Rudy Pankow (/ˈpɑːnk/)[2] is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as JJ Maybank on the Netflix[3] teen drama series Outer Banks.[4]

Rudy Pankow
Pankow on the set of Outer Banks in 2019
Born (1998-08-12) August 12, 1998 (age 26)[1]
OccupationActor
Years active2016–present
Notable workOuter Banks
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
PartnerElaine Siemek (2020–present)

Early life

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Rudy Pankow was born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska.[1] His parents are Andrew and Penny Pankow. Rudy is the middle child; he has an older brother Alec Pankow and younger brother Henning Pankow. He began his interest in acting and production in middle school via YouTube. He attended Ketchikan High School, where he played soccer. Rudy is also certified in kayaking and can play the drums. Although he considered joining culinary school, Pankow decided to become an actor and joined the Michael Woolson Studio to improve his skills.

After completion of the acting course, he started performing in theatre to gain more experience.[5] During his time in theatre, he played roles in The Nutcracker, Mary Poppins and Oliver Twist.

Career

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In 2020, Pankow began playing JJ Maybank on Netflix's mystery teen drama television series Outer Banks.[6] The series is set in a community in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and follows the conflict between two groups of teenagers in search of a lost treasure.[7] The show has been an international success for Netflix. In March 2023, Forbes magazine reported that all three seasons made Netflix's global top 10 weekly list, with season three attracting 99 million hours viewed, while the second and first seasons garnered 27.7 million hours and 34 million hours viewed, according to Netflix data.[8]

In 2024, he’s starring as Romeo in the American Repertory Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet.[9]

Personal life

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Since 2020, Pankow has been in a relationship with Elaine Siemek, who has also been working on Outer Banks since the start of its production.[10]

Filmography

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Key
Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

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Year Title[11] Role Notes
2017 Sunny Family Cult Aaron Short
2017 Nobody Knows Abe Short
2017 11:47 Jesse Short
2017 Do Good Things[12] Mike Short
2018 Not Me Ashton Short
2018 Last Summer Dylan Short
2018 Deviant Marcel Short
2018 Muse: Thought Contagion Lead Guy Music Video
2021 Lift Off Danny Short
2021 Virgo-proof of concept Lead Short
2022 Uncharted Sam Drake
2022 Space Waves[13] Joey
2023 Accidental Texan Erwin Main Role
2023 The Crusades Leo Main Role
2024 5lbs of Pressure Jimmy

Television

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Year Title[11] Role Notes
2017 Sunny Family Cult Aaron Episode: "Origins"
2019 The Politician[14] Other Kid Episode: "The Voter"
2019 Solved Freddy / Robert 2 episodes
2020–2024 Outer Banks[15] JJ Maybank Main Role, 40 episodes

References

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  1. ^ a b Anne, Quimberly (February 23, 2023). "Things You Probably Didn't Know About 'Outer Banks' Actor Rudy Pankow". Instinct. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "'Outer Banks' Star Rudy Pankow's Bookshelf Tour | Shelf Portrait". Marie Claire. June 22, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  3. ^ "Get Ready to See a Lot More of Rudy Pankow – L'Officiel". www.lofficielusa.com.
  4. ^ Fuentes, Tamara (April 29, 2020). ""Outer Banks" Star Rudy Pankow is Ready for JJ to Struggle in Season 2". Seventeen. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  5. ^ "How old is Rudy Pankow?". PopBuzz. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  6. ^ "Rudy Pankow of Outer Banks | LOCAL Life". LOCAL Life | Hilton Head Island & Bluffton. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  7. ^ ""Outer Banks" Creators Explain Why They "Needed" a Big Time Jump". Teen Vogue. 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  8. ^ Tellez, Anthony. "'Outer Banks' Continues Reign Atop Netflix Most-Watched List As Chris Rock Enters Top 10". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  9. ^ Rudy Pankow, Emilia Suárez, and Terrence Mann Will Star in A.R.T. Romeo and Juliet
  10. ^ Kaloi, Stephanie (February 27, 2023). "Who Is Rudy Pankow's Girlfriend? All About Elaine Siemek". People Magazine. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Rudy Pankow". IMDb. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  12. ^ Do Good Things
  13. ^ Space Waves, retrieved May 23, 2020
  14. ^ "Rudy Pankow was an extra in The Politician on Netflix". PopBuzz. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  15. ^ Walsh, Savannah (May 2, 2020). "How Old Is the Cast cf Netflix's 'Outer Banks' Now?". ELLE. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
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