Ryan Bergara

{{Infobox person

| name = Ryan Bergara

| birth_name = Ryan Steven Bergara

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|11|26}}

| birth_place = Arcadia, California, U.S.

| education = Chapman University (BFA)

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Internet personality
actor
paranormal investigator

}}

| years_active = 2016–present

| notable_works = BuzzFeed Unsolved

| spouse = {{marriage|Marielle Scott|July 30, 2022}}

}}

Ryan Steven Bergara (born November 26, 1990) is an American Internet personality, actor, paranormal investigator, and co-founder of digital entertainment company, Watcher Entertainment. Bergara first rose to prominence after creating and co-starring in the YouTube true crime and supernatural series BuzzFeed Unsolved.{{Cite web |last=McDaniel |first=Riley |date=2024-03-26 |title=Former 'Buzzfeed Unsolved' star Ryan Bergara to speak at on-campus event |url=https://www.oudaily.com/news/ryan-beragara-buzzfeed-unsolved-campus-activities-council-speakers-bureau-shane-madej/article_ed7a9c34-eb8b-11ee-a5bf-3324d45f8366.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=OU Daily |language=en}}

Early life

Bergara was born in Arcadia, California on November 26, 1990, to Dr. Steven R. Bergara and Linda Bergara.{{Cite web |title=Ryan Bergara Birthday |url=https://nationaltoday.com/birthday/ryan-bergara/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=National Today |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Dentist in Alhambra, CA {{!}} Steven R. Bergara, DDS |url=https://www.drbergara.com/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=www.drbergara.com}} His father works as a dentist and holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. He attended Arcadia High School, where he took advanced film production classes.

Bergara attended Chapman University and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Television and Broadcast journalism in 2013.{{Cite web |last=Luna |first=Elizabeth de |date=2023-03-02 |title=YouTube's favorite ghoul boys, Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara, tell us what they've been watching |url=https://mashable.com/article/shane-madej-ryan-bergara-interview-watcher-youtube |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Mashable |language=en}}

Career

= Buzzfeed (2014–2019) =

Bergara began working at BuzzFeed in 2014. In 2016 he created the web series Buzzfeed Unsolved while working for the titled company. The show was split into two separate series, Unsolved: True Crime and Unsolved: Supernatural. The former featured Bergara presenting unsolved true crime cases to co-host Shane Madej and presenting possible theories,{{Cite web |last=Currier |first=Sarah |title=Ryan Bergara discusses past and future content at ISU AfterDark |url=https://iowastatedaily.com/281907/limelight/ryan-bergara-discusses-past-and-future-content-at-isu-afterdark/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Iowa State Daily}} while Supernatural consisted of the pair investigating reportedly haunted locations and attempting to elicit responses for paranormal proof. The show became one of Buzzfeed's most successful series, generating over a billion video views and 16.6 billion minutes of total watch time.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2021-06-07 |title='BuzzFeed Unsolved' Final Two Seasons Set to Premiere This Year |url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/buzzfeed-unsolved-final-seasons-shane-ryan-1234988846/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} The show ran for eight seasons and included a companion Q&A show, with Bergara serving as an executive producer.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2019-12-09 |title=Ex-BuzzFeed Video Staffers Launch Watcher Entertainment Digital Studio (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/watcher-entertainment-buzzfeed-steven-lim-ryan-bergara-shane-madej-1203427669/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

Bergara left Buzzfeed as a full-time employee in 2019. Both Bergara and Madej maintained a contract with the company to finish out the final seasons of Buzzfeed Unsolved, which ended in 2021.

= Watcher (2019–present) =

In 2019, Bergara co-founded a digital production company, Watcher Entertainment, with fellow ex-Buzzfeed employees, Madej and Steven Lim. Bergara, Madej, and Lim served as co-CEOs until 2023, when both Bergara and Madej stepped down to focus on the creation of content.{{Cite web |title=VidCon Anaheim |url=https://www.vidcon.com/anaheim/creator/226495/#:~:text=Steven%20Lim%20is%20a%20co,the%20hit%20show%20Dish%20Granted. |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=VidCon Anaheim |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Press 💬 |first=The Publish |title=Why This Channel Went from 3 CEOs to 1 🔻 |url=https://news.thepublishpress.com/p/channel-went-3-ceos-1 |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=The Publish Press |language=en}}

