American filmmaker Jared Hess has certainly made a name for himself as a director of strange, quirky comedies filled with weird yet oddly familiar characters. Hess attended Brigham Young University’s film school, where he met his wife Jerusha Hess and the two of them co-wrote the screenplay for Napoleon Dynamite. During this time, Hess also wrote and directed the short film Peluca, which served as a kind of prototype for Napoleon Dynamite. Napoleon Dynamite was released in 2004 and quickly developed a cult following. Hess’s followup Nacho Libre did not receive the same acclaim that Napoleon Dynamite did, and while his third feature film Gentlemen Broncos wasn’t a hit either, I actually have a real soft spot for it. Hess is currently working on a heist film starring Jim Carrey and Owen Wilson, which could, frankly, be amazing. Vote for Pedro. Jared Hess turns 34 today.