This Is What Kip From Napoleon Dynamite Looks Like Today

Ruell took on the character of Kip so effortlessly, it may come as a shock that he was never supposed to be an actor. In a 2019 interview with ABC News, Ruell revealed that while "Napoleon Dynamite" was being shot, he was studying film and photography at Brigham Young University. "We were just outta school and [Heder] said to me, 'So Aaron, what are you gonna do if this movie makes it? Are you going to change paths and become an actor?" 

Lucky for us, Ruell did incorporate more acting into his path than he intended, spending the early aughts taking on roles in "The Problem with Percival," "Think Tank," and "On the Road with Judas" (via IMDb). But for the most part, Ruell stuck with his plan of being on the other side of the camera, directing commercials with a goal of "attempting some type of sincerity." 

Ruell has directed commercials for companies like Target, Mastercard, Volkswagen, and Coca-Cola (via Muse by Clio) and currently works for Sanctuary Content. In addition to directing, Ruell is also an accomplished photographer (via AaronRuell.com), shooting ads for Old Spice, LG, Quaker Oats, T-Mobile, and Citibank (to name a few.) That's the way to make some "sweet moolah!"