Jeff Wadlow Biography: Wife, Age, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Movies & TV Shows, Films

Jeff Wadlow is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and occasional actor, known for his work across genres including action, horror, and comedy.

His notable projects include Cry Wolf, Never Back Down, Kick-Ass 2, Truth or Dare, and Fantasy Island.

Profile

• Full Name: Jeffrey Clark Wadlow
• Stage Name: Jeff Wadlow
• Born: March 2, 1976
• Age: 49 years old
• Birthplace: Arlington, Virginia, USA
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Actor
• Height: 5 feet 10 inches (1.79 m)
• Parents: Emily Couric, R. Clark Wadlow
• Siblings: Dr. Anne Drogula
• Spouse: Lindy Booth (m. 2014)
• Children: None
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $11 million USD

Early Life and Education

Jeff Wadlow was born on March 2, 1976, in Arlington, Virginia, to Emily Couric, a Virginia Democratic state senator, and R. Clark Wadlow. Raised in Arlington and Charlottesville, Virginia, he grew up with his sister, Dr. Anne Drogula, a Latin professor at The Ohio State University. He is the nephew of journalist Katie Couric.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Film, modified by Drama, with a citation for outstanding work in Animation, from Dartmouth College in 1998. He then attended the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television, receiving a USC Associates Endowment Scholarship and graduating with a master’s degree in 2001. At USC, he directed the award-winning short film The Tower of Babble (2002).

Career

Jeff Wadlow began his career with small acting roles in Pearl Harbor (2001) and Roswell (2001) as a professor. His short film The Tower of Babble (2002), which he co-wrote, directed, and acted in, won over two dozen awards, including Best Short Film at the New York International Independent Film Festival. He won the 2002 Chrysler Million Dollar Film Competition for Living the Lie, using the prize money to fund his directorial debut, Cry Wolf (2005), a slasher film starring Julian Morris and Lindy Booth, which grossed $32.5 million on a $1 million budget.

His follow-up, Never Back Down (2008), a martial arts drama with Sean Faris, Cam Gigandet, and Djimon Hounsou, earned $41.6 million and an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight. Wadlow wrote and directed Kick-Ass 2 (2013), praised by Quentin Tarantino as a top film of the year, grossing $61 million. He directed and co-wrote True Memoirs of an International Assassin (2016) for Netflix, starring Kevin James, and Truth or Dare (2018) for Blumhouse, which grossed $95 million on a $3.5 million budget.

In 2020, he wrote Bloodshot with Vin Diesel and directed Fantasy Island, both for Sony/Blumhouse. He directed and executive produced The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022) for Netflix, starring Marlon Wayans, and Imaginary (2024), a horror film with Blumhouse.

Wadlow also wrote for Bates Motel (2013–2017) and The Strain (2017), directed Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television (2017–2019), and earned a DGA nomination for Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2021). He founded The Adrenaline Film Project in 2004, mentoring over 600 filmmakers. Upcoming projects include Masters of the Universe and X-Force.

Awards and Nominations

• 2002: Chrysler Million Dollar Film Competition – Short Film Division (Living the Lie) – Won
• 2002: New York International Independent Film Festival – Best Short Film (The Tower of Babble) – Won
• 2002: St. Louis International Film Festival – Best Short Film (The Tower of Babble) – Won
• 2002: Taos Talking Picture Festival – George Méliès Cinematography Award (The Tower of Babble) – Won
• 2002: USA Film Festival – Student Award (The Tower of Babble) – Won
• 2002: Wine Country Film Festival – Short Film Prize (Manual Labor) – Won
• 2004: New Haven Film Festival – Best Animated Short (Catching Kringle) – Won
• 2008: MTV Movie Award – Best Fight (Never Back Down, shared with Sean Faris, Cam Gigandet) – Won
• 2021: Directors Guild of America Award – Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television (Are You Afraid of the Dark?) – Nominated

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @jeffwadlow
• Twitter Handle: @jeffwadlow

Personal Life

Jeff Wadlow, 49, has been married to Canadian actress Lindy Booth, known for The Famous Jett Jackson and Relic Hunter, since October 4, 2014. The couple met while working on Cry Wolf (2005) and resides in Los Angeles.

They have no children, and Jeff maintains a private personal life, rarely sharing details publicly. He is not highly active on social media but uses Instagram and Twitter to promote his projects. Jeff is passionate about mentoring young filmmakers through The Adrenaline Film Project, which he runs annually at the Virginia Film Festival.

Filmography (Selected)

• Pearl Harbor (2001) – Actor, Small Role
• Roswell (2001) – Professor (TV Series, 1 episode)
• The Tower of Babble (2002) – Actor, Co-Writer, Director (Short Film)
• Manual Labor (2002) – Director, Writer (Short Film)
• Living the Lie (2002) – Director, Writer (Short Film)
• Catching Kringle (2004) – Director, Writer (Short Film)
• Cry Wolf (2005) – Director, Co-Writer
• Prey (2007) – Co-Writer
• I’m Through with White Girls (2007) – Actor (Billy)
• Never Back Down (2008) – Director
• The Odds (2010) – Writer, Executive Producer (TV Pilot)
• Hail Mary (2011) – Writer, Executive Producer (TV Pilot)
• Kick-Ass 2 (2013) – Director, Writer
• Non-Stop (2014) – Executive Producer
• Bates Motel (2013–2017) – Writer, Executive Producer (TV Series)
• True Memoirs of an International Assassin (2016) – Director, Writer
• The Strain (2017) – Writer, Producer (TV Series)
• Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television (2017–2019) – Director, Executive Producer (TV Series)
• Truth or Dare (2018) – Director, Co-Writer
• Bloodshot (2020) – Co-Writer
• Fantasy Island (2020) – Director, Writer, Executive Producer
• Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2021) – Director, Executive Producer (TV Series)
• The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022) – Director, Executive Producer
• Imaginary (2024) – Director, Co-Writer, Producer
• Trap (2024) – Director, Writer
• Masters of the Universe (TBA) – Writer
• X-Force (TBA) – Writer

Net Worth

Jeff Wadlow‘s net worth is estimated at $11 million USD. His wealth stems from his career as a director, writer, and producer, with significant earnings from box-office successes like Truth or Dare ($95 million gross), Kick-Ass 2 ($61 million), and Never Back Down ($41.6 million).