Why You Rarely Hear About The Star Of Phil Of The Future Anymore
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Disney Channel really began to hit its stride in the arena of live-action sitcoms aimed at teens and young adults. Programs such as Lizzie McGuire, That's So Raven, and the Miley Cyrus-centric Hannah Montana became the talk of middle and high school students across the globe. Included among these small-screen titans were the time-traveling shenanigans found in Phil of the Future, which kicked off in June of 2004 and wrapped up in August of 2006. With a total of 43 episodes spanning two seasons, the show became yet another hit for the network, and it's easy to see why.
Following a botched time-travel vacation — the result of a busted time machine — the Diffy family from the year 2121 find themselves stranded in the distant past of 2004. With so much uncertainty surrounding their ability to safely return back to their own time, the family elects to blend in as well as they can in the town of Pickford. Hijinks eventually ensue as they all attempt to hide their secret from the rest of the community, and at the center of it all is the always entertaining Phil Diffy.
The son of parents Lloyd (Craig Anton) and Barb Diffy (Lise Simms) is portrayed by actor Raviv Ullman. While many of the show's cast members have made appearances in a variety of roles, Ulman hasn't taken up the spotlight much as of late. Here's what he has been up to, and why his tenure on Phil of the Future hasn't kept him in the public eye.
Raviv Ullman is busy away from the acting world
After Phil of the Future's conclusion, and appearances on programs like Rita Rocks and House, Ullman began to branch out in the entertainment sphere. In 2006, he started to dip his toe into the musical pool and formed the band His Orchestra, formerly known as Goodbye Ian, alongside fellow actor Douglas Smith. They released their inaugural album, titled Field Guide To The Wilds in 2009, with Ullman playing drums and glockenspiel. Years later, he joined the musician Soko for her 2012 tour, worked with Reputante from 2013 to 2015, and founded the group Lolawolf alongside Catwoman-to-be, Zoë Kravitz.
Aside from his musical exploits, Ullman has also dabbled in filmmaking in recent years. In 2016, he unveiled his first feature-length project, Standing Ground. The documentary takes a look at the inhabitants of the Standing Rock Reservation and their fight against the North Dakota Access Pipeline that ran through their land. This pseudo-analysis of the fossil fuel industry came to be thanks to a generous community on Kickstarter, who helped fund the ambitious project.
For as varied as Raviv Ullman has made his resume over the past decade, he hasn't totally abandoned his performing roots. He took to the stage in 2012 for an Off-Broadway production of Russian Transport, where he played Alex. That same year, he signed on for The Bad Guys from Alena Smith, and took part in the revival of Sticks and Bones in 2014. Most recently, he starred in Right Before I Go in 2017 and Ming Peiffer's Usual Girls the year after.
Recently, Ullman branched out into yet another area of expertise in 2020 with the launch of his own podcast. The Study is a religious show that centers on the hosts' — Ullman and Rabbi Adam Greenwald — interpretation and application of the Torah in the real world. It's plain to see that Ullman has made a name for himself in just about every way one can, ultimately making his time on Phil of the Future just a footnote in the grand scheme of his impressive career.