The Untold Truth Of John Paul Tremblay From Trailer Park Boys
Through 12 seasons, in addition to numerous spin-off movies and even an animated series, "Trailer Park Boys" remains a popular comedy. The profane, drug-fueled misadventures of Julian (John Paul Tremblay), Ricky (Robb Wells), and Bubbles (Mike Smith) have helped establish a fanbase for the show following its debut in 2001 (via IMDb). From stealing Patrick Swayze's model train set to robbing a bank, Canada's NSFW equivalent of "The Three Stooges" has pulled off just about every harebrained scheme imaginable.
While the lead trio and supporting cast have many moments in the spotlight, Tremblay, as Julian, is arguably the heart of the show. Always clad in a black shirt with an alcoholic beverage in hand, Julian is the proverbial brains of the operation. Given how much Tremblay and his co-stars tend to stay in character even when not on the show (like Mike Smith wearing Bubbles' signature thick glasses off-set), it's easy to conflate the actor with his most famous character. However, there are quite a few things about this Canadian that even the most dedicated fans of the show might not know.
John Paul Tremblay has a sizable net worth
Given that "Trailer Park Boys" started as a low-budget sitcom on an obscure Canadian network and revolves around characters living in rundown conditions and resorting to petty schemes to get rich, the comedy series doesn't seem particularly synonymous with excessive wealth. Even after it became a hit, the show's production values remained as simple as ever. However, John Paul Tremblay has managed to amass a substantial net worth as a result of his involvement with the franchise and through his other roles on shows like "Archer."
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Tremblay's total net worth comes to around $2 million. Part of this is because he not only stars in "Trailer Park Boys," but has also served as a writer and producer. Given the show's enduring popularity, aided by its continued presence on Netflix, it looks like it will keep him financially secure for quite some time.
He is a big fans of cars
Apropos of his muscle-bound physique and famous "Trailer Park Boys" persona, John Paul Tremblay is a longtime fan of muscle cars, as revealed in a detailed 2014 interview with Auto Trader. A self-proclaimed "speed freak," he said he'd received many tickets for speeding over the years, including once for going 105 miles per hour. The actor's fame has led him to have some strange encounters with the police as well. He told Auto Trader that, at one time, an officer thought he was a drug dealer, taking the actor's car keys and impounding his black Porsche 911 Turbo.
Speaking of Porsches, Tremblay also told Auto Trader about his love of that particular car. He explained, "I've always been a Porsche fanatic ever since I was a little guy. [...] I've always had this thing for speed ever since I can remember. I had to have 944s back when I was going to university."
Unsurprisingly, his passion for model cars is evident in "Trailer Park Boys." An array of signature vehicles have appeared on the show, including a Ford Bronco, a Mustang SVT, and a Corvette. According to Tremblay, his favorite car he's driven on camera is his black 1967 Camaro.
John Paul Tremblay was in a bizarre, star-studded indie film
While he is far and away best known as Julian, John Paul Tremblay has had many other roles in TV and film. One of his most notable other turns was in the 2004 film "A Hole in One" (via IMDb). The feature film is the directorial debut of Richard Ledes and it stars Michelle Williams as a woman living in 1940s America who seeks to get a lobotomy. Williams' love interest is played by Michael Lee Aday, better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf. Despite the movie's ambitions, "A Hole in One" was not widely seen and poorly reviewed, with a mere 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Per the film's IMDb profile, Tremblay plays a character named Moe. A further scroll through the cast list reveals he wasn't the only "Trailer Park Boys" star to appear in the movie. Mike Smith also has a brief appearance as a lobotomy patient and can be seen in the film's trailer (via YouTube). Additionally, John Dunsworth shows up as a pastor, while Robb Wells (Ricky) plays Joe.
He publicly feuded with a disgruntled former co-star
After 20 years of collaboration on the "Trailer Park Boys" franchise, John Paul Tremblay maintains a tight bond with co-stars like Smith and Wells. However, he had some choice words for actor Michael Jackson (who played the idiotic sidekick Trevor). Unlike Tremblay, Jackson found his time with the show didn't adequately line his pockets. In a now-archived post from the official "Trailer Park Boys" forum (via Reddit), Jackson complained about poor working conditions on set, as well as low pay. With regards to the former allegation, Jackson said that the crew was frequently understaffed, leading to excessive workloads. During Season 2, the show didn't have the proper electrician and grip staff, forcing Jackson to assume both duties in addition to playing Trevor. Regarding the claim of low pay, Jackson stated that the small wage in the first season was acceptable given the low budget.
However, Tremblay felt additional context was needed on these issues that Jackson may not have considered while airing his grievances. In a lengthy post on the "Trailer Park Boys" forum (also archived on Reddit), the actor stated he believed Jackson didn't appreciate the financial and personal risks that he and others took in order to make the show a reality. He also noted that Jackson's assertions of low pay were not entirely accurate, especially regarding how little Tremblay and others made as writers. "I will say this, as a writer, we calculated how much we made for writing the show one year, and it worked out to pennies an hour," he claimed.
John Paul Tremblay hates being interviewed
Despite his global popularity from starring in "Trailer Park Boys," John Paul Tremblay doesn't always enjoy being in the spotlight. During his lengthy refutation of former co-star Michael Jackson's complaints (which now live in an archived Reddit post), he noted, "Let me get something straight here, I f***ing hate being interviewed, I'm uncomfortable in large crowds."
Given Tremblay, Robb Wells, and Mike Smith tend to do interviews not only together, but they are done in character, which may provide some barrier between himself and the press. Additionally, it's easy to sympathize with the actor's admission. "Trailer Park Boys" was initially a cult favorite that few, if any, of those involved with the show expected to become a massive global hit. Since "Trailer Park Boys" achieved cult hit status, Tremblay, Wells, and Smith have grown the series into a franchise and have celebrity fans such as Kid Rock, Eddie Murphy, and Morgan Freeman (via Canadian outlet Queen's Journal). For an amateur Canadian actor whose prior occupation was tossing pizzas (per Sharp magazine), that's quite a leap in his visibility.