Ben DeJesus

Ben DeJesus
Born
Trenton, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupations
  • Director
  • producer
  • writer
Years active1998–present

Ben DeJesus is an American documentary filmmaker, television director, and producer.

Life and career

DeJesus was born in Trenton, New Jersey. Raised in nearby Ewing Township, New Jersey, he attended Ewing High School and studied theater and journalism at Rutgers University. After working as a stage actor, he obtained an internship at MTV, where he became an associate producer and writer on several seasons of MTV Cribs. In the early 2000s he founded Diamante Pictures and directed music videos for artists including Don Omar, Aventura, Fat Joe, and N.O.R.E..

DeJesus directed and produced the PBS documentary Tales from a Ghetto Klown (2013). He later directed Great Performances: John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway (2018) and American Masters: Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage (2019). He also served as a producer on the Broadway production Latin History for Morons (2018) and directed episodes of the Disney Channel series Bunk’d. He co-founded the production company NGL Studios and later established Casa NoHo Studios.

In 2023, DeJesus began directing and executive producing the MSNBC series Leguizamo Does America. In 2024 he co-created and executive produced the three-part PBS series American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos.

Selected filmography

Year Title Contribution Note
2013 Tales from a Ghetto Klown Director and producer Documentary
2017–2019 Bunk’d Director 2 Episodes
2018 Great Performances: John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway Director Documentary
2019 American Masters: Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage Director and producer Documentary
2021 American Masters: Lights, Camera, Acción Producer Documentary short
2023 Leguizamo Does America Director and executive producer Documentary series
2024 American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos Co-creator and executive producer Documentary series

Awards and nominations

Year Result Award Category Work Ref.
2018 Nominated Tony Awards Best Play Latin History for Morons
2019 Won Imagen Awards Best Documentary Great Performances: John Leguizamo’s Road to Broadway
2020 Nominated Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series American Masters: Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
2022 Won Imagen Awards Best Short Film American Masters: Lights, Camera, Acción
2024 Nominated Cinema Eye Honors Outstanding Anthology Series Leguizamo Does America
2025 Won Imagen Awards Best Special or Television Movie American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos

References

  1. ↑ "Filmmaker Ben DeJesus Talks Raul Julia's Legacy and the Crisis in Puerto Rico". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  2. ↑ "How Ben Dejesus and NGL Produced Latin Inauguration Segments in 5 Days". billboard.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Latinos in Hollywood: A Conversation with Director Ben DeJesus". dga.org. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Ben DeJesus: From Trenton to Hollywood, and Broadway, and …". trentonian.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  5. ↑ "2023 Presenters & Honoree". burbankfilmfest.org. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  6. ↑ "In 'Tales From a Ghetto Klown,' Broadway minus the glitz". boston.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Getting Jazzed for Broadway's Best: John Leguizamo's Road to Broadway". pbs.org. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  8. ↑ "5 Things We Learned From Upcoming Raúl Juliá Doc That'll Make You Love Him More". remezcla.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  9. ↑ "'Latin History for Morons' announces recoupment". broadwaynews.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Ben DeJesus of Casa NoHo Studios: "The DNA Of Microdramas Is 100% Latin American Telenovelas"". produ.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  11. ↑ "John Leguizamo hits the road again for Season 2 of 'Leguizamo Does America'". latimes.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Q&A: Filmmakers Discuss 'VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos'". pbs.org. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  13. ↑ "2018 Tony Award Nominations". tonyawards.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  14. ↑ "34th Annual Imagen Awards Winners Announced". imagen.org. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Nominees & Winners". televisionacademy.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  16. ↑ "'Encanto' Co-Director Shocked by Best Director Win Over Steven Spielberg at 2022 Imagen Awards: 'That's Serious Bragging Rights'". variety.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  17. ↑ "The Nominees for the 17th Annual Cinema Eye Honors". cinemaeyehonors.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Liza Colón-Zayas, John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt & More Among Winners Of 40th Imagen Awards – Full List". deadline.com. Retrieved August 16, 2026.