What Happened to Jacob Daniel Tierney?

Jacob Daniel Tierney, born on September 26, 1979, in Montreal, Quebec, began his career as a child actor, notably appearing in the horror anthology series 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' from 1990 to 1992. His early acting career also included roles in films like 'Josh and S.A.M.' (1993) and 'The Neon Bible' (1995). Transitioning behind the camera, Tierney made his directorial debut with the short film 'Dad' in 2002, followed by his feature film debut 'Twist' in 2003, a modern adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist' that earned him a Genie Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

His directorial and writing prowess continued to shine with films such as 'The Trotsky' (2009), which garnered him two Canadian Comedy Awards and a Genie Award for Best Original Screenplay, and 'Good Neighbours' (2010). A significant turning point in his career came with the creation of the Canadian sitcom 'Letterkenny' in 2016, where he served as co-creator, co-writer, director, and executive producer, also playing the recurring character Pastor Glen. The series became an international cult hit, earning Tierney multiple Canadian Screen Awards for Best Comedy Series, Best Direction, and Best Writing.

Following the success of 'Letterkenny', which concluded in 2023, Tierney continued his collaboration with Jared Keeso on the spin-off series 'Shoresy', serving as executive producer and director for its first two seasons (2022-2023). His most recent and widely acclaimed project is the sports romance series 'Heated Rivalry', which he created, wrote, directed, and executive produced. Premiering in November 2025 on Crave in Canada and internationally on HBO Max, the series quickly became a global phenomenon, praised for its depiction of a queer love story between two hockey players.

As of April 2026, Tierney is a highly sought-after creative voice. He is actively working on the second season of 'Heated Rivalry', which is slated to begin filming in August 2026 and premiere in April 2027. In March 2026, Netflix announced that Tierney would write, direct, and executive produce 'Alexander', a new drama series adapting Annabel Lyon's novel 'The Golden Mean', with Jason Bateman's Aggregate Films also executive producing. Tierney has also recently addressed the challenges of 'Heated Rivalry's' rapid success, speaking out against racist and biphobic backlash directed at the show's diverse cast, particularly lead actor Hudson Williams, emphasizing the importance of representation. His contributions to entertainment continue to be recognized, as he was announced as the recipient of the 2026 Creative Impact Award at the Departure Honours in January 2026 and the Showrunner Award at the Critics Choice Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television in April 2026.