Akiva Schaffer

Biography

Akiva Schaffer (born December 1, 1977) is an American filmmaker. He began his career as a writer for Saturday Night Live and a member of The Lonely Island, a sketch-comedy troupe that first found success on the Internet, which includes Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. He majored in film at University of California, Santa Cruz. He is best known for directing the films Hot Rod (2007), Popstar (2016), and the reboot of The Naked Gun (2025).

Career Overview

Akiva Schaffer has 74 screen credits in a career dating back to 2001. Their work spans 6 cinematic universes — most prominently The Naked Gun with 1 titles. Signature works include The Naked Gun, The Watch, Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For: Directing
Gender: male
Known Credits: 74
Birth Date: 1977-12-01 00:00:00
Birth Place: Berkeley, California, USA

Known For

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 6 universes

The Naked Gun (1 titles)
Naked Gun Collection (1 titles)
Scream (1 titles)
Neighbors (1 titles)
Grown Ups (1 titles)
The Lego Movie (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

Jorma Taccone (6 collaborations)
Andy Samberg (6 collaborations)
Liz Cackowski (3 collaborations)
Will Arnett (3 collaborations)
'Weird Al' Yankovic (2 collaborations)
Doug Mand (2 collaborations)
Hazel Schaffer (2 collaborations)
Will Forte (2 collaborations)
Chris Parnell (2 collaborations)
Bill Hader (2 collaborations)

Credits

production (16 credits)
- Spy Guys
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2026
- DNA
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2026
- The Robots Go Crazy
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2026
- The Naked Gun
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2025
- Self Reliance
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2024
- Digman!
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  - The Christ Figure (2025) ... executive producer production
  
  - The Arky Trials (2025) ... executive producer production
  
  - The Fortune Pursuit (2025) ... executive producer production
  
  - Freud's Couch (2025) ... executive producer production
  
  - The Eligible Arky (2025) ... executive producer production
  
  2023
- I Used to Go Here
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2020
- Palm Springs
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2020
- The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2019
- I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  - WHEN I FIRST THOUGHT OF THIS YOU DIDN’T EVEN HAVE HANDS UP THERE — YOU WERE JUST WALKING STRAIGHT UP THE WALL. (2023) ... executive producer production
  
  - DON’T JUST SAY “RELAX,” ACTUALLY RELAX. (2023) ... executive producer production
  
  - SO NOW EVERY TIME I’M ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO DO, I ASK MYSELF, “WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT IS THIS?” (2023) ... executive producer production
  
  - CUT TO: WE’RE CHATTING ABOUT THIS AT YOUR BACHELOR PARTY. (2023) ... executive producer production
  
  - I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT. (2023) ... executive producer production
  
  2019
- Brigsby Bear
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2017
- Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2017
- Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2016
- MacGruber
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  2010
- Regarding Ardy
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2003
- White Power
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  2001
actors (26 credits)
- Peppers
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2026
- Anger Managment
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2026
- Hot Seat
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2026
- The Naked Gun
  Additional Voices (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2025
- Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
  Self - SNL Writer / Self - Director
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2025
- Scream VI
  Subway Ghostface (voice) (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2023
- Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
  Alice Cooper
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2022
- Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
  Various Characters (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2022
- The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
  Mark McGwire
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2019
- 7 Splinters in Time
  McFly
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2018
- Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special
  Alan
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2017
- Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
  Lawrence Dunn
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2016
- Neighbors
  Toga #2
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2014
- Late Night with Seth Meyers
  
  - The Lonely Island, Jessica Lange, Corey Stoll (2024) ... Self - Guest actor actors
  
  - The Lonely Island, Greta Gerwig (2016) ... Self - Guest actor actors
  
  2014
- Grown Ups 2
  Male Cheerleader
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2013
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
  
  - Show Me Going (2018) ... Brett Booth actor actors
  
  2013
- The Watch
  Casual Wanker #3
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2012
- Saturday Night Live in the 2000s: Time and Again
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2010
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
  
  - Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone (2016) ... Self - Guest actor actors
  
  2009
- Hot Rod
  Derrick (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2007
- Fighting neighbors
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2007
- Awesometown
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2006
- Football Town
  Walt Rice
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2005
- Regarding Ardy
  Kiv
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2003
- White Power
  Kiv
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Saturday Night Live
  
  - November 16 - Charli xcx (2024) ... Self - Cameo (uncredited) actor actors
  
  - October 5 - Nate Bargatze (2024) ... Self - Cameo (uncredited) actor actors
  
  - Andy Samberg with St. Vincent (2014) ... Self - Cameo (uncredited) actor actors
  
  - Adam Levine with Kendrick Lamar (2013) ... Self - Cameo (uncredited) actor actors
  
  - Will Ferrell with Usher (2012) ... Self - Cameo (uncredited) actor actors
  
  1975
directing (18 credits)
- Stepsisters
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2026
- The Naked Gun
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2025
- Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2022
- The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2019
- I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
  
  - I need a wet paper towel. (2021) ... director directing
  
  - You sure about that? You sure about that that's why? (2021) ... director directing
  
  - They said that to me at a dinner. (2021) ... director directing
  
  - Thanks For Thinking They Are Cool (2019) ... director directing
  
  - Has This Ever Happened To You? (2019) ... director directing
  
  2019
- Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2017
- Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2016
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
  
  - The Puzzle Master (2018) ... director directing
  
  - Charges and Specs (2014) ... director directing
  
  2013
- The Watch
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2012
- SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2009
- Saturday Night Live: The Best of Amy Poehler
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2009
- Hot Rod
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2007
- Laser Cats!
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2006
- Awesometown
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2006
- Football Town
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2005
- Regarding Ardy
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2003
- White Power
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2001
- Saturday Night Live
  
  - Shia LaBeouf/Avril Lavigne (2007) ... director directing
  
  - Peyton Manning/Carrie Underwood (2007) ... director directing
  
  - Forest Whitaker/Keith Urban (2007) ... director directing
  
  - Drew Barrymore/Lily Allen (2007) ... director directing
  
  - Jeremy Piven/AFI (2007) ... director directing
  
  1975
writing (9 credits)
- The Naked Gun
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  2025
- The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  2019
- Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  2016
- Extreme Movie
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  2008
- Awesometown
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  2006
- Football Town
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  2005
- Regarding Ardy
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  2003
- White Power
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  2001
- Saturday Night Live
  
  - Jon Hamm/Coldplay (2008) ... writer writing
  
  - Shia LaBeouf/Avril Lavigne (2007) ... writer writing
  
  - Peyton Manning/Carrie Underwood (2007) ... writer writing
  
  - Julia Louis-Dreyfus/Snow Patrol (2007) ... writer writing
  
  - Rainn Wilson/Arcade Fire (2007) ... writer writing
  
  1975
editing (3 credits)
- The Lonely Island Presents: The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  2019
- Regarding Ardy
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  2003
- White Power
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  2001
sound (2 credits)
- Tour de Pharmacy
  
  recording supervision
  
  sound
  
  2017
- The Lego Movie
  
  songs
  
  sound
  
  2014