Alex Hirsch is an animator, television writer, and voice actor from Piedmont, California. He is best known as the creator of the hit animated series "Gravity Falls" (2012-2016),a mystery comedy series that follows twin protagonists as they investigate the local mysteries of a strange town in Oregon.
Born in 1985, Hirsch and his twin sister Ariel were raised in Piedmont, a small city surrounded by Oakland. Hirsch has Jewish descent on his father's side and was raised agnostic. He spent his summer vacations living with his great-aunt Lois in a cabin in the woods, an experience that inspired the setting of "Gravity Falls".
Hirsch attended Piedmont High School, where he was known for his creative talents and won the annual Bird Calling Contest. He later attended the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts),where he developed several animated short films and graduated in 2007.
After college, Hirsch worked as a writer and storyboard artist on several animated series, including "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack" (2008-2010) and "Fish Hooks" (2010-2014). He also voiced several characters on these shows, including the recurring character Clamantha on "Fish Hooks".
In 2012, Hirsch launched his own animated series, "Gravity Falls", which ran for two seasons and 40 episodes. The show received critical acclaim and won several awards, including two Emmy Awards and a BAFTA Children's Award. Hirsch has since published a graphic novel based on the series, which became a New York Times Best Seller.
Hirsch has also worked on other projects, including the animated film "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" and the animated series "The Owl House" (2020-). He currently serves as an executive producer on the science fiction comedy series "Inside Job" (2021-),which focuses on a shadow government organization and features a number of conspiracy theories.
As of 2022, Hirsch is 36 years old and has no interest in retiring. He remains a popular figure in the animation community and has been vocal about his criticisms of censorship in the medium.
