Jay McCarrol

Sound

Jay McCarrol

Born 1983-08-09 · Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Jay McCarrol is a Canadian musician, writer and actor, most noted as co-creator and co-star with Matt Johnson of Nirvanna the Band the Show. He won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in Comedy at the 14th Canadian Screen Awards in 2026, for his work on the film Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, which also netted him a win in the Best Original Song category for co-writing and performing The Alphabet Song. Outside of Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, he has received recognition at four other CSA ceremonies for his musical work, including his Best Original Score win for BackBerry at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024, as well as nods for Best Original Music for a Program at the 1st Canadian Screen Awards in 2013 for I, Martin Short, Goes Home, at the 4th Canadian Screen Awards in 2016 for The Second City Project, and for Best Original Score at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021 for The Kid Detective. As a writer he has received two CSA nominations for Best Writing in a Comedy Program or Series for Nirvanna the Band the Show, at the 6th Canadian Screen Awards in 2018 and at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019. His other credits have included Johnson's theatrical films The Dirties, Operation Avalanche and BlackBerry. He is a member of the synth-pop band Brave Shores, along with his sister, Stefanie.

Acting credits

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie poster
7.6

When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

2026

The Dirties poster
6.3

The line between reality and fiction starts to blur when two best friends start making a movie about getting revenge on bullies.

The Dirties

2013

The Apostles poster
NR

Jesus and the 12 apostles deal with the mundane, surprise and treachery of splitting the bill after the last supper.

The Apostles

2010

Operation Avalanche poster
NR

Achieving viral success after being snuck into the Sundance Film Festival, this short film features the powerful story of a young high school boy seeking revenge against the teacher that sexually assaulted him. Inspired by a series of real rapes.

Operation Avalanche

2016

Shubadak poster
NR

Two American soldiers hunting for buried treasure in Iraq meet a stranger in the dunes.

Shubadak

2009

Nirvana the Band the Show: Live @ the Rivoli poster
NR

Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol play live at the Rivoli to wrap up their web series in 2009.

Nirvana the Band the Show: Live @ the Rivoli

2009

Rudy the Red-Faced Bachelor poster
NR

A character study of an outdated misfit bachelor struggling to connect with others.

Rudy the Red-Faced Bachelor

2012

No artwork available
6.0

A disturbed man threatens his neighbour to stop an amusing story getting out.

A Pretty Funny Story

2012

Nirvana the Band the Show the Adventures poster
NR

Musicians Matt and Jay step away from their quest for the Rivoli to conquer various Toronto landmarks and seasonal traditions through a series of misguided, high-energy excursions and chaotic improvisations.

Nirvana the Band the Show the Adventures

2010

A Song for Torah Jane poster
NR

A young dad sings his daughter to sleep with a tale of animals in the zoo. She doesn't want to nod off and he drifts into a reverie of nostalgia of his own.

A Song for Torah Jane

2013

Captain Coulier (Space Explorer) poster
8.0

A space captain struggles with his robot crew during an intergalactic mission.

Captain Coulier (Space Explorer)

2009

Behind the camera