension to his background. From a young age, Tremblay exhibited an outgoing and performative personality, which naturally led him towards auditions and his first major professional opportunity when he was just five years old, booking a role that would be released two years later.
Career beginnings and breakthrough
Tremblay's film career began with a small role as Blue in the live-action animated film The Smurfs 2, which was released in 2013 when he was six years old. The production took him to Paris with his family, an experience he found tremendously positive. He appeared in a few television movies and guest roles in the following years, but his career-defining moment arrived in 2015 with the release of the independent drama Room. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, the film starred Tremblay as Jack Newsome, a young boy born and raised in captivity alongside his mother, played by Brie Larson. To prepare for their intense roles, Tremblay and Larson spent weeks regularly playing together to build a believable mother-son bond. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 4, 2015, before a wider theatrical release on October 16.
His performance was met with immediate and widespread critical acclaim. Tremblay won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer for his work. He also received a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, becoming the youngest actor ever nominated in that category at the time. This recognition established Tremblay, then only nine years old, as a serious talent far beyond his years. In the immediate aftermath of Room, he took on a variety of supporting roles in 2016, including the horror film Before I Wake with Kate Bosworth, the thriller Shut In with Naomi Watts, and the adventure comedy-drama Burn Your Maps.
Transition to mainstream success
Following his dramatic breakthrough, Tremblay successfully moved into more mainstream projects while maintaining his artistic credibility. In 2017, he starred as August Pullman, a child with Treacher Collins syndrome, in the family drama Wonder, an adaptation of R.J. Palacio's bestselling novel. The film proved to be a major commercial success, earning over $285 million worldwide against a production budget of $20 million. That same year, he also appeared in Colin Trevorrow's drama The Book of Henry alongside Naomi Watts. Tremblay demonstrated his comedic range in 2019 by headlining the R-rated coming-of-age comedy Good Boys, where he played a naive sixth grader. The film opened at number one at the box office, earning $21 million in its first weekend and marking the first R-rated comedy to achieve that feat in three years. Also in 2019, Tremblay delivered a chilling cameo performance in Mike Flanagan's horror sequel Doctor Sleep, playing a kidnapped boy who is tortured, with Flanagan later praising him as one of the best actors he had ever worked with.
This period marked the beginning of his significant foray into voice acting. It was announced he would voice Flounder in the live-action adaptation of Disney's The Little Mermaid. He also joined the cast of the adult animated series Harley Quinn as Damian Wayne, who is also known as Robin. In October 2020, he was featured in the music video for Justin Bieber's track "Lonely" with record producer Benny Blanco. His work in this era demonstrated his ability to handle diverse genres, building a broad career foundation.
Voice acting and animated roles
Throughout the 2020s, Jacob Tremblay has become a prominent voice in animated feature films. He voiced the titular character in Pixar's 2021 coming-of-age story Luca, set on the Italian Riviera. He followed this with a voice role in the 2022 animated film My Father's Dragon. In 2023, he finally brought the character of Flounder to life in Rob Marshall's live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. His voice work continued in 2024 when he starred as the title character in the animated Netflix film Orion and the Dark, a performance for which he won an Emmy Award. Tremblay is set to continue his collaboration with acclaimed animation studios by voicing Curtis in Laika's dark animated fantasy Wildwood, scheduled for release in 2026.
- Robin / Damian Wayne in Harley Quinn (2019 to present)
- Luca Paguro in Luca (2021)
- Role in My Father's Dragon (2022)
- Flounder in The Little Mermaid (2023)
- Orion in Orion and the Dark (2024)
- Curtis in Wildwood (2026)
His consistent work in animation has allowed him to display a different facet of his talent. He voiced the title character in the Pixar film Luca, released in 2021. He also voiced the title character in Orion and the Dark in 2024, which earned him an Emmy Award. Furthermore, he continues to voice Robin in the adult animated series Harley Quinn, connecting him to a popular series.
Mature dramatic roles and recent projects
As he has matured, Tremblay has deliberately sought out more complex and challenging live-action roles. In 2025, he starred opposite Nick Offerman in the crime thriller Sovereign, earning significant critical acclaim and a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Performance. This pivot towards grittier material culminates in one of his most anticipated projects, where he portrays a young Ted Kaczynski, the domestic terrorist known as the Unabomber, in the 2026 Netflix biographical crime drama Unabomber. This role represents a significant departure from his earlier child actor image and underscores his commitment to evolving as a dramatic performer. Also slated for 2026 is a role in the horror film The Night House, further expanding his work in the thriller genre and continuing his exploration of intense psychological material.
