Yousef Abu-Taleb
Encyclopedia
Yousef Abu-Taleb is an American
actor
and producer
of half-Arab
, one-quarter English
, and one-quarter white American
heritage. He was born in Arlington, Virginia, raised in Jordan
, moved back to Harrisonburg, Virginia
, and finally moved to Los Angeles, California
, where he currently resides.
He is perhaps best known for co-starring in the role of Daniel (Danielbeast), the longest-running character in the lonelygirl15
web drama, alongside Jessica Lee Rose
. Since the show's finale, he has ventured into producing, working on both feature film
s and other internet shows, most notably Poor Paul
. He is currently in pre-production on his latest feature film "Look at me" which is a romantic drama.
while looking for acting jobs.
Abu-Taleb became a member of the Screen Actors Guild
and signed with Alliance Entertainment. He landed an extra role in the film Dorm Daze 2, but was eventually cut from the film. He also landed an unpaid role in the independent film Stray, in which his character was beaten to death.
While looking for acting jobs in 2006, Abu-Taleb found a Craigslist
posting for an independent film codenamed Children of Anchor Cove, which later turned out to be the lonelygirl15 project. Although he was older than the character of Daniel, who was written to be 15-16, he won the role and the character was rewritten to be 18.
During the filming, before his identity was revealed, Yousef kept a low profile, keeping to his house and wearing sunglasses when he went out. After the creators and crew came forward, he was openly interviewed by MTV
and CNN
. He also appeared with Jessica Lee Rose
on Tom Green Live
.
Yousef appeared with Jessica Lee Rose on the red carpet at the VH1
Big in '06 Awards, where lonelygirl15
won in the "biggest download" category. He also did some work alongside Carmen Electra
in-character as Daniel for the promotional videos of Epic Movie
, a film that parodies a number of other epic films such as The DaVinci Code, The Chronicles of Narnia
, and Snakes on a Plane
.
As of the lonelygirl15 finale in August 2008, Yousef appeared in over 300 episodes, making him the longest-running character on the show. Yousef also collaborated with lonelygirl15 writer-director Glenn Rubenstein
to co-write the episode "Miss Me?" and Creator Miles Beckett to film the episode "Following The Helper". He also made a surprise appearance in the final episode of the lonelygirl15 sequel series, LG15: The Resistance
, "12 Videos 12 Hours."
fame.
Since leaving the show, Abu-Taleb has ventured into producing. He currently produces web series Poor Paul
, in which former lonelygir15 co-star Jessica Lee Rose
has a recurring role. He says that the comedic aspects and the way the show broke down the fourth wall are what attracted him to it. Currently in the works, Abu-Taleb is executive producing the movie Growth, which is slated for release in 2010 as well as the film Family of Four, also slated for release in 2010. He is currently in pre-production on the feature film The Disconnect. He is also set to produce two new original web series, Blood Letters, a live-action comedy featuring Richard Riehle
from Office Space
and Endangered, a post apocalyptic series with writer John Shepherd from Nurse Jackie
. Recently he can be seen in machinima.com
's live action comedy web series, Bite Me - The Gamer's Zombie Apocalypse Series.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
of half-Arab
Arab American
An Arab American is a United States citizen or resident of Arab ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage or identity, who identifies themselves as Arab. Arab Americans trace ancestry to any of the various waves of immigrants of the countries comprising the Arab World...
, one-quarter English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
, and one-quarter white American
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
heritage. He was born in Arlington, Virginia, raised in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, moved back to Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
, and finally moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where he currently resides.
He is perhaps best known for co-starring in the role of Daniel (Danielbeast), the longest-running character in the lonelygirl15
Lonelygirl15
lonelygirl15 was an interactive web-based video series which began in June 2006 and ran through to August 1, 2008. Developed under the working title The Children of Anchor Cove, the show gained worldwide media attention when it was outed as fictional in September 2006.-Overview:lonelygirl15...
web drama, alongside Jessica Lee Rose
Jessica Lee Rose
Jessica Lee Rose is an American-New Zealand actress who first gained popularity after playing the role of lonelygirl15....
. Since the show's finale, he has ventured into producing, working on both feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s and other internet shows, most notably Poor Paul
Poor Paul
Poor Paul is a sex comedy and politically incorrect web series that stars Kevin G. Schmidt, Samantha Droke, Wes Whitworth and Zack Bennett...
. He is currently in pre-production on his latest feature film "Look at me" which is a romantic drama.
Early career
Yousef Abu-Taleb was taking classes at the Blue Ridge Community College in Virginia in early 2005, when he decided to head to Los Angeles with $2,500 in his pocket to pursue his dream of becoming a movie star, despite the fact that he had no formal acting training at the time. He rented the first apartment he found and got a job at Red LobsterRed Lobster
Red Lobster is a U.S. chain of seafood restaurants. It also operates in Canada, the UAE and Japan . It is aimed at the mid-level "casual dining" segment of the market...
while looking for acting jobs.
Abu-Taleb became a member of the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
and signed with Alliance Entertainment. He landed an extra role in the film Dorm Daze 2, but was eventually cut from the film. He also landed an unpaid role in the independent film Stray, in which his character was beaten to death.
lonelygirl15 fame
Craigslist
Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums....
posting for an independent film codenamed Children of Anchor Cove, which later turned out to be the lonelygirl15 project. Although he was older than the character of Daniel, who was written to be 15-16, he won the role and the character was rewritten to be 18.
