Aly Jetha
{{Infobox person
| name = Aly Jetha
| birth_place = Zambia
| nationality = Canadian
| alma_mater = University of British Columbia, Berkeley Law School
| occupation = Entrepreneur, lawyer, consultant
| known_for = Big Bad Boo
| spouse = Shabnam Rezaei
}}
Aly Jetha is a Canadian children's television creator, producer, director and writer, as well as co-founder and CEO of Big Bad Boo Studios and Oznoz.com, a multilingual educational VOD service for children.{{Cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mercedes |date=2021-11-08 |title=Big Bad Boo's Aly Jetha Named KEPYR's First Heroes Award Honoree |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2021/11/big-bad-boos-aly-jetha-named-kepyrs-first-heroes-award-honoree/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Jetha was born in Zambia and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1974. He grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he graduated from St. George's School. In 1992, Jetha earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of British Columbia. After working for the United Nations and representing Canada at Parliamentarians for Global Action, he pursued legal studies and obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Berkeley Law School at the University of California, specialising in corporate and international law.{{Cite web |title=Aly Jetha {{!}} Tirgan |url=https://tirgan.ca/b/2013/programs/cinema/aly-jetha.html |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=tirgan.ca}}
Career
Jetha became a member of the California Bar and worked as a management consultant at Bain & Company. He later shifted into entrepreneurship, founding four companies in industries such as semiconductors and telecommunications.{{Cite web |title=Kidscreen Summit 2025 - Aly Jetha |url=https://summit.kidscreen.com/2020/speakers/942774/alyjetha/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=summit.kidscreen.com}}
In 2006, Jetha co-founded Norooz Productions with his wife, Shabnam Rezaei,{{Cite web |last=Zahed |first=Ramin |date=2010-06-09 |title=Shabnam Rezaei & Aly Jetha,Founders of Vancouver-based Big Bad Boo Studios |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2010/06/shabnam-rezaei-aly-jethafounders-of-vancouver-based-big-bad-boo-studios/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |language=en-US}} which later evolved into Big Bad Boo in 2007. The studio specializes in creating multicultural children's content, using entertainment to teach culture and language.{{Cite web |date=2010-11-13 |title=Penn Gazette {{!}} Alumni : Profiles |url=http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/0310/pro03.html |access-date=2024-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113141311/http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/0310/pro03.html |archive-date=2010-11-13 }}
Jetha has produced children's' cartoon series 1001 Nights,{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srdGoytBoD8&ab_channel=OznozKids |title=1001 Nights Main Title Song By Big Bad Boo Animation Studios |date=2009-11-20 |last=OznozKids |access-date=2024-10-31 |via=YouTube}} Mixed Nutz, 16 Hudson,{{Cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mercedes |date=2015-03-27 |title=Big Bad Boo, TVO Partner for '16 Hudson' |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2015/03/big-bad-boo-tvo-partner-for-16-hudson/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |language=en-US}} Galapagos X and the Hulu Original series The Bravest Knight, the first children's series with an LGBT protagonist which featured all-star cast including RuPaul, Wanda Sykes, Christine Baranski, T. R. Knight, Bobby Moynihan, Storm Reid and Wilson Cruz.{{Cite web |last=Zahed |first=Ramin |date=2019-09-20 |title=Pioneers of the Toon Frontier: Big Bad Boo's Inclusive New Series 'The Bravest Knight' |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2019/09/pioneers-of-the-toon-frontier-big-bad-boos-inclusive-new-series-the-bravest-knight/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |language=en-US}}
In 2019, Jetha also produced the short film Balloon Girl, which was a finalist in the PBS Online Film Fest. Set in Stadtpark, Vienna, the short film was part of London-based Hope Works Project, a series of short films to inspire kindness, understanding and hope in children around the world.{{Cite web |title=Credits |url=https://www.hopeworksproject.com/credits |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=Hope Works |language=en-US}}
In 2020, The Bravest Knight won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids and Family Programming as well as the MIP Jr. Diversity in Entertainment Awards.{{Cite web |date=2019-09-06 |title=How The Bravest Knight is turning the tide for LGBTQ kids programming |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/bravest-knight-turning-tide-lgbtq-202851426.html |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en-US}} He was named one of Washington State's Top 40 Under 40 in 2002 and again in Vancouver's Top 40 Under 40 in 2009.{{Cite web |date=2010-01-26 |title=Business in Vancouver, Top 40 under 40: Aly Jetha, Rahim Talib |url=https://ismailimail.blog/2010/01/26/business-in-vancouver-top-40-under-40-aly-jetha-rahim-talib/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=Ismailimail |language=en}}
= UNICEF and international development work =
He has been involved with UNICEF and received the WISE Award for his contributions to educational initiatives. In 2018, he was inducted into the Million Lives Collective for his work that improved the lives of over one million people living on less than $5 per day.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-08 |title=Animation Magazine |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tag/1-million-lives-collective/ |access-date=2024-10-31 |language=en-US}}
Filmography
{{main|Big Bad Boo}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Credit |
| 2023
|Galapagos X |Producer |
| 2019
|The Bravest Knight |Producer |
| 2019
|Lili & Lola |Producer |
| 2020
|16 Hudson |Producer |
| 2010–2015
|1001 Nights |Producer |
| 2009
|Mixed Nutz |Producer |
| 2006
|Babak & Friends - A First Norooz |Producer |
| TBD
|Balloon Girl |Producer |