Rodrick From The Original Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Movies Is Unrecognizable Today
In 2007, Jeff Kinney released a book that sent elementary and middle school-aged kids into a frenzy. The relatable and side-splitting "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" followed Greg Heffley through illustrated diary entries as he navigated life with his friend Rowley, got into trouble with his parents, and bickered with his two brothers. The series now comprises 17 books and six movies, but the first three films have an especially loyal fanbase, and the fan-favorite Rodrick was played by Devon Bostick.
The actor had already been involved in the entertainment industry for years before taking on the role of Greg Heffley's antagonizing older brother Rodrick in 2010 with the first installment of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series. Given that Bostick's mother is a casting director, while his father and brother are actors themselves, it's no surprise he was bitten by the acting bug, too. The early 2000s child star was first in a 1998 episode of "Exhibit A: Secrets of Forensic Science," leading him on a decades-long career in acting, producing, writing, and even directing.
Since the time that Bostick perfectly embodied Rodrick's character, showing off his drumming skills in the band Löded Diper and perpetually embarrassing Greg, he's landed other iconic roles, moved into other mediums, and given his blessing to his successor, despite many "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" fans starting the #NotMyRodrick movement. Zoo wee mama!
Devon Bostick's eyeliner in Diary of a Wimpy Kid became iconic
The original "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movies showed Rodrick's teenage angst, including his scenes as a punk rock drummer in his band Löded Diper. To polish off his edgy look, Devon Bostick wore eyeliner in several scenes, and it turned out that fans loved it. In speaking with Seventeen in 2011, following the release of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules," the actor explained, "When girls started saying that guyliner was hot, I couldn't stop laughing. ... And now it's such a thing for Rodrick, and we threw it into a few scenes, just because we knew girls would love it. It's there for them — definitely not for me, because taking off eyeliner is the most painful thing. It's pretty brutal!"
Makeup has been the perfect addition to many rock star looks, including Billy Joe Armstrong's, Ozzy Osbourne's, and Jared Leto's eyeliner, and Bostick proved it worked well for his character, too. As it turns out, Rodrick's eyeliner wasn't originally a part of the script as much for the second "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movie, but Bostick made sure they incorporated it, as he explained to Manny Dela Rosa in a 2011 interview. "I knew the fans for some reason like the eyeliner in the first movie. ... So I suggested, 'Yeah, how about we get some guyliner in here,' and we worked it in," he said.
He became known for his role on The 100
Since leaving his "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" character behind, Devon Bostick has become recognized for other iconic roles, including Jasper Jordan in The CW series "The 100." He was on the post-apocalyptic show from 2014 until 2017, playing another complicated yet likable character. In an interview while at WonderCon in 2014, Bostick described his character's arc over the course of the first season, saying, "I think it's interesting we get to see [Jasper's] big change from light-hearted funny guy to ... post-traumatic stress disorder and just trying to deal with these emotions of the fear that is out there."
Fighting alongside his love interest, played by Marie Avgeropoulos, and his best friend, portrayed by Christopher Larkin, Devon Bostick's character in "The 100" became a favorite among the audience. When asked what some of his favorite moments with fans have been while speaking at Comic-Con in 2014, the actor remarked, "It's cool to see fans freak out ... over a big twist in the storyline and when you see the "all caps," you know [you've] done a good job." Bostick left the series during season 4, leaving viewers wanting more from his character, and he soon moved on to other projects.
Devon Bostick branched out in 2015
In 2015, Lady Gaga pushed boundaries in Hollywood with her moving track "Til It Happens to You," and the accompanying video was Devon Bostick's first appearance in a music video. While the majority of his career has been as an actor, the year saw him branch out and step into other kinds of projects, as well.
His directorial debut was a short film titled "Antidepressant," which he wrote and produced, following a sitcom show creator, played by Dean Norris of "Breaking Bad." It first premiered at the 21st annual Palm Beach International Festival and, in speaking about his project at the time, Bostick explained, "Last year I visited a few sitcom set[s] and was mesmerized by the showrunner, laughing louder, longer and harder than anyone in the audience for hours on end. I was curious if they were genuinely enthralled by their work, if it was just their job to laugh, or if their laughter was repressing something deeper. Mostly, after 14 years of acting, I wanted to see if I could direct."
