MrBeast
James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, known as MrBeast, is a highly successful American YouTuber, media personality, and businessman. Born on May 7, 1998, he gained fame for his fast-paced, high-production YouTube videos that feature elaborate challenges and large monetary donations. MrBeast currently holds the record for the most YouTube subscribers with over 360 million, and he is the third-most-followed creator on TikTok with 114.5 million followers. Additionally, he has over 65.5 million Instagram followers and 32.1 million followers on X (formerly Twitter).
Raised in Greenville, North Carolina, Donaldson began his YouTube journey in 2012 under
Mr Beast | |||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) MrBeast in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | James Stephen Donaldson
Wichita, Kansas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Years active | 2012–present | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Partner(s) | Thea Booysen (2022–present; engaged) | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Origin | Greenville, North Carolina, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Website | mrbeast | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Website | mrbeast | ||||||||||||||||||
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the name MrBeast6000. His early content included Let's Plays and videos estimating the wealth of other YouTubers. In 2017, he went viral with his "counting to 100,000" video, which garnered millions of views within days. As his popularity grew, Donaldson expanded his channel and hired childhood friends to help manage the brand. He now oversees several channels, including Beast Reacts, MrBeast Gaming, MrBeast 2, and Beast Philanthropy.
In addition to his YouTube endeavors, MrBeast is the founder of MrBeast Burger, Feastables, and co-founder of Team Trees, a charity project raising funds for the Arbor Day Foundation. He also co-founded Team Seas, a fundraiser aimed at ocean conservation, which has raised millions. Throughout his career, Donaldson has received numerous accolades, including four consecutive Creator of the Year awards from the Streamy Awards, and has been named one of the world’s 100 most influential people by Time in 2023. He also consistently ranks on Forbes’ list of highest-paid YouTubers, with an estimated net worth of $500 million.
Donaldson was born in Wichita, Kansas, and moved frequently during his childhood, often under the care of au pairs due to his parents' demanding work schedules. He graduated from Greenville Christian Academy in 2016 and briefly attended East Carolina University before dropping out to pursue his YouTube career. Determined to understand YouTube’s recommendation algorithm, Donaldson and his friends spent years analyzing viral content.
Personal life
James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, widely known as MrBeast, describes himself as an introvert who has struggled to maintain a social life due to his intense focus on YouTube and work ethic. His mother, Sue, attributes his withdrawn nature to frequent relocations during childhood and his battle with Crohn's disease. Donaldson had a relationship with YouTuber Maddy Spidell from 2019 to 2022, and he began dating gaming streamer Thea Booysen in 2022. On January 1, 2025, he announced his engagement to Booysen, which began on December 25, 2024.
In June 2023, following the OceanGate submersible Titan tragedy, Donaldson revealed that he had been invited to join the expedition but declined the offer. Politically, Donaldson has stated that he is apolitical, focusing on his charity work rather than engaging in partisan politics. He mentioned considering running for president in 20 years but clarified his neutral stance on Twitter during the 2024 election.
Donaldson's views on LGBTQ issues have evolved over time. In 2022, he revealed that he had left evangelical Christianity and identified as an agnostic theist. He shared that he once held anti-LGBTQ views, influenced by his upbringing in the Bible Belt, but has since rejected those views and disavowed anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. In response to criticism of his childhood friend's transition, Donaldson defended her, speaking out against transphobia.
MrBeast's public image is largely positive, with a significant portion of the audience, especially younger viewers, having a favorable view of him. However, some critics accuse him of exploiting poverty for views, dubbing his content "charity porn." Donaldson has defended his approach, stating that all revenue from his philanthropy efforts goes directly to charity. His YouTube channel, which became the most-subscribed on the platform in 2024, reflects a shift towards high-production content, inspiring many creators to push the boundaries of YouTube's content. Donaldson's "extreme challenge videos" have influenced many young YouTubers, such as Fidias and Airrack.
YouTube career
James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, launched his YouTube career in 2012, uploading videos under the name "MrBeast6000." Initially, his content revolved around Let's Plays, focusing on games like Minecraft and Call of Duty, as well as videos on YouTube tips and drama. His early videos garnered limited attention, and he appeared infrequently. In 2015 and 2016, he gained traction with the "Worst Intros on YouTube" series. By mid-2016, he had 30,000 subscribers. Donaldson dropped out of college in 2016 to pursue a full-time career as a YouTuber, a decision his mother disapproved of, leading him to move out.
As his channel grew, Donaldson hired childhood friends, including Ava Kris Tyson, Chandler Hallow, Garrett Ronalds, and Jake Franklin. In 2020, Franklin left, and Karl Jacobs was promoted from cameraman to a central role.
Donaldson's breakthrough came in January 2017 with the viral "counting to 100,000" video, a 40-hour-long effort that caught the attention of viewers. His popularity surged with stunts like breaking glass with 100 megaphones, attempting to stay underwater for 24 hours, and attempting a 24-hour fidget spinner spin. By 2018, he had given away $1 million, cementing his reputation as YouTube's "biggest philanthropist."