The following table outlines Tremblay's key live-action film roles from his breakthrough to his upcoming adult projects. His early breakthrough came with his role in the drama Room in 2015. He later starred in the successful drama Wonder in 2017. More recently, he has taken on mature roles in films like the 2025 crime thriller Sovereign and the 2026 biographical crime film Unabomber.
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Room | Breakthrough role |
| 2017 | Wonder | Major commercial success |
| 2019 | Good Boys | Lead in R-rated comedy |
| 2025 | Sovereign | Independent Spirit Award nomination |
| 2026 | Unabomber | Biographical crime drama |
This trajectory shows his transition from a critically acclaimed child actor to a performer tackling intense adult roles. He first gained major recognition for his childhood role in the 2015 film Room. He later earned acclaim for his mature role in the 2025 biographical crime film Sovereign, which brought an Independent Spirit Award nomination. He further expanded into dark biographical material by portraying the titular domestic terrorist in the 2026 film Unabomber.
Public persona and personal life
Jacob Tremblay maintains a residence in Langley, British Columbia, with his family, and has managed to keep much of his personal life out of the public spotlight. He is known to be a devoted fan of the Star Wars franchise, a passion he has openly shared. In a charming display of fandom, he named his dog after Daisy Ridley's character, Rey, from the sequel trilogy. His genuine excitement was also captured during the 88th Academy Awards ceremony when he reacted with visible delight to the appearance of the droids C-3PO, R2-D2, and BB-8 on stage, a moment considered a highlight of the broadcast. Despite his early fame, Tremblay has largely avoided the pitfalls of child stardom, focusing on his craft and selecting projects that challenge him as he moves into adulthood, which is evident in his recent choice of roles in films like Sovereign and Unabomber.
Awards and recognition
Tremblay's work has been recognized with several major awards and nominations since the beginning of his career. His first major accolade was the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer for Room in 2015. That same year, his Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role made him the youngest nominee in that category's history. For his voice work, he won an Emmy Award for his performance in the 2024 animated film Orion and the Dark. More recently, his performance in the 2025 crime thriller Sovereign earned him a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Performance, signalling his successful transition to adult-oriented dramatic roles and the continued respect of his peers in the industry. These honours chart his evolution from a celebrated child actor to an award-winning performer in animation and independent film.
Questions about Jacob Tremblay
What animated movies has Jacob Tremblay voiced?
Jacob Tremblay has voiced characters in several major animated films. He played the titular character in Pixar's Luca in 2021 and voiced a role in My Father's Dragon in 2022. In 2023, he voiced Flounder in the live-action adaptation of Disney's The Little Mermaid. He also stars as Orion in the 2024 Netflix film Orion and the Dark and is set to voice Curtis in the upcoming animated fantasy Wildwood in 2026.
What mature roles is Jacob Tremblay taking on as an adult actor?
As he transitions into adult roles, Tremblay is choosing complex and darker characters. In 2025, he starred in the crime thriller Sovereign opposite Nick Offerman, earning an Independent Spirit Award nomination. His most prominent mature role is portraying a young Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, in the 2026 Netflix biographical crime drama Unabomber. He is also set to appear in the horror film The Night House in 2026.
How old was Jacob Tremblay when he starred in Room?
Jacob Tremblay was eight years old when he filmed Room in 2015. He was born on October 5, 2006, and the film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 4, 2015. His performance as Jack Newsome earned him the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer. He also became the youngest nominee for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for this role.
What is Jacob Tremblay's most commercially successful film?
Jacob Tremblay's most commercially successful film is Wonder from 2017. In this drama, he portrayed August Pullman, a child with Treacher Collins syndrome. The film was produced on a budget of $20 million and earned over $285 million at the worldwide box office. This financial success made it his highest-grossing film and demonstrated his significant draw as a young actor in a major studio production.
Where is Jacob Tremblay from in Canada?
Jacob Tremblay is from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was born there on October 5, 2006. He was raised in the nearby community of Langley, British Columbia, where he continues to reside with his family. His father works as a police detective in the region, and his maternal grandfather is originally from Chile.
Sources and further reading
- Jacob Tremblay (Wikipedia)
- Jacob Tremblay Movies & TV Shows List (rottentomatoes.com)
Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-21.
