You probably recognize him as the kid who didn't know how to eat a banana. Or maybe the one who got roasted by Adam Sandler for being a "Hollywood" brat.
Jake Goldberg had a weirdly specific type of fame in the early 2010s. He was the quintessential movie son. But if you’ve been looking for jake goldberg movies and tv shows recently, you’ve likely noticed a massive gap in his resume. He basically vanished after 2013, only to resurface in the most unexpected places—like a Gordon Ramsay cooking competition.
It’s a strange trajectory. Most child actors either burn out or become A-listers. Jake just... changed lanes.
The Grown Ups Era and the Adam Sandler Connection
Most people know Jake as Greg Feder. He played the eldest son of Lenny (Adam Sandler) and Roxanne (Salma Hayek). In the first Grown Ups (2010), he was the tech-obsessed kid who couldn't survive a weekend without a video game controller.
By the time Grown Ups 2 rolled around in 2013, he was a teenager. The dynamic changed. He wasn't just a prop anymore; he was part of the ensemble.
He was actually nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award (the Razzies) for that second movie. Not by himself, though. The entire cast got a nod for "Worst Screen Combo." It’s kinda harsh, honestly. Those movies weren't exactly high art, but they were massive hits. They defined a specific era of summer comedies.
Working with Sandler is usually a golden ticket. Most of "Happy Madison's" favorites stay in the rotation for decades. But for Jake, the sequel ended up being his last major film role for a long time.
That Penguin Voice You Definitely Know
Before he was Greg Feder, Jake was a penguin. Seriously.
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If you grew up in the mid-2000s, or had kids then, you’ve heard his voice hundreds of times. He took over the role of Pablo in The Backyardigans starting in Season 2.
He voiced that blue penguin for about 59 episodes. It’s one of those "wait, that was him?" facts that breaks people's brains. He brought a specific kind of high-energy anxiousness to Pablo that made the character work.
He also did some voice work for The Ant Bully in 2006. He played "Helmet Boy." It wasn't a lead role, but it put him in the same room (or at least the same credits) as Julia Roberts and Nicolas Cage.
The TV Guest Spots (30 Rock and SVU)
Like every young actor in New York during the late 2000s, Jake did the standard rounds.
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2008): He appeared in the episode "Unorthodox" as Adam Tremblay. It was a typical gritty SVU guest spot.
- 30 Rock (2009): He played a character named Connor in the episode "Jackie Jormp-Jomp."
These weren't career-defining moments. They were "paying the dues" roles. But they showed he had range beyond just being the "funny kid" in a Sandler flick.
Why Did He Stop Acting?
The most common question about jake goldberg movies and tv shows is why they stopped existing after 2013.
The answer is actually pretty grounded. He chose to be a normal person.
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After Grown Ups 2, Jake stepped away from the industry. He went to Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York. He played lacrosse. He lived a life that didn't involve movie sets or red carpets.
Later, he attended the University of Colorado Boulder. Honestly, can you blame him? Moving from a high-pressure movie set to a college campus in the Rockies sounds like a pretty great trade-off.
He’s been open about this on social media recently. He mentioned in a TikTok that he doesn't really keep in touch with Adam Sandler. Not because of any beef—mostly just because they were at completely different stages of life. When you're a kid, a costar is like a summer camp friend. Sometimes you just drift.
The 2025 Comeback: Next Level Chef
If you’ve been watching TV lately, you might have done a double-take.
In early 2025, Jake popped up on Season 4 of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef. He didn't make it through the initial audition rounds, but it was a massive "Where Are They Now?" moment.
He’s pivoted hard into the culinary world. Under the handle "Silly Jake," he’s built a huge following on TikTok and Instagram. He does cooking content that is actually good. He’s not just a "former actor trying to stay relevant"; he’s a legit creator who found a new medium.
Jake Goldberg’s Full Filmography at a Glance
Since lists can be messy, here’s the breakdown of what he actually did during his time in the spotlight:
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The Big Screen Hits:
In 2010, he hit it big with Grown Ups. Three years later, he returned for Grown Ups 2. Before those, he had a smaller part in a horror-thriller called Choose (2011) where he played "Young Scarlip."
The Voice Work:
His most consistent job was The Backyardigans (2006–2010). He also contributed to The Ant Bully (2006).
Television Appearances:
Aside from the voice work, he had those two notable guest spots: Law & Order: SVU in 2008 and 30 Rock in 2009.
What This Means for You
If you were hoping for a Grown Ups 3 with the original kids, don't hold your breath.
Jake seems pretty content with his life away from traditional Hollywood. He’s a prime example of someone who "made it" and then decided that "making it" wasn't actually what he wanted.
If you want to keep up with him today, your best bet isn't the theater. It's your phone.
Take these steps to dive deeper:
- Check out his socials: Look for "silly_jake" on TikTok. It’s where he’s most active and where he talks about his time as a child star.
- Rewatch The Backyardigans: If you have Disney+ or Paramount+, go back and listen to Season 2. It’s wild hearing Greg Feder’s voice coming out of a penguin.
- Watch the Next Level Chef Auditions: You can find clips of his 2025 appearance online to see how much he's actually changed.
The era of jake goldberg movies and tv shows might be over in the traditional sense, but the guy is doing just fine. He traded the script for a chef’s knife, and honestly, he seems a lot happier for it.