# Robb Wells
**Robb Wells** (born 1971 in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada) is a Canadian actor, screenwriter, director, and producer best known for playing Ricky, a role he played on the mockumentary comedy series *Trailer Park Boys* created by [Mike Clattenburg](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-clattenburg), as well as in its films and spinoffs[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/) • [13](https://sharpmagazine.com/2021/04/22/an-oral-history-of-the-trailer-park-boys/). Beyond the franchise, he has worked across Canadian film and television and is a co-founder of the streaming platform Swearnet[2](https://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2026/speakers/1006466/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971, Moncton, New Brunswick; raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia from age 8[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/) |
| Signature role | Ricky on *Trailer Park Boys*, 2001 onward, plus feature films and numerous spinoffs[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/) • [2](https://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2026/speakers/1006466/) |
| Business move | With co-stars John Paul Tremblay and Mike Smith, bought the show rights in 2013 and founded the streamer Swearnet[2](https://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2026/speakers/1006466/) |
| Recent series | Todd "Goldenarm" Stool in *The Trades* on Crave, also producer and writer; third season in production as of September 2025[3](https://www.tv-eh.com/tag/robb-wells/) |
| Feature credits | *Hobo with a Shotgun* (Logan, 2011), *The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day* (Jimmy the Gofer, 2009), *Would You Rather* (Peter, 2012)[4](https://www.metacritic.com/person/robb-wells/) |
| Awards record | 2 wins and 20 nominations listed on IMDb[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/) |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/) |
## Early life and formation of Trailer Park Boys
Wells grew up in [Dartmouth, Nova Scotia](https://www.edgepedia.org/dartmouth-nova-scotia), across the harbor from Halifax, where he attended high school with Mike Clattenburg, the future creator of *Trailer Park Boys*, and John Paul Tremblay, who would play Julian[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robb_wells). By high school he was also playing soccer at a high level, representing [Nova Scotia](https://www.edgepedia.org/nova-scotia) at the Canadian National Championships and winning gold for Canada at an international tournament in New Jersey[6](https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/robb-wells/17084/). While running a chain of pizza restaurants called J.R. Capone's, Wells and Tremblay made crude video skits of themselves to pass the time[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/). In 1998 they made the short film *One Last Shot* with the veteran actor [John Dunsworth](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-dunsworth), who later played Jim Lahey on the series; the film won a best actor and a best cinematography award[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/).
In 1999 Clattenburg's mockumentary short *Trailer Park Boys*, starring Tremblay as Julian and Wells as Ricky, debuted to rave reviews at the Atlantic Film Festival; the premise had a camera crew chronicling the pair's adventures living in the Sunnyvale trailer park in Dartmouth[7](https://www.sonicentertainmentgroup.com/mediatools/rickyjulianbubbles/TrailerParkBoysBioMay2010.pdf). During the early filming the group met [Mike Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-smith-actor), a sound mixer, and after filming was complete they made a deal with the Canadian network Showcase to turn *Trailer Park Boys* into a TV series with Smith on board[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/).
## The Ricky role and the franchise
*Trailer Park Boys* ran for seven seasons and two TV specials on Showcase between 2001 and 2008, was Showcase's high-rated Canadian program, and aired in more than 15 countries[7](https://www.sonicentertainmentgroup.com/mediatools/rickyjulianbubbles/TrailerParkBoysBioMay2010.pdf). The show, which followed the residents' unsuccessful attempts to get rich and successful attempts to get high, was nominated for a Gemini Award three times and won in 2005[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robb_wells); the winning Gemini was for best ensemble performance in a comedy program or series[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0290988/awards/).
**Feature films and spinoffs.** Wells played Ricky in *Trailer Park Boys: The Movie* (2006) and *Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day* (2009), both of which he also co-wrote, and in *Trailer Park Boys: Don't Legalize It* (2014)[4](https://www.metacritic.com/person/robb-wells/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robb_wells).
## Ownership, Swearnet, and later work
When the original run ended, the franchise continued under new ownership. In 2013 Wells, Tremblay, and Smith purchased the show rights and founded the internet streamer Swearnet; the next year, in partnership with Netflix, Swearnet began producing new episodes and specials of the franchise, along with the spinoff series *[Trailer Park Boys: Jail](https://www.edgepedia.org/trailer-park-boys-jail)* and *Trailer Park Boys: Park After Dark*[2](https://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2026/speakers/1006466/). Wells has been a writer, actor, director, and producer on many of these titles: on IMDb he is credited as director of episodes of *Park After Dark*, *Jail Shorts*, *The Animated Series*, *Out of the Park*, and several live specials[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/).
