MrBeast Real Name
Simons has lived in Brighton since January 2022, having previously lived in Nottingham with his parents. He grew up with two dogs named Betty and Walter. As of 2025, Walter has cancer.
On 19 November 2022, Simons released a video on his main YouTube channel, announcing to his audience that he has a girlfriend. Her face and real name were not revealed, and she was instead given the nickname “Em”. On 6 May 2023, Simons uploaded a video titled “Minecraft, But My Girlfriend Face Reveals…”, in which his girlfriend’s face and first name, Molly, were revealed. The pair broke up in 2024.
Simons has been open regarding his struggles with clinical depression and anxiety.
Early life
Donaldson was born in Wichita, Kansas and raised in Greenville, North Carolina. He began posting videos to YouTube in early 2012 under the handle MrBeast6000. His early content ranged from Let’s Plays to videos estimating the wealth of other YouTubers. He went viral in 2017 after his “I Counted to 100,000!” video earned tens of thousands of views in just a few days. His videos have become increasingly grand and extravagant. Once his channel took off, Donaldson hired some childhood friends to co-run the brand. Donaldson also runs the YouTube channels Beast Reacts, MrBeast Gaming, MrBeast 2, and the philanthropy channel Beast Philanthropy.
Beast Gams
Donaldson is the founder of MrBeast Burger and Feastables, and a co-founder of Team Trees, a fundraiser for the Arbor Day Foundation that has raised over $24 million, and Lunchly, a food and snack brand similar to Lunchables. He also co-founded Team Seas, a fundraiser for Ocean Conservancy and The Ocean Cleanup that has raised over $30 million. He is the creator of the reality competition television series Beast Games.
Youtube
Donaldson won the Creator of the Year award four years in a row at the Streamy Awards from 2020 to 2023, and the Favorite Male Creator award four times at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards from 2022 to 2025. In 2023, Time named him one of the world’s 100 most influential people and one of the 100 most influential digital creators in 2025. He ranked first on Forbes’ list of highest-paid YouTube creators in 2024, and his net worth was estimated at $1 billion in 2025.
Early life and education
James Stephen Donaldson was born on May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas, and mostly raised in Greenville, North Carolina. He moved frequently and was cared for by au pairs because his parents worked long hours and served in the military. His parents divorced in 2007. In 2016, he graduated from Greenville Christian Academy and briefly attended East Carolina University before dropping out. While in school, he played baseball as an outfielder. After leaving university, Donaldson and his friends focused on understanding YouTube’s recommendation algorithm to create viral videos. He recalled being intensely focused during this period, spending entire days studying the algorithm and strategies for virality.
YouTube career
2012–2017: Early career
Donaldson uploaded his first YouTube video in February 2012 at age 13 under the channel name “MrBeast6000.” His early content included Let’s Plays of Minecraft and Call of Duty, videos estimating other YouTubers’ wealth, tips for upcoming creators, and commentary on YouTube drama. He appeared only occasionally in these videos.
In 2015 and 2016, Donaldson gained popularity with his “Worst Intros on YouTube” series, which mocked YouTube video introductions. By mid-2016, he had around 30,000 subscribers. He dropped out of college later that year to pursue YouTube full-time, despite his mother’s disapproval, which led to him leaving the family home.
In 2015 and 2016, Donaldson gained popularity with his “Worst Intros on YouTube” series, which mocked YouTube video introductions. By mid-2016, he had around 30,000 subscribers. He dropped out of college later that year to pursue YouTube full-time, despite his mother’s disapproval, which led to him leaving the family home.
Investments and partnerships
Donaldson is an investor in the tech startup Backbone, which produces the Backbone One, a controller accessory for smartphones, and the Backbone app, a content creation and social tools app for its users.
In March 2021, Donaldson partnered with the Creative Juice financial network to introduce Juice Funds, a $2 million investment fund for content creators. In April 2021, he became a long-term investor and partner of financial technology company Current. That same month, Donaldson received backlash after fans lost significant amounts of money in a cryptocurrency scheme that he had invested in and promoted.
In November 2022, Donaldson partnered with East Carolina University to create a course centered around YouTube content creation. In May 2023, he was featured as a guest judge on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars show.
Donaldson announced that he is collaborating with James Patterson on a thriller novel, which will be published by HarperCollins in 2026.
Beast Philanthropy
On September 17, 2In 2020, Donaldson created the YouTube channel Beast Philanthropy. In the channel’s first video, he announced the charity and food bank and named Darren Margolias, who appeared previously as an executive director. According to the channel’s description, it donates 100% of its advertising revenue, brand deals, and merchandise sales to charity.
Notable initiatives by Beast Philanthropy include giving away 10,000 turkeys to his hometown of Greenville, donating 20,000 shoes to children in Africa, building 100 wells in Africa for villages with limited access to clean water, and gifting $300,000 worth of technology to various schools.
Other initiatives by Donaldson include helping 1,000 blind people see again, 1,000 deaf people hear again, and helping 2,000 people walk again.
Controversies
See also: List of lawsuits involving MrBeast
Working conditions
Some former employees alleged that Donaldson nurtured a difficult work environment. Matt Turner, an editor for Donaldson from February 2018 to September 2019, claimed that Donaldson berated him almost daily, including calling him a “retard“. Turner reported that he was regularly not credited for his work. Reporting showed that Turner previously posted a video in 2018 explaining his allegations and, in October 2019, released a deleted Twitter thread stating that he was “yelled at, bullied, called mentally retarded and replaceable by Donaldson every single day”.
