Kris Swanberg Biography: Husband, Net Worth, Parents, Children, Awards, Age, Height, Ethnicity

Kris Swanberg, born Kristin Williams, (also known as Kris Rey) is an American filmmaker, actress, and businesswoman who became one of the notable voices of the independent mumblecore film movement.

She gained widespread recognition after creating, producing, directing, and starring in the web series Young American Bodies, which ran on Nerve.com between 2006 and 2009.

The series earned praise for its honest and natural portrayal of modern relationships, helping establish her reputation as a filmmaker with a distinctive storytelling style.

She began her career making low-budget independent productions before transitioning into acclaimed feature films that explored themes of motherhood, identity, and family life.

Over the years, Rey has also built a career as a film educator and entrepreneur, balancing filmmaking with teaching while continuing to contribute to the American independent film industry.

Kris Swanberg
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Kristin Williams
Stage Name:	Kris Swanberg
Born:	November 11, 1980 (age 45 years old)
Place of Birth:	Virginia, United States
Nationality:	American
Ethnicity:	American
Religion:	Christianity
Parents:	Mr. Williams, Mrs. Williams
Spouse:	Joe Swanberg
Relationship:	Divorced
Children:	Jude Swanberg, Abby Swanberg
Occupation:	Filmmaker, Actress, Businesswoman
Net Worth:	$1.5 million

Early Life and Education

Kris Swanberg, aged 46 years old, was born on November 11, 1980, in Virginia, United States. She spent her childhood with her parents, Mr. Williams and Mrs. Williams, before later relocating to the Midwest.

Growing up, she developed a strong interest in storytelling and filmmaking, eventually deciding to pursue a career behind the camera.

She attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production with a focus on documentary filmmaking.

Wanting to combine filmmaking with education, she later enrolled at DePaul University in Chicago and completed a Master’s degree in Education in 2010, giving her the opportunity to teach while continuing her work as a filmmaker.

Personal Life

Kris Swanberg met fellow filmmaker Joe Swanberg while they were freshmen in an English class at Southern Illinois University. Their shared passion for independent cinema brought them together, and they married on June 30, 2007.

During their marriage, they frequently collaborated on film projects, drawing inspiration from their everyday lives and family experiences.

The couple welcomed two children, Jude Swanberg and Abby Swanberg, both of whom appeared in some of their family’s independent film productions while they were young. After more than a decade together, Kris and Joe divorced in 2019.

Since then, she has focused on raising her children while continuing her filmmaking career, and there have been no confirmed public relationships following the divorce.

Outside filmmaking, Kris Swanberg also founded Nice Cream, an organic ice cream business that sold products through Whole Foods stores in the Chicago area. She has continued balancing creative work, teaching, and family life.

Career

Kris Swanberg began her filmmaking career in 2006 with the short documentary Bathwater before creating the web series Young American Bodies.

Running from 2006 to 2009, the series became one of the defining projects of the mumblecore movement because of its realistic dialogue, improvised performances, and honest depiction of the lives of young adults.

Her feature film debut came with It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home, which premiered at the 2009 SXSW Film Festival.

She followed it with Empire Builder in 2012, a drama filmed in Montana that explored themes of isolation, relationships, and personal change.

Kris Swanberg earned broader critical acclaim in 2015 with Unexpected, starring Cobie Smulders.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and explored the parallel pregnancies of a high school teacher and one of her students, receiving praise for its thoughtful and realistic storytelling.

In 2020, after adopting the professional name Kris Rey, she directed I Used to Go Here, a comedy-drama starring Gillian Jacobs that examined adulthood, nostalgia, and creative ambition.

Alongside her filmmaking career, she has also taught film production at Northwestern University, mentoring the next generation of filmmakers while remaining active in independent cinema.

Awards

• SXSW Film Festival – Competition Award for It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home – Nominated (2009)
• Sundance Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) for Unexpected – Nominated (2015)
• Traverse City Film Festival – Best American Indie for Unexpected – Winner (2015)
• Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle Awards – Trailblazer Award – Nominated (2016)

Net Worth

Kris Swanberg has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million. Her income comes primarily from directing, producing, screenwriting, acting, university teaching, speaking engagements, and her previous business venture, Nice Cream.

Social Media

• Instagram: @krisreykrisrey

Filmography

• Bathwater (2006)
• Young American Bodies (2006)
• Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007)
• It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home (2009)
• Audrey the Trainwreck (2010)
• Empire Builder (2012)
• Happy Christmas (2014)
• Baby Mary (2014)
• Unexpected (2015)
• Digging for Fire (2015)
• Win It All (2017)
• First Man (2018)
• I Used to Go Here (2020)

What People Ask