Outside the franchise, Wells has taken supporting parts in a range of Canadian and American productions: Logan in *Hobo with a Shotgun* (2011), Peter in *[Would You Rather](https://www.edgepedia.org/would-you-rather-film)* (2012), Jimmy the Gofer in *The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day* (2009), Ramone in the Christmas comedy *Vandits* (2022) alongside [Jann Arden](https://www.edgepedia.org/jann-arden) and [Enrico Colantoni](https://www.edgepedia.org/enrico-colantoni), and roles in the series *Hudson & Rex* and *Diggstown*, plus the films *Dawn, Her Dad & The Tractor* and *Virginia's Run*[2](https://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2026/speakers/1006466/) • [4](https://www.metacritic.com/person/robb-wells/).
**The Trades.** Since 2024 Wells has starred as Todd "Goldenarm" Stool, a pipefitter from a working-class background, in the Crave original comedy *The Trades*, created by Ryan J. Lindsay and co-produced by Trailer Park Boys Inc. and Kontent House Inc. in association with [Bell Media](https://www.edgepedia.org/bell-media)'s Crave[3](https://www.tv-eh.com/tag/robb-wells/). Wells is also a producer and writer on the series; season three went into production in Nova Scotia and [Hamilton, Ontario](https://www.edgepedia.org/hamilton-ontario), in September 2025, with a 2026 debut planned[3](https://www.tv-eh.com/tag/robb-wells/). He has described the series as having "a lot more laughs in my opinion" than its first season[9](https://www.cp24.com/news/entertainment/2025/03/16/a-lot-more-laughs-in-my-opinion-robb-wells-of-trailer-park-boys-returns-for-season-two-of-the-trades/).
His 2024 feature *Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Shitrockers Story*, made alongside Smith and Tremblay and with appearances by [Billy Bob Thornton](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-bob-thornton) and [Keith Richards](https://www.edgepedia.org/keith-richards), followed Bubbles and his band[2](https://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2026/speakers/1006466/).
## Personal details
Wells resides in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia[2](https://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2026/speakers/1006466/). IMDb trivia lists former prime minister [Stephen Harper](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-harper) as his cousin[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/).
**Birth date.** Most sources, including IMDb, Fandango, and Rotten Tomatoes, give March 20, 1971[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/) • [10](https://www.fandango.com/people/robb-wells-716045/film-credits) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robb_wells), but Showtimes lists October 8, 1971[11](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/robb-wells-17084/movies/) and Plex lists October 28, 1971[12](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/robb-wells?context.unit=HC); the March 20 date has the stronger support among current databases.
## References
1. [Robb Wells, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1036211/)
2. [Speaker Robb Wells, Banff World Media Festival 2026](https://banffmediafestival.playbackonline.ca/2026/speakers/1006466/)
3. [Robb Wells, TV, eh?](https://www.tv-eh.com/tag/robb-wells/)
4. [Robb Wells, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/robb-wells/)
5. [Robb Wells, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robb_wells)
6. [Robb Wells biography, Tribute.ca](https://www.tribute.ca/people/biography/robb-wells/17084/)
7. [Trailer Park Boys bio, Sonic Entertainment Group, May 2010](https://www.sonicentertainmentgroup.com/mediatools/rickyjulianbubbles/TrailerParkBoysBioMay2010.pdf)
8. [Trailer Park Boys awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0290988/awards/)
9. ['A lot more laughs in my opinion': Robb Wells returns for season two of 'The Trades', CP24](https://www.cp24.com/news/entertainment/2025/03/16/a-lot-more-laughs-in-my-opinion-robb-wells-of-trailer-park-boys-returns-for-season-two-of-the-trades/)
10. [Robb Wells filmography, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/robb-wells-716045/film-credits)
11. [Robb Wells movies, Showtimes](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/robb-wells-17084/movies/)
12. [Robb Wells Movies and TV Shows, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/robb-wells?context.unit=HC)
13. [An Oral History of the Trailer Park Boys, sharpmagazine.com](https://sharpmagazine.com/2021/04/22/an-oral-history-of-the-trailer-park-boys/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames T to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license