Kirby Heyborne (born October 8, 1977) is an American actor, musician, singer, songwriter, narrator and comedian. He is known for his work in films centered around the culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Heyborne has also worked extensively as an audiobook narrator, narrating more than 300 books. He has won two Odyssey Awards and an Audie Award for Middle Grade Title. In 2015, Booklist named him a Voice of Choice narrator.
Early life and education Heyborne graduated from Alta High School in 1995 where he was student body president. He is a member of the LDS Church and served as a missionary for the church in the Dominican Republic. He later graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Economics.
Career Heyborne is both an actor and a musician; he has released several CDs on which he sings and plays the guitar. However, he did not become widely popular in the LDS Church community until his starring role in the film The R.M. in 2003. In 2008, his choice to appear in a commercial for Miller Lite generated some controversy given the LDS Church's stance against alcohol, which Heyborne believed led to him losing out on a subsequent performance at LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University. His first appearance in a non-LDS film was as "Teddy" in The Three Stooges in 2012. He also had appeared in a Best Buy commercial in late-summer 2013 promoting sales for Verizon phones.
In 2019, Heyborne began as host for a new show on BYUtv called Making Good.
Awards and honors In 2015, Booklist named Heyborne a Voice of Choice narrator, noting that he has a "skill at voicing accents and dialects, perhaps enhanced by his musical knowledge and ear, comes up frequently in reviews."
Awards YearTitleAwardResultRef.2006Cloud Atlas (2004) by David MitchellAudie Award for Literary FictionFinalist2008Selections from Dreamsongs 1 by George R.R. MartinAudie Award for Science FictionFinalist2011 by Kristin LevineAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 102012Rotters by Daniel KrausOdyssey AwardWinner2013Heft by Liz MooreAudie Award for Literary FictionFinalistL.A. Noir by John BuntinAudie Award for History or BiographyFinalist2014 by Russell D. RobertsAudie Award for Business and Personal DevelopmentFinalistRumble by Ellen HopkinsListen-Up Award for Children’s/YAFinalistRumble by Ellen HopkinsListen-Up Award for Audiobook Narrator of the YearFinalistScowler (2013) by Daniel KrausAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 10Scowler (2013) by Daniel KrausOdyssey AwardWinner2015Skink – No Surrender (2014) by Carl HiaasenAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 102016All the Bright Places (2014) by Jennifer NivenAudie Award for Young Adult TitleFinalistLibrary of Souls (2014) by Ransom RiggsAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 10Trollhunters by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel KrausAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 102017Traffick by Ellen HopkinsAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 102020Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. WhiteAudie Award for Audiobook of the YearFinalistCharlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. WhiteAudie Award for Middle Grade TitleWinnerDig by A. S. KingAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 102022 by Jory JohnAudie Award for Young Listeners' TitleFinalist
"Best of" lists YearTitleListRef.2006 (2004) by Rodman PhilbrickSelected Audiobooks for Young Adults2008Genius by Jesse KellermanBooklist Editors' Choice: Media2010Cosmic (2010) by Frank Cottrell-BoyceAudioFile Best of Children's2011Rotters by Daniel KrausBooklist Editors' Choice: Media2012The Beginner's Goodbye (2012) by Anne TylerAudioFile Best of FictionCosmic by Frank Cottrell BoyceAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsMoon Over Manifest (2010) by Clare VanderpoolNotable Children's RecordingsRotters by Daniel KrausAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsStay Awake: Stories (2012) by Dan ChaonAudioFile Best of Fiction2013Almost Perfect (2009) by Brian KatcherAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsEnder's Game Alive by Orson Scott CardAudioFile Best of Science FictionHeft by Liz MooreRUSA Listen ListScowler (2013) by Daniel KrausBooklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Youth2014Hollow City (2014) by Ransom RiggsAudioFile Best of Young AdultScowler (2013) by Daniel KrausAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsScowler (2013) by Daniel KrausAudioFile Best of Young AdultThose Darn Squirrels! by Adam RubinNotable Children's Videos2015100 Sideways Miles by Andrew SmithBooklist Editors' Choice: Audio for YouthAll the Bright Places (2014) by Jennifer NivenPublishers Weekly Best Children's/YA AudiobooksGoodbye Stranger (2015) by Rebecca SteadAudioFile Best of Children'sHollow City (2014) by Ransom RiggsAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsNotable Children's RecordingsMe and Earl and the Dying Girl (2012) by Jesse AndrewsAudioFile Best of Young AdultNoggin by John Corey WhaleyAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsOld Wolf (2015) by AviAudioFile Best of Children'sSkink – No Surrender (2014) by Carl HiaasenBooklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Youth2016100 Sideways Miles by Andrew SmithAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsAll the Bright Places (2014) by Ariadne MeyersAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsCrown of Three by J.D. RinehartAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsMister Monkey (2016) by Francine ProseAudioFile Best of Fiction2017 (2017) by Nina RiggsAudioFile Best of Memoir (2017) by Ali Standish AudioFile Best of Children & Family ListeningLincoln in the Bardo (2017) by George SaundersBooklist Editors' Choice: Audio for Adults2018 by Alexandra BrackenNotable Children's RecordingsLincoln in the Bardo (2017) by George SaundersRUSA Listen List2019Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White AudioFile Best of Children & Family Listening2020Charlotte’s Web (1952) by E.B. WhiteNotable Children's RecordingsRoller Girl (2015) by Victoria JamiesonAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTwo Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManusAmazing Audiobooks for Young Adults2022Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love by Jared ReckAmazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
