Ian Hecox

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title: "Ian Hecox" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1987-births", "21st-century-american-comedians", "21st-century-american-male-actors", "21st-century-american-writers", "american-male-comedians", "american-male-voice-actors", "american-people-of-english-descent", "american-people-of-scottish-descent", "american-people-of-dutch-descent", "american-people-of-german-descent", "american-web-producers", "comedians-from-sacramento,-california", "american-comedy-youtubers", "living-people", "male-actors-from-sacramento,-california", "american-music-youtubers", "mass-media-people-from-sacramento,-california", "smosh", "writers-from-sacramento,-california", "youtubers-from-sacramento,-california"] description: "American internet personality (born 1987)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Hecox" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American internet personality (born 1987) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox social media personality"]

Field	Value
image	Ian Hecox at VidCon 2025 (cropped).jpg
caption	Hecox in 2025
birth_name	Ian Andrew Hecox
birth_date
birth_place	Sacramento, California, U.S.
youtube_years_active	2005–present
youtube_subscribers
youtube_views
signature	Ian Hecox sig.svg
::

| image = Ian Hecox at VidCon 2025 (cropped).jpg | caption = Hecox in 2025 | birth_name = Ian Andrew Hecox | birth_date = | birth_place = Sacramento, California, U.S. | youtube_display_name =

| youtube_years_active = 2005–present | youtube_genre = | youtube_subscribers = | youtube_views = | stats_update = | signature = Ian Hecox sig.svg

Ian Andrew Hecox ( ; born November 30, 1987) is an American YouTuber, comedian, filmmaker, and actor. With Anthony Padilla, he co-founded the YouTube-based video production company Smosh. Hecox has written, directed, and starred in the company's sketch comedy videos since 2005.

Early life

Ian Andrew Hecox was born on November 30, 1987, in Sacramento, California and is a native of Carmichael, California. His parents are Sharon and Stephan Andrew Hecox, and he has an older sister named Melissa. His mother appeared as a recurring character in various Smosh sketches. Hecox attended Del Campo High School and did cross-country. He attended American River College where he took screenwriting, film and improv classes, before dropping out to focus on Smosh two years later.

Career

Smosh

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Ian_Hecox_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg" caption="Hecox at [[VidCon]] in 2012"] ::

In 2002, Hecox joined smosh.com, a website created by his friend since sixth grade, Anthony Padilla. Hecox and Padilla made the Smosh (main) YouTube channel in 2005 and first uploaded several lip sync videos to popular theme songs. It was their lip sync video to the Pokémon Theme, uploaded on November 28, 2005, that became the most-viewed YouTube video for a time (later surpassed by Judson Laipply's Evolution of Dance) until it was eventually taken down due to copyright infringement after surpassing 24 million views.

They shifted to making sketch comedy skits, such as the Food Battle and If It Were Real series. The viral videos helped Smosh become the most-subscribed YouTube channel on three separate occasions. Before the third such occasion, Smosh was acquired by Defy Media (then Alloy Digital) in 2011. Hecox created an individual channel in 2006, "IanH" (now Smosh Pit), which became Smosh's second channel for behind-the-scenes videos and series such as "Lunchtime with Smosh" and his own series "Ian Is Bored".{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/smosh-ian-hecox-anthony-padilla-history-2015-7|title=THE ORIGINAL YOUTUBE STARS: How Smosh went from making a ridiculous Pokémon video to building a comedy empire|first=Kirsten|last=Acuna|website=Insider|date=August 1, 2015 |access-date=March 25, 2024}} Hecox also ventured into feature film with Smosh, co-producing and acting in the films Smosh: The Movie (2015) and Ghostmates (2016). ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Ian_Hecox_(14558330033)_(cropped).jpg" caption="Hecox at [[VidCon]] in 2014"] ::

Despite the growth and expansion the channel had undergone, Padilla left Smosh in 2017 to focus on independent ventures. Hecox continued Smosh in his absence, stating, "I'm really looking forward to taking Smosh to the next phase, and we can't wait for people to see what we have coming up." He and Padilla publicly assured that they had remained friends following the latter's departure, although Hecox would later claim that their friendship was actually strained until they reconnected in 2022. Hecox remained the only original member of Smosh since its inception, and was credited for continuing the success of the channel. JJ Rankin of Screen Rant wrote of his role as a comedian that he "balances both exaggerated and muted humor scenes effortlessly and can engage audiences with his self-aware comedy."