During the filming, before his identity was revealed, Yousef kept a low profile, keeping to his house and wearing sunglasses when he went out. After the creators and crew came forward, he was openly interviewed by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
. He also appeared with Jessica Lee Rose
Jessica Lee Rose
Jessica Lee Rose is an American-New Zealand actress who first gained popularity after playing the role of lonelygirl15....
on Tom Green Live
Tom Green Live
Tom Green's House Tonight is an Internet-based talk show hosted by Tom Green. In addition to its primary broadcast on TomGreen.com, the show was syndicated on television stations throughout North America...
.
Yousef appeared with Jessica Lee Rose on the red carpet at the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
Big in '06 Awards, where lonelygirl15
Lonelygirl15
lonelygirl15 was an interactive web-based video series which began in June 2006 and ran through to August 1, 2008. Developed under the working title The Children of Anchor Cove, the show gained worldwide media attention when it was outed as fictional in September 2006.-Overview:lonelygirl15...
won in the "biggest download" category. He also did some work alongside Carmen Electra
Carmen Electra
Tara Leigh Patrick , professionally known as Carmen Electra, is an American glamour model, actress, television personality, singer, and dancer...
in-character as Daniel for the promotional videos of Epic Movie
Epic Movie
Epic Movie is a 2007 American parody film directed and written by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer and produced by Paul Schiff. It was made in a similar style to Date Movie, Friedberg and Seltzer's previous film. The film mostly references The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the...
, a film that parodies a number of other epic films such as The DaVinci Code, The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels for children by C. S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages...
, and Snakes on a Plane
Snakes on a Plane
Snakes on a Plane is a 2006 American horror-action-thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Samuel L. Jackson. It was released by New Line Cinema on August 18, 2006 in North America...
.
As of the lonelygirl15 finale in August 2008, Yousef appeared in over 300 episodes, making him the longest-running character on the show. Yousef also collaborated with lonelygirl15 writer-director Glenn Rubenstein
Glenn Rubenstein
Glenn Rubenstein is a writer, director, musician, and journalist based in Northern California.-Journalism:Glenn Rubenstein has been a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner, Sports Illustrated for Kids, CNET's GameCenter, Wizard Magazine, and many other national publications...
to co-write the episode "Miss Me?" and Creator Miles Beckett to film the episode "Following The Helper". He also made a surprise appearance in the final episode of the lonelygirl15 sequel series, LG15: The Resistance
LG15: The Resistance
LG15: The Resistance was a web television series produced by EQAL that took place within the LG15 Universe. The series was first announced on July 4, 2008 via the official behind-the-scenes LG15 blog, Inside...
, "12 Videos 12 Hours."
Post-YouTube career
Whilst still appearing on lonelygirl15, Abu-Taleb starred in the 2007 horror film, On Bloody Sunday, alongside fellow web celebrity Annemarie Pazmino of Sorority ForeverSorority Forever
Sorority Forever is a web television series created and produced by web production company Big Fantastic, the creators of SamHas7Friends and Prom Queen. Film director McG is an executive producer of the show...
fame.
Since leaving the show, Abu-Taleb has ventured into producing. He currently produces web series Poor Paul
Poor Paul
Poor Paul is a sex comedy and politically incorrect web series that stars Kevin G. Schmidt, Samantha Droke, Wes Whitworth and Zack Bennett...
, in which former lonelygir15 co-star Jessica Lee Rose
Jessica Lee Rose
Jessica Lee Rose is an American-New Zealand actress who first gained popularity after playing the role of lonelygirl15....
has a recurring role. He says that the comedic aspects and the way the show broke down the fourth wall are what attracted him to it. Currently in the works, Abu-Taleb is executive producing the movie Growth, which is slated for release in 2010 as well as the film Family of Four, also slated for release in 2010. He is currently in pre-production on the feature film The Disconnect. He is also set to produce two new original web series, Blood Letters, a live-action comedy featuring Richard Riehle
Richard Riehle
-Life and career:Riehle was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, the son of Mary Margaret , a nurse, and Herbert John Riehle , an assistant postmaster. He attended the University of Notre Dame....
from Office Space
Office Space
Office Space is a 1999 American comedy film satirizing work life in a typical 1990s software company. Written and directed by Mike Judge, it focuses on a handful of individuals fed up with their jobs portrayed by Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Gary Cole, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, and Diedrich...
and Endangered, a post apocalyptic series with writer John Shepherd from Nurse Jackie
Nurse Jackie
Nurse Jackie is an American series that premiered on June 8, 2009, on Showtime, Movie Central and The Movie Network.The series stars Edie Falco as the title character Jackie Peyton, an emergency room nurse at All Saints' Hospital in New York City...
. Recently he can be seen in machinima.com
Machinima.com
Machinima.com is a gaming and media streaming website, that aims to be a hub for machinima, the art of creating animated videos in real-time virtual 3-D environments. The site features machinima-related articles, and news. Machinima productions can be submitted for possible redistribution after...
's live action comedy web series, Bite Me - The Gamer's Zombie Apocalypse Series.
External links
- Yousef Abu-Taleb on LGPedia
- Inside Lonelygirl15: Yousef Abu-Taleb (redux) - Interview with Lonelygirl15 fans Perky and Rosie (RevverRevverRevver is a video sharing website that hosts user-generated content. Revver attaches advertising to user-submitted video clips and originally offered to share ad revenue with the video creators. Videos could be displayed, downloaded and shared across the web in either Apple QuickTime or FLV format...
)