Works
Filmography
Social Suicide (2001) - Tuff Christopherson The Singles Ward (2002) - Dalen Martin The R.M. (2003) - Jared Phelps The Work and the Story (2003) - Ephraim Thomas Saints and Soldiers (2003) - Flight Sergeant Oberon Winley The Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1: The Journey (2003) - Sam The Best Two Years (2003) - Elder Hezekiah Calhoun Everwood (2003) - Mr. Perkins Hoops (2004) - Ethan Sons of Provo (2004) - Kirby Laybourne The Last Chapter (2004) - Jonathan Pirates of the Great Salt Lake (2006) - Kirk Redgrave/Nose Beard Lazy Muncie (2006) - Himself Free Ride (2006) - Dylan Hudney Take a Chance (2006) - Eugene Buddles Praise to the Man (2006) - Oliver Cowdery Together Again for the First Time (2008) - Roger Wolders The Singles 2nd Ward (2007) - Dalen Martin Scout Camp (2009) - Kerry Midway to Heaven (also known as Heaven Is Waiting) (2011) - David The Three Stooges (2012) - Teddy Sorry (2013) The Client List (2013, TV series, season 1 episode 7) Extinct (2017, TV series) - voice of Red Drone Faith of Angels (2024)
Discography Inside - (2005) Braver Days ( May 2006) Merry White Tree in the Night (Oct 2006) The RM Soundtrack - "If You Could Hie to Kolob" Sons of Provo Soundtrack The Gone Away World by Nick Harkaway - Narrator (2008) Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan - Narrator (2008) The Elm Tree - Released March 31, 2009 The Long Walk by Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman - Narrator (2010) Fat Vampire by Adam Rex - Narrator (2010) Rotters by Daniel Kraus - Narrator (2011) Everybody Sees the Ants by A. S. King - Narrator (2012) Come to Zion, Vol. 1: The Winds and the Waves by Dean Hughes - Narrator (2012) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - Narrator (with Julia Whelan) (2012) Scowler by Daniel Kraus - Narrator (2013) Breathe by Abbi Glines - Narrator (2013) Taipei by Tao Lin - Narrator (2013) Come to Zion, Vol. 2: Through Cloud and Sunshine by Dean Hughes - Narrator (2013) Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (2013) Hollow City by Ransom Riggs - Narrator (2014) Rumble by Ellen Hopkins - Narrator (2014) The Family of Jesus by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2014) Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2014) A Generation Rising (Fire and Steel, Vol. 1) by Gerald N. Lund - Narrator (2014) Only the Brave: The Continuing Story of the San Juan Pioneers by Gerald N. Lund - Narrator (2014) Come to Zion, Vol. 3: Fresh Courage Take by Dean Hughes - Narrator (2014) Ashfall by Mike Mullin - Narrator (2015) All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - Narrator (2015) The Friends of Jesus by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2015) Chasing Sunsets (Angels Walking, book 2) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2015) The Orphan Army: The Nightsiders, book 1 by Jonathan Maberry - Narrator (2015) The Storm Descends (Fire and Steel, Vol. 2) by Gerald N. Lund - Narrator (2015) Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs - Narrator (2015) Fires of Invention (Mysteries of Cove, Vol. 1) by Jeffrey Scott Savage - Narrator (2015) Youngblood by Matt Gallagher - Narrator (2016) To Soar with Eagles by Gerald N. Lund - Narrator (2016) Brush of Wings (Angels Walking, book 3) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2016) The Shadow Falls (Fire and Steel, Vol. 3) by Gerald N. Lund - Narrator (2016) Gears of Revolution (Mysteries of Cove, Vol. 2) by Jeffrey Scott Savage - Narrator (2016) A Baxter Family Christmas (The Baxters) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2016) Dragonwatch: A Fablehaven Adventure (Dragonwatch, Vol. 1) by Brandon Mull - Narrator (2017) The Proud Shall Stumble (Fire and Steel, Vol. 4) by Gerald N. Lund - Narrator (2017) Love Story (The Baxters) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2017) In This Moment (The Baxters) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2017) Embers of Destruction (Mysteries of Cove, Vol. 3) by Jeffrey Scott Savage - Narrator (2017) Out of the Smoke (Fire and Steel, Vol. 5) by Gerald N. Lund - Narrator (2018) ’’I Am Not A Serial Killer (John Cleaver, Vol. 1)’’ by Dan Wells - Narrator (2018) Dragonwatch: Wrath of the Dragon King (Dragonwatch, Vol. 2) by Brandon Mull - Narrator (2018) A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs - Narrator (2018) To the Moon and Back (The Baxters) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2018) When We Were Young (The Baxters) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2018) Two Weeks (The Baxters) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2019) Into the Flames (Fire and Steel, Vol. 6) by Gerald N. Lund - Narrator (2019) Muddy: Where Faith and Polygamy Collide (Muddy, Vol. 1) by Dean Hughes - Narrator (2019) Dragonwatch: Master of the Phantom Isle (Dragonwatch, Vol. 3) by Brandon Mull - Narrator (2019) River: Where Faith and Consecration Converge (Muddy, Vol. 2) by Dean Hughes - Narrator (2020) The Volunteer Effect by Jason Young and Jonathan Malm - Narrator (2020) Dragonwatch: Champion of the Titan Games (Dragonwatch, Vol. 4) by Brandon Mull - Narrator (2020) Someone Like You (The Baxters) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2020) Truly, Madly Deeply (The Baxters) by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2020) A Distant Shore by Karen Kingsbury - Narrator (with January LaVoy) (2021) Dragonwatch: Return of the Dragon Slayers (Dragonwatch, Vol. 5) by Brandon Mull - Narrator (2021)
References
External links Official Kirby Heyborne site