Personal details
- Birth Date: 1981-10-05
- Birth Location: Elgin, Illinois, USA
- Professions: Producer, Executive
Ben Kalina, born in Elgin, Illinois back in 1981, is honestly one of those behind-the-scenes names that keeps popping up in some of the wildest, most memorable animated shows of recent years. He’s not your typical Hollywood suit—this guy's fingerprints are all over stuff that’s clever, weird, and not afraid to get a little messy. You know Big Mouth? Of course you do. That show’s like puberty cranked up to eleven, and Ben helped steer the ship as a producer, making sure all the awkward, hilarious, and sometimes cringe-worthy moments landed just right. It’s not just about fart jokes and hormone monsters (though, yeah, there’s plenty of that)—he’s got a knack for finding the heart in the chaos. Jump to The Legend of Vox Machina, and suddenly we’re knee-deep in fantasy mayhem, D&D vibes everywhere, and a ragtag bunch of misfits trying to save the world or, at the very least, not destroy it completely. Ben’s touch is all over that too, managing the kind of big, sprawling storylines that could easily trip over themselves if someone wasn’t paying attention. And then there’s The Midnight Gospel, which—I mean, what even is that show half the time? It’s like a cosmic acid trip mixed with deep, philosophical chats and animation that melts your brain. Yet somehow, it all ties together, and you can bet Ben had a hand in making it work. He’s not the loudest name in the credits, but honestly, without folks like Ben Kalina, a lot of these shows would probably just collapse under their own weirdness. He’s proof that the right producer can make the difference between a hot mess and a cult classic.
Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, has this wild energy to it—think sprawling campus, tons of green, and a vibe that’s part Midwest charm, part college chaos. It’s the kind of place where you’ll find students lounging on the grass between classes or crowding into one of those old brick buildings for a late-night cram session. The town around it? Classic college scene—bars, coffee shops, pizza joints, all packed with kids arguing about everything from politics to the best pizza topping (it’s always pepperoni, let’s