Following the end of Unsolved, Bergara created two successors – Mystery Files and Ghost Files.{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Fisher |date=2023-06-20 |title=Watcher Entertainment Cracks the Code on True Crime with 'Mystery Files' |url=https://collider.com/mystery-files-watcher-entertainment-true-crime/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Collider |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Everything to know about 'Ghost Files' |url=https://www.thepostathens.com/article/2022/09/everything-to-know-ghost-files |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Everything to know about 'Ghost Files' – The Post |language=en-US}} The former presenting solved and unsolved cases and the latter consisting of Madej and Bergara doing paranormal investigations.{{Cite web |last=Lovitt |first=Maggie |date=2022-09-21 |title='Ghost Files': Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej Unpack Their Return to Paranormal Investigation |url=https://collider.com/ghost-files-ryan-bergara-shane-madej-interview/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Collider |language=en}} The series showed success upon release, leading to new season renewals.{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Fisher |date=2022-10-03 |title='Ghost Files' Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara Are the Best Ghost Hunters in the Biz |url=https://collider.com/ghost-files-shane-madej-ryan-bergara-best-ghost-hunters/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Collider |language=en}}

The channel hosts a variety of shows starring Bergara, Madej, Lim, and others, spanning cooking, gaming, horror, and mystery shows.

In 2023, Bergara and Madej went on a national tour to premiere the second season of Ghost Files.{{Cite web |last=Huynh |first=Julie |title=The Ghoul Boys are in town! Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej premiere new show "Ghost Files" at the Wilbur Theater |url=https://thesuffolkjournal.com/38972/ac/theater/the-ghoul-boys-are-in-town-ryan-bergara-and-shane-madej-premiere-new-show-ghost-files-at-the-wilbur-theater/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=The Suffolk Journal}}

= Other works =

Bergara has also made appearances in various film and television roles. In 2020, he had a guest role on the CBS police procedural drama S.W.A.T with Madej. The pair portrayed conspiracy theorists convinced they had spotted aliens, a nod to their online personas.{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Rebecca |date=2020-03-12 |title=S.W.A.T. Season 3 Episode 16 Photos: Preview of "Gunpowder Treason" |url=https://www.showbizjunkies.com/tv/swat-season-3-episode-16/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=ShowbizJunkies |language=en-US}}

He has made an appearance alongside Nick Jonas in the 2023 Robert Schwartzman film The Good Half.{{Cite web |last=Laffly |first=Tomris |date=2024-08-16 |title=‘The Good Half’ Review: Nick Jonas Leads a Timid and Awkward Exploration of Familial Grief |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/the-good-half-review-nick-jonas-1236108183/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} He has also had cameo's in Disney Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Hulu's miniseries Pam & Tommy.{{Cite web |last=Vaux |first=Robert |date=2023-02-20 |title=Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's Weirdest Cameo Continues a Franchise Tradition |url=https://www.cbr.com/ant-man-wasp-quantumania-ryan-bergara-cameo-explained-mcu/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=CBR |language=en}}

In February 2025, it was announced that Bergara would be starring alongside co-star Kevin Kreider in Jennifer Zhang's sci-fi thriller Trüebadour. This marks his feature lead acting debut. The story follows the implosion of a tech start up after an innovative AI “storytelling” device is introduced into the company. Jamie Lee Curtis will serve as an executive producer.{{Cite web |last=Merican |first=Sara |date=2025-02-25 |title=Ryan Bergara & Kevin Kreider Set to Star In ‘Trüebadour’; Jamie Lee Curtis Boards as EP |url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/ryan-bergara-kevin-kreider-set-to-star-truebadour-jamie-lee-curtis-boards-ep-1236301117/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} The movie began filming in April. Bergara and Madej also made a guest appearance on the ABC drama series The Rookie the same month.{{Cite web |last=Roush |first=Alex |date=2025-04-18 |title=Ghost Files Stars Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej to Guest Star on The Rookie |url=https://www.cbr.com/ghost-files-stars-ryan-bergara-shane-madej-the-rookie/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=CBR |language=en}}

Personal life

Bergara began dating actress Marielle Scott in September 2018 and the two became engaged in April 2021. He and Scott married in Santa Barbara on July 30, 2022.{{Cite web |title=Exclusive: Marielle Scott & Ryan Bergara's Colorful Santa Barbara Wedding |url=https://www.brides.com/marielle-scott-ryan-bergara-exclusive-wedding-6362945 |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Brides |language=en}}

He is a firm believer in the supernatural, while he and the believers within his fanbase are monikered "Boogaras."{{Cite web |last=Swope |first=Michelle |date=2022-10-14 |title=Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej Talk "Ghost Files" and Their Favorite Horror Movies [Interview] |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3736557/ryan-bergara-and-shane-madej-talk-ghost-files-and-their-favorite-horror-movies-interview/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Franklin |first=Beth |date=2024-04-30 |title=US ghost hunters on the trail of infamous Scots ghoul |url=https://news.stv.tv/west-central/shane-madej-and-ryan-bergara-bring-ghost-files-to-scotland-in-hopes-of-catching-infamous-ghoul |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=STV News |language=en-GB}} He is also a self-ascribed Kernelhead and Theme Park Enthusiast.