In a fun change of pace, Bostick also narrated his first audiobook in 2015, "Welcome to the Shadowhunter Academy," by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan. During a video for Simon & Schuster Books, he spoke about his experience, saying, "It was very nerve-wracking. Everyone was great to work with. It's weird hearing your own voice, but a lot of fun doing different voices."
He passed the torch to the new Rodrick
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" fans were up in arms when the 2017 trailer for "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" was released. The reboot introduced a new cast, with Alicia Silverstone replacing Rachael Harris, Tom Everett Scott replacing Steve Zahn, and Jason Drucker taking over the role of Greg Heffley from Zachary Gordon. However, it was especially Devon Bostick's replacement, Charlie Wright from "Ingrid Goes West," that set the #NotMyRodrick campaign in motion.
The internet became swarmed with support for the original cast as fans refused to accept that the actor was now too old to play the beloved teenage Rodrick. Despite the avid support, Bostick took the high road and released his positive reaction to the film's trailer, as well as a personal message to Wright. "I just wanted to say to Charlie Wright, the new Rodrick, it's time that I ... gracefully pass on this torch to you as Rodrick. It's time [for me] to let go and know that there's a new man in town. Someone's got to rock 'n roll, and it's you. I wish you all the best and keep punishing Greg," he said.
His social media is filled with artwork
COVID was a difficult time that few like to reminisce about. Lockdown had many of us picking up hobbies, from baking to reading, but there was one particular activity that was proven to boost your mood: making art. Devon Bostick was among the many stuck at home, painting away, and he got really good at it. In August 2020, the actor shared 36 of his paintings on Twitter, alongside a caption that read, "My whole ass quarantine in paint, pictures from the past."
While Bostick had previously posted captivating photography on his social media, he began sharing his paintings with his followers on Instagram in April 2020. Supportive comments flooded his posts and, from then on, he continued updating his fans with his latest work, demonstrating his talent beyond the screen. Many of Bostick's bright paintings were portraits of people and animals, while others were more architectural, showcasing houses, a scene from a temple in Naejangsan, and the Spectra Tower at Coachella, among many more.
Devon Bostick is relatively quiet about his love life
We watched Rodrick Heffley hopelessly pining over Heather Hills throughout "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days," so we can only hope that Devon Bostick is a little smoother (and that his love is requited, of course). The actor has remained fairly quiet in terms of his love life, but there's one woman who makes frequent appearances on his Instagram, and fans are pretty sure they're together.
Fellow actor Dylan Gelula, known for her work in "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Dream Scenario," first appeared on Bostick's Instagram in August 2021, around the time they had worked together on the show "Everything's Fine." His first post of his potential girlfriend was captioned simply, "Fashion icon." He's since shared several snaps of her, including a birthday shoutout and a lighthearted post that read, "This is @dylangelula — she who won't stop buying farms to turn them into her own "personal golf course" — she must be stopped, please call her reps." In turn, Gelula supported Bostick's work with an Instagram post about his appearance on the "Lecture Hall" podcast in November 2023. While they've still yet to confirm their relationship publicly, the two actors seem to be as close as can be.
He's continued landing roles in hit shows and movies
We might miss Devon Bostick as Rodrick in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," but he's grown so much as an actor since his last appearance as Greg's antagonistic older brother in 2012. Over the past decade, he's starred in several movies and television shows, including "Okja," a few episodes of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and Quibi's "Most Dangerous Game."
In more recent years, Bostick has continued landing roles, making a name for himself beyond the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movies. 2023 saw the actor star alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in "FUBAR" and he joined the "Fargo" cast for season 5, a show his mom used to work on as a casting director. But perhaps the biggest gig he booked this year was in Christopher Nolan's widely acclaimed "Oppenheimer," as Seth Neddermeyer.
In November 2023, Bostick shared an Instagram post in which he raved about his time on the film. "Worked with some of the greatest to ever do it, met friends for life, woke up screaming every morning, I'm eternally grateful and want to do it again," he wrote alongside a series of pictures of the cast. With a filmography so broad, it seems Bostick is capable of handling even the most difficult of characters. However, his portrayal of Rodrick will always hold a special place in many of our hearts.