Alex Hirsch

Alex Hirsch, born Alexander Hirsch on June 18, 1985, is an American animator, writer, producer, and voice actor best known for creating the beloved Disney Channel and Disney XD series Gravity Falls. Raised in Piedmont, California, Hirsch spent formative summers with his twin sister Ariel in a rustic cabin, experiences that later infused the mysterious town of Gravity Falls with authentic childhood wonder and eerie folklore. After winning his high school's Bird Calling Contest and appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman, he pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the California Institute of the Arts, where he produced shorts such as Off The Wall and collaborated on Cuddle Bee Hugs N'Such with Adrian Molina, earning a spot on Nicktoons’ Shorts in a Bunch program. Hirsch’s early professional break came as a writer and storyboard artist on Cartoon Network’s The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, where he worked alongside future creators J. G. Quintel, Pendleton Ward, and Patrick McHale, sharpening his comedic timing and narrative craft. In 2012 he launched Gravity Falls, voicing iconic characters like Grunkle Stan, Soos Ramirez, Old Man McGucket, and the enigmatic antagonist Bill Cipher; the series earned a BAFTA Children’s Award, an Annie Award, and a Peabody nomination, cementing Hirsch’s reputation for layered storytelling and clever world‑building. Beyond television, Hirsch authored Gravity Falls: Journal 3 and Lost Legends, both New York Times Best Sellers, and orchestrated the global “Cipher Hunt” treasure quest that engaged fans across multiple continents. He later contributed uncredited story work to Spider‑Man: Into the Spider‑Verse and voiced roles in Phineas and Ferb, Rick and Morty, and The Owl House, while co‑executive producing Netflix’s Inside Job. In 2024 he released The Book of Bill, an adult‑oriented novel expanding the mythos of Gravity Falls from the perspective of its cryptic villain, achieving Amazon and New York Times bestseller status. Throughout his career Hirsch has been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ representation, critiquing corporate constraints on inclusive storytelling while continuing to develop new, mature‑themed animated projects under a multi‑year Netflix deal.