Nate Anderson, another editor, quit after working for Donaldson for a week in 2018 over what he said were unreasonable demands and called Donaldson a perfectionist. After releasing a video describing his experience, Anderson reportedly received death threats from Donaldson’s fans. Nine other employees who worked for Donaldson also stated that while he was sometimes generous, his demeanor would change when the cameras were off. Donaldson disputed these claims, saying: “We have high standards, but it’s not a toxic work environment.” Donaldson also claimed that he gave Turner $10,000 and suggested a job at another company at the end of his contract.
MrBeast Burger
Main article: List of lawsuits involving MrBeast § MrBeast Burger
Some former employees alleged that Donaldson nurtured a difficult work environment. Matt Turner, an editor for Donaldson from February 2018 to September 2019, claimed that Donaldson berated him almost daily, including calling him a “retard”. Turner reported that he was regularly not credited for his work. Reporting showed that Turner previously posted a video in 2018 explaining his allegations and, in October 2019, released a deleted Twitter thread stating that he was “yelled at, bullied, called mentally retarded and replaceable by Donaldson every single day”.
Nate Anderson, another editor, quit after working for Donaldson for a week in 2018 over what he said were unreasonable demands and called Donaldson a perfectionist. After releasing a video describing his experience, Anderson reportedly received death threats from Donaldson’s fans. Nine other employees who worked for Donaldson also stated that while he was sometimes generous, his demeanor would change when the cameras were off. Donaldson disputed these claims, saying: “We have high standards, but it’s not a toxic work environment.” Donaldson also claimed that he gave Turner $10,000 and suggested a job at another company at the end of his contract.
Public image
Since June 2, 2024, MrBeast has been the most subscribed channel on YouTube, surpassing T-Series. A February 2021 poll showed that 70% of respondents had a favorable view of him, compared to 12% who had an unfavorable view. His channel appeals strongly to younger viewers. Donaldson also builds a parasocial relationship with his viewers by “looking directly at the camera and talking to the audience” and displaying himself as “an exciting, relatable, authentic, down-to-earth person”.
MrBeast’s large model gumball machine at VidCon 2022
However, some critics have questioned Donaldson’s motives and ethics. Users on social media accused Donaldson of exploiting poverty for views, deeming his content “charity porn”. His philanthropy has been criticized for not addressing the root causes of systemic inequality. In response, Donaldson claimed that he does not profit from Beast Philanthropy or its videos and that all revenue goes towards charity. He also stressed the importance of the government’s role in solving systemic issues.
Filmography
Films
| year | title | role | note | ref. |
| 2023 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | Times Square Bystander | Voice | [218] |
| 2023 | Under the Boardwalk | Hot Sauce Crab | Voice | [218] |
| 2024 | Under the Boardwalk | Himself | Documentary | [219] |
| 2024 | Kung Fu Panda 4 | Panda Pig | Voice | [220] [218] |
| 2025 | Love, Death & Robots | Master of Ceremonies | Voice; episode: “The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur” | [218] |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist | Director | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | “Type Dangerous” | Mariah Carey | Joseph Kahn | Himself | [221] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 9th Streamy Awards | Breakout Creator | Won | [222] |
| Ensemble Cast | Nominated | |||
| Creator of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | 12th Annual Shorty Awards | YouTuber of the Year | Won | [223] |
| 10th Streamy Awards | Creator of the Year | [224] [225] | ||
| Live Special | ||||
| Social Good: Creator | ||||
| Social Good: Nonprofit or NGO | ||||
| 2021 | 2021 Kids’ Choice Awards | Favorite Male Social Star | Nominated | [226] |
| 11th Streamy Awards | Creator of the Year | Won | [227] | |
| 2022 | 2022 Kids’ Choice Awards | Favorite Male Creator | Won | [228] |
| 12th Streamy Awards | Creator of the Year | Won | [229] [230] | |
| Collaboration | Nominated | |||
| Social Good: Creator[e] | Won | |||
| Creator Product | Nominated | |||
| Editing | Nominated | |||
| Brand Engagement[e] | Won | |||
| Social Impact Campaign[e] | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | 2023 Kids’ Choice Awards | Favorite Male Creator | Won | [231] |
| 13th Streamy Awards | Creator of the Year | Won | [232] | |
| Collaboration | Won | |||
| Creator Product | Nominated | |||
| Brand Engagement | Nominated | |||
| 2024 | 2024 Kids’ Choice Awards | Favorite Male Creator | Won | [233] |
| 2025 | 2025 Kids’ Choice Awards | Favorite Male Creator | Won | [234] |
Publications
| Year | Publication | Category | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Forbes 30 Under 30 | Social Media | [235] |
| 2022 | Guinness World Records | Largest vegetarian burger | [236] |
| 2023 | Guinness World Records | First person to reach 1 million followers on Threads | [10] |
| 2023 | Guinness World Records | Highest-earning YouTube contributor (current) | [237] |
| 2023 | Guinness World Records | Most YouTube subscribers gained in one week | [238] |
| 2024 | Guinness World Records | Most subscribers on YouTube | [239] |
See also
- List of most-followed TikTok accounts
- List of most-subscribed YouTube channels
- List of YouTubers
- Night – American talent management company that previously managed MrBeast
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