Kent Osborne

1.1. Childhood and Background

Osborne and his brother, director Mark Osborne, spent their early childhood in Vermont before their family relocated to Flemington, New Jersey.

1.2. Education

He completed his high school education at Hunterdon Central Regional High School. Following high school, Osborne pursued formal training in acting in New York City, attending the renowned American Academy of Dramatic Arts and studying at David Mamet's Atlantic Theater Company.

2.1. Early Career and Acting Roles

Osborne's initial foray into the entertainment industry began with a small acting role in the 1992 film School Ties, which featured actors such as Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Chris O'Donnell. His character, Emile, in School Ties later served as the inspiration for the screenplay of the film Dropping Out. Osborne co-wrote and starred in Dropping Out alongside notable actors including David Koechner, Adam Arkin, John Stamos, Katey Sagal, and Fred Willard. His brother, Mark Osborne, directed the film, which premiered globally at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival.

Beyond film, Osborne also worked as a writing partner for comedian Rob Schneider. He became a television host, following recurring appearances on the TBS show Dinner and a Movie, he hosted its spinoff program, Movie Lounge, which aired from 1998 to 2001.

2.2. Work in Animated Television

Osborne has had an extensive and impactful career in animated television, contributing as a writer, storyboard director, and head writer for numerous acclaimed series across major networks.

2.3. Mumblecore Film Involvement

Kent Osborne has played a prominent role as a screenwriter, actor, and producer within the mumblecore film movement, often collaborating with director Joe Swanberg. He co-wrote and acted in Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007) and had a supporting role in Nights and Weekends (2008).

He is particularly known for his work on the Uncle Kent film series. For Uncle Kent, which debuted at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, Osborne served as co-writer and co-producer, and also played the title role. The character is loosely based on Osborne's own life. He reprised this semi-autobiographical role for the sequel, Uncle Kent 2, which premiered at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival. His other mumblecore-associated film roles include All the Light in the Sky (2012) and Art History (2011), for which he was also a writer. He also appeared in Digging for Fire (2015), Bloomin Mud Shuffle (2015), No Light and No Land Anywhere (2016), and Build the Wall (2020).

2.4. Voice Direction and Other Production Roles

Beyond his writing and acting, Osborne has contributed significantly behind the scenes in various production capacities. He has worked as a voice director for several animated series, including The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Bee and PuppyCat, Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Summer Camp Island, and the pilot for Craig of the Creek. He also served as a story consultant for The Amazing World of Gumball. Additionally, he has held supervisory and executive roles, including supervising producer and co-executive producer for Summer Camp Island, and co-producer and story editor for Kiff.

2.5. Independent and Web Projects

Osborne has also pursued independent creative endeavors, including the creation of the internet series Cat Agent in 2013, produced with Rug Burn, a company founded by staff members of Titmouse, Inc. and Six Point Harness. For Cat Agent, he served as creator, director, writer, story writer, storyboard artist, executive producer, and voice actor.

In 2011, he starred in writer/director Amber Sealey's film How to Cheat. For his performance in this film, Osborne and his castmates were recognized with the award for Best Performance in the Narrative Competition at the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival.

3.1. Film

3.2. Television