In 2018, during the PewDiePie vs. T-Series rivalry, Donaldson took part in a campaign to help PewDiePie remain the most-subscribed YouTuber, even purchasing billboards and organizing Super Bowl promotions. Donaldson's 2019 and 2020 content continued to push the boundaries with high-stakes competitions, including a real-life battle royale and large-scale rock, paper, scissors tournament. These videos helped solidify his rise to fame.
Donaldson's 2021 content included a highly successful remake of "YouTube Rewind" and a viral Squid Game-inspired challenge, which attracted over 130 million views within a week. In 2021, Forbes ranked him as YouTube's highest-earning creator, with an estimated income of $54 million.
His career reached another milestone in 2022 when he surpassed 100 million subscribers, becoming only the fifth YouTube channel to achieve the feat. Later that year, he broke the Guinness World Record for "Most Subscribers for an Individual Male" on YouTube, surpassing PewDiePie. His channel continued to grow, reaching over 200 million subscribers by October 2023 and becoming the most-subscribed YouTube channel on June 2, 2024, with 267 million subscribers. Just a month later, Donaldson became the first YouTuber to surpass 300 million subscribers.
MrBeast's content has evolved over the years, with videos now categorized into three main genres: stunt videos, "junklord" challenges where Donaldson uses extravagant amounts of a product, and giveaway videos that feature large sums of money or valuable prizes. His giveaways are a central aspect of his channel, often including competitive elements.
Donaldson has mastered YouTube’s recommendation algorithm, optimizing his titles, thumbnails, and video pacing to ensure high click-through rates and viewer retention. His videos, typically 10 to 30 minutes long, are designed to keep viewers engaged through exciting challenges and promise of a "finale." Most of the funding for his elaborate videos comes from sponsorships and Google's AdSense program. Donaldson spends approximately $1 million per video, with much of his earnings reinvested into future content. His reaction and gaming channels also help fund his main channel, contributing to a self-sustaining revenue cycle.
In addition to YouTube, Donaldson earns passive income through ventures like merchandise, MrBeast Burger, and Feastables, contributing to his growing empire and continued success on the platform.
Other ventures
In June 2020, MrBeast, in collaboration with the Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF, launched a mobile game called Finger on the App. Players were tasked with keeping their finger on their phone screen, with the last person to remove their finger winning a grand prize of $25,000. The game was highly successful, with four players winning $20,000 each after keeping their fingers on the screen for over 70 hours. Due to its success, a sequel, Finger on the App 2, was planned for a December 2020 release but faced delays, finally launching in March 2021 with a grand prize of $100,000. The winner of the sequel lasted about 51 hours, while the runner-up earned $20,000.
MrBeast also ventured into the restaurant business with the launch of MrBeast Burger in December 2020. The virtual restaurant, developed in partnership with Virtual Dining Concepts, allowed customers to order burgers online from participating locations across the U.S. In August 2022, Donaldson announced the opening of a physical MrBeast Burger restaurant at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which opened in September 2022.
In January 2022, Donaldson launched Feastables, a food company offering chocolate bars in flavors like original, almond, and quinoa crunch. The launch coincided with a sweepstakes where winners had the chance to compete for a chocolate factory, similar to the plot of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The competition's final challenge was judged by Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay. Feastables earned an impressive $10 million in its initial months. However, in 2023, Donaldson faced criticism after asking fans on Twitter to help "clean up" Feastables displays in stores, offering a $5,000 raffle for their efforts. Many accused him of exploiting fans for unpaid labor.
In October 2023, Feastables partnered with the Charlotte Hornets, featuring MrBeast's logo on the team's jerseys for the 2023–24 NBA season, although the partnership later ended. In January 2024, Donaldson announced changes to the original Feastables bar, including new shapes and formulas.
In September 2024, Donaldson introduced a new snack kit brand called Lunchly, marketed as a healthier alternative to Lunchables. Lunchly, a joint venture with fellow YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul, offered a variety of snack boxes featuring products like Prime, Feastables, turkey with cheese, nachos with salsa and cheese, and pizza. However, the brand received backlash, with some questioning the marketing tactics and nutritional value. Criticism intensified after reports of mold being found in the products.
Donaldson is also an investor in Backbone, a startup that makes smartphone controller accessories. In March 2021, he partnered with Creative Juice to create Juice Funds, a $2 million investment fund aimed at content creators. Later that year, he became a long-term partner and investor in financial technology company Current, although he faced backlash after promoting a cryptocurrency scheme that caused fans to lose significant amounts of money.
In November 2022, Donaldson partnered with East Carolina University to offer a course focused on YouTube content creation. He also appeared as a guest judge on Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars in May 2023.
In 2023, MrBeast launched a free ad-supported streaming television channel on the Roku Channel, airing only previously released MrBeast YouTube videos.
In March 2024, Donaldson announced the creation of a new reality competition series, Beast Games, in partnership with Amazon MGM Studios. The show, set to air on Prime Video, was billed as the biggest reality competition series, with 1,000 contestants competing for a $5 million grand prize—the largest in television and streaming history. However, the show faced criticism after contestants claimed they were denied food, water, and medical care during production. Several contestants were hospitalized, with some requiring medical attention after being injured during the challenges. A spokesperson for Donaldson blamed external factors like a global systems outage and extreme weather for the issues.
References:
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