Ronen Rubinstein facts for kids

Ronen Rubinstein (born November 7, 1993) is an American actor, activist, and lead singer for the rock band Nights in Stereo. He is well-known for playing T. K. Strand in 9-1-1: Lone Star. He also played Matt Webb in American Horror Stories and Nathan in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. Both 9-1-1: Lone Star and American Horror Stories were created by Ryan Murphy.

Early Life and Education

Ronen Rubinstein was born in Rehovot, Israel. His parents were immigrants from the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, which was part of the Soviet Union (now Kazakhstan). His father was a dentist and did not want his children to join the Israeli army.

When Ronen was five years old, his family moved to the United States. He grew up in Staten Island, New York City. He has shared that he felt like an outsider as an immigrant. He took English as a Second Language classes and found it hard to get used to American culture.

Discovering Acting

In his second year of high school, Ronen's guidance counselor suggested he try theater. This was a way for him to deal with tough times in his neighborhood. Ronen said that acting truly helped him. He felt it gave him a purpose and discipline. He quickly fell in love with it.

He briefly worked as a dental assistant for his father. However, he chose not to become a doctor. After attending New Dorp High School, he decided to become an actor. He completed a one-year program in Acting for Film at the New York Film Academy.

In December 2023, Ronen Rubinstein received an honorary degree. It was a Master of Fine Arts in Acting for Film from the New York Film Academy. He also gave a speech at their graduation ceremony.

Acting Career

First Roles

At 16, Ronen wrote his first short film, Something in the Way. He later directed, produced, and starred in it. The film is about a young soldier who struggles after returning home from war.

He made his first appearance on screen at age 17. This was in the 2011 film Detachment. He played a teenage rebel named Gangsta. The film starred actors like Bryan Cranston and Adrien Brody.

In his last year of high school, Ronen got a main role in It Felt Like Love. This film was directed by Eliza Hittman. It showed a young man named Sammy from Brooklyn. The film was shown at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

The next year, he played the main character in Some Kind of Hate. He played a young person who was severely bullied. He also appeared in another film at the Sundance Film Festival, Jamie Marks Is Dead.

Becoming Well-Known

In 2015, Ronen Rubinstein appeared in season 3 of Netflix's Orange Is the New Black. He played Nathan, a kind person who was a love interest for Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett. This role helped him become more widely known.

In 2016, he was a regular cast member in Freeform's Dead of Summer.

In 2018, he played Mike in the comedy drama Dude. He acted alongside Lucy Hale and Awkwafina. Ronen has worked with several first-time female directors. He supports gender equality in filmmaking. He has said that there should be more women in the film industry.

He also had roles in the comedy drama Smartass (2017) and Brooklyn Love Stories (2019).

Recent Work

Since 2020, Ronen has starred as Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand in Ryan Murphy's Fox series 9-1-1: Lone Star. He plays an openly gay firefighter and a person recovering from addiction. His character's father, Captain Owen Strand, is played by Rob Lowe. The show has been very popular. It is praised for showing diverse characters. These include a Muslim female firefighter and a black transgender male firefighter.

Ronen has said that the show helps people see themselves on screen. He mentioned that many gay first responders have reached out to him. He also praised the show for showing a same-sex relationship as normal. The series was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series.

Ronen also starred as Alexei in No Escape, a thriller about the dangers of social media. He speaks Russian in this film.

In 2021, Ronen Rubinstein joined the cast of Ryan Murphy's American Horror Stories. He appeared in the fifth episode with Billie Lourd.

Other Projects

Ronen Rubinstein appeared in CeCe's music video for "Broke AF" in 2017.

In 2018, he was in the documentary Tyler Shields: Provocateur.

In January 2022, Ronen announced the first song, "Open Door," from his band Nights in Stereo. He formed the band with Rodrigo R. Rodarte and Jon Shoer. In summer 2022, they released their second song, "Underwater." Their songs are available on Spotify. Their song "New Love, New York" was released on June 11, 2025.

Personal Interests

Ronen's first language is Russian. He also speaks Hebrew and English.

He enjoys being outdoors. He has played basketball since he was a child. He looks up to Kobe Bryant as a role model.

He is a big fan of the bands Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kings of Leon. He also admires Harry Styles for his unique style.

In March 2020, he supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential race.

He has adopted two pit bull dogs named Fresh and Spot.

In 2020, Ronen changed his diet from pescetarian to veganism.

Ronen has spoken about his family's Jewish heritage. He said his parents taught him about Jewish traditions and history. They celebrate Jewish holidays every year.

On August 14, 2022, he married Canadian actress Jessica Parker Kennedy. They had a small Jewish ceremony in Calgary, Canada. They had been dating since 2017. They live in Los Angeles, California. Their first child, Boydd Parker-Rubinstein, was born on September 29, 2024.

Activism and Advocacy

Protecting the Environment

Ronen Rubinstein survived Hurricane Sandy. This experience made him a strong supporter of climate action and sustainability. In July 2020, he shared how the hurricane destroyed his family's home in Staten Island. He called it a "horrifying moment." The hurricane also caused the deaths of 24 of his neighbors.

Ronen, who was eighteen at the time, decided that his acting career would also involve trying to help the planet. He wants to raise awareness about environmental issues. He promotes living in a way that helps the Earth. He uses his public platform to teach others. He is known for choosing vintage and sustainable fashion. He tries to be as eco-friendly as possible. He is an ambassador for Vrai, a company that makes lab-grown diamonds.

He is also an ambassador for The Ocean Cleanup. This group works to remove plastic waste from the oceans. He supports Project Zero, which aims to protect and restore the ocean. He marched in the September 2019 climate strikes, a large global climate protest. He has also supported the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.

In April 2020, he took part in Earth Day Live. This was an online event during the COVID-19 pandemic. He talked about the importance of switching from fossil fuels to clean energy. He drives zero-emissions cars himself. He is an ambassador for DriveH2, which promotes clean transportation.

In June 2022, Ronen Rubinstein joined the board of the Environmental Media Association.

On the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, Ronen helped launch Half the World. This campaign by the United Nations Development Programme focuses on poverty and inequality caused by COVID-19 and climate change.

Other Causes

Besides environmental work, Ronen supports many other causes. These include the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the No Kid Hungry campaign. He also supports the Black Lives Matter movement and the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. He helps Feeding America, Mercy for Animals, and the Humane Society. He also supports Rebecca Corry's Stand Up for Pits Foundation, which rescues pit bull dogs.

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in March 2020, Ronen started a global candle light event. This was to support healthcare workers and first responders.

He participated in online readings of plays like Shakespeare's Hamlet and Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. These readings helped raise money for charities during the 2020 pandemic.

In August 2020, Ronen teamed up with When We All Vote. This group, started by Michelle Obama, helps people register to vote.

He is also a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights.

In the Media

In 2020, Los Angeles magazine included Ronen Rubinstein on its New Hollywood A-List. This list features ten talented young people in Hollywood.

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