After Padilla's departure, Hecox became more involved with the business aspects of the channel. When Defy Media shut down in 2018, Hecox was left to find new investors to keep the channel going. In February 2019, Smosh was bought by Rhett & Link, who remained the owners until June 20, 2023, when Hecox, alongside freshly returned Padilla, announced that they had reacquired Smosh and would be an independent channel once again.

Outside Smosh

Hecox was a producer for the web series Krogzilla, and was also an executive producer for the series Oishi High School Battle, for 23 episodes between 2012 and 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2012/06/shut-up-cartoons-debuts-krogzilla/|title=Shut Up! Cartoons Debuts 'Krogzilla' |first=Mercedes|last=Milligan|website=Animation Magazine|date=June 4, 2012|access-date=March 18, 2024}} Hecox acted in The Angry Birds Movie (2016){{cite magazine|last=McNary|first=Dave|author-link=Dave McNary|title='Angry Birds' Movie Casts Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage, Maya Rudolph|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/angry-birds-movie-jason-sudeikis-josh-gad-peter-dinklage-bill-hader-1201318330/|access-date=October 1, 2014|magazine=Variety|date=October 1, 2014|archive-date=August 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820005634/http://variety.com/2014/film/news/angry-birds-movie-jason-sudeikis-josh-gad-peter-dinklage-bill-hader-1201318330/|url-status=live |access-date=March 18, 2024}} He also hosted a weekly series for the streaming service Crackle in 2017, and starred in the Tastemade cooking series "Sunday at Nana's" in 2019. He will reprise his role in the upcoming The Angry Birds Movie 3 (2026) after being absent from its predecessor due to Anthony's initial departure from Smosh.

Filmography

Film

::data[format=table]

Year	Film	Role	Notes	Ref.
2015	Smosh: The Movie	Himself	Main role
2016		Bubbles	Voice	last=McNary
Hal and Bubbles	Voice; short film
Hedgehogs	Maddox	Voice; English dub
Ghostmates	Eddie Clayton	Main role
Arctic Adventure: On Frozen Pond	One-Eye	Voice; English dub
2026		Bubbles	Voice
::

Television

::data[format=table]

Year	Film	Role	Notes	Ref.
2014	Awesomeness TV	Himself	Episode: Tangent Girl: The Machine
2015	Ridiculousness	Himself	Episode: Smosh	url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ian-hecox/credits/3030817503/
2016	Chelsea
Scare PewDiePie	Episode: "Naughty Pie"
2017	This Week On		url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2017/04/19/crackle-series-smosh-ian-hecox-50-cent/	title=Crackle Greenlights Series Starring Smosh's Ian Hecox, Dramas From 50 Cent
::

Web

::data[format=table]

Year	Film	Role	Notes	Ref.
2005–present	Smosh	Himself,
2013	Ray William Johnson	Himself	Episode: "RWJ vs Smosh"
2014	Epic Rap Battles of History	Michelangelo	Episode: "Artists vs TMNT"
2016	Part Timers	Ian	Main role
2012–2015	YouTube Rewind	Himself	Episode: "Rewind YouTube Style 2012"
Episode: "What Does 2013 Say?"
Episode: "Turn Down for 2014"
Episode: "Now Watch Me 2015"	date=December 17, 2012	title=SeedwellProduces "Rewind YouTube Style 2012and Star-Studded YouTube Celebrity Cast	url=http://seedwell.com/blog/2012/12/seedwell-produces-rewind-youtube-style-2012-feat-psy-wote-and-star-studded-youtube-celebrity-cast/	url-status=dead
::

