The star of CBS’s hit comedy “Ghosts,” Utkarsh Ambudkar, is stepping into the director’s chair for the first time. Ambudkar, who has portrayed the character Jay since the show’s debut in 2021, is set to direct an upcoming episode of “Ghosts.” This marks Ambudkar’s directorial debut, with filming scheduled to take place this fall, and the episode is expected to air in the spring of next year.
Ambudkar joins co-star Rose McIver, who also directed an episode of the show, having made her directorial debut last year with the Season 4 episode titled “Ghostfellas.”
“Ghosts” is set to return for its fifth season on October 16 and has already been renewed for a sixth season. Last year, Ambudkar was honored with the series actor award during the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of AAPI Cinema & Television.
In addition to his role on “Ghosts“, Ambudkar’s recent television credits include the Disney+ musical comedy “World’s Best,” where he showcased his talents as a star, co-writer, and co-producer, in addition to crafting the music for the series. The show received two nominations for the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards.
Utkarsh Ambudkar has a rich background in performing arts – he was the original cast member who developed the role of Aaron Burr during the early workshops of “Hamilton” and has collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda in the improvisational rap group Freestyle Love Supreme. The group, produced by Tommy Kail, gained recognition for its Broadway performance at the Booth Theater, which earned a Grammy nomination for its filmed version. They have also produced episodes for platforms like Pivot and Seeson and performed at numerous festivals.
Recently, Ambudkar participated in the upcoming Netflix series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and appeared in the film “My Dead Friend Zoe,” alongside a talented cast that includes Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, and Ed Harris.
His career began with notable roles in popular series such as “Pitch Perfect,” “The Mindy Project,” “Brockmire,” “White Famous,” and “Legends.” He has also lent his talent to projects like “The Muppets,” “Dimension 404,” and Amazon’s film “Brittany Runs a Marathon.” Additional appearances include “Free Guy,” “Marry Me,” and various shows such as “Blindspotting,” “Barbershop 3,” and the fan-favorite series “Never Have I Ever,” where he left a mark with his freestyle rap performance at the 2020 Academy Awards.
Before rising to fame, Ambudkar was part of the New York underground hip-hop collective The Beatards, sharing the stage with renowned artists such as Santigold, Azealia Banks, G-Eazy, Public Enemy, and Questlove.
He has an impressive discography that includes albums like “Vanity” and “Petty,” along with the EP “The Misfits EP” and the empowering single “Self Respect.”
For representation, Ambudkar is signed with Gersh and 3 Arts Entertainment, as well as Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein.
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