References

References

1. Leszczynski, Jimmy. (July 15, 2020). "Smosh Creator Ian Hecox On Early Days, Movie Experience, GDFN & More".
2. Stanley, Grace. (June 23, 2022). "From Myspace to Mythical, Smosh co-founder Ian Hecox and CEO Daniel Tibbets share how the brand has grown over 16 years".
3. Lange, Patricia. (November 15, 2019). "Thanks for Watching: An Anthropological Study of Video Sharing on YouTube". [[University Press of Colorado]].
4. Hamedy, Saba. (2014-09-19). "Lionsgate acquires distribution rights for 'The SMOSH Movie'".
5. McMillan, Graeme. (2015-05-19). "YouTube Comedy Brand SMOSH Partners With Dynamite for Comic Book Line".
6. Grzesiak, Mateusz. (April 3, 2018). "Personal Brand Creation in the Digital Age: Theory, Research and Practice". [[Springer Publishing]].
7. Borden, Jane. (July 16, 2015). "How Sacramento's YouTube darlings Smosh went Hollywood and scored big time".
8. Dotel, Alisha. (23 June 2023). "Meet Smosh Co-founder Ian Hecox Mom Sharon Hecox and Dad Stephan Hecox".
9. (July 28, 2023). "Smosh Answer The Web's Most Searched Questions".
10. Petersen, Anne Helen. (July 26, 2015). "Forever Young: How Smosh Plans To Build A YouTube Fame That'll Last".
11. Yee, Curtis. (January 23, 2020). "The Sketch Artist".
12. Dreier, Troy. (October 4, 2012). "Smosh: YouTube Gods and Unlikely Online Video Superstars".
13. Gutelle, Sam. (October 19, 2012). "After Three Week Long Bracket, Smosh Guys Have 'Food Battle 2012′".
14. Amini, Tina. (April 17, 2012). "It's Silly When Video Games Try To Be Real". Kotaku.
15. Lee, Melly. (April 3, 2012). "Smosh: New Media Personalities".
16. Hale, Mike. (July 23, 2015). "Review: 'Smosh: The Movie' Wades Through YouTube's Shallows".
17. Dry, Jude. (January 4, 2017). "Smosh Grows Up: After 10 Years on YouTube, The Online Comedy Empire Continues to Evolve".
18. Spangler, Todd. (2017-06-14). "Anthony Padilla on Why He Left Smosh: 'I Haven't Been as Creatively Excited Recently'".
19. Spangler, Todd. (June 14, 2017). "Smosh Co-Founder Anthony Padilla Is Leaving the YouTube Comedy Group".
20. Rolli, Bryan. (August 14, 2017). "15 things you didn't know about Smosh, one of YouTube's biggest channels".
21. Spangler, Todd. (2023-06-20). "Smosh Co-Founders Anthony Padilla, Ian Hecox Reunite to Acquire Comedy Brand From Rhett & Link (EXCLUSIVE)".
22. Rankin, JJ. (April 24, 2022). "The Cast of YouTube Comedy Group Smosh, Ranked By Comic Abilities".
23. Spangler, Todd. (November 6, 2018). "Defy Media Is Shutting Down, Will Lay Off Employees".
24. SmoshCast. (February 23, 2019). "HOW SMOSH BEAT DEFY - SmoshCast #1".
25. Spangler, Todd. (February 22, 2019). "Smosh Acquired By Rhett & Link's Mythical Entertainment".
26. Zahed, Ramin. (May 4, 2012). "SMOSH's Shut Up Cartoons Delivers Strong Numbers".
27. Weiss, Geoff. (December 18, 2017). "Anthony Padilla, Jenn McAllister Lend Voices To Lionsgate's 'Hedgehogs' Film".
28. Spangler, Todd. (April 19, 2017). "Sony's Crackle Greenlights Shows From 50 Cent, Smosh's Ian Hecox; Renews 'Snatch,' 'SuperMansion'".
29. Lopez, Matt. (August 7, 2019). "Angela Kinsey, Ian Hecox to Star in New Facebook Watch Shows for Tastemade".
30. Gajewski, Ryan. (2025-09-18). "MrBeast, Salish Matter, Smosh Join 'Angry Birds Movie 3' Voice Cast".
31. (April 16, 2015). "'Smosh: The Movie' To Arrive On July 23rd At VidCon".
32. McNary, Dave. (October 1, 2014). "'Angry Birds' Movie Casts Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage, Maya Rudolph".
33. Angry Birds. (May 12, 2016). "The Angry Birds Movie - Hal and Bubbles".
34. Solsman, Joan. (December 4, 2016). "Smosh's 'Ghostmates' is dead serious about storytelling".
35. Smosh Pit. (2021-05-13). "Reacting to Our Old Acting Gigs".
36. "Ian Hecox".
37. Weiss, Geoff. (April 19, 2017). "Crackle Greenlights Series Starring Smosh's Ian Hecox, Dramas From 50 Cent".
38. Cohen, Joshua. (January 16, 2013). "#1, #2 YouTubers Smosh, Ray William Johnson Collab In Funny Video".
39. Cohen, Joshua. (July 14, 2014). "Smosh, Rhett & Link, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Battle On Season Finale Of 'ERB'".
40. Spangler, Todd. (November 5, 2015). "YouTube's Smosh Guys to Star in 'Part Timers' Scripted Comedy".
41. (December 17, 2012). "SeedwellProduces "Rewind YouTube Style 2012and Star-Studded YouTube Celebrity Cast".
42. Griffin, Andrew. (December 9, 2014). "YouTube Rewind: Vloggers team up to re-create a year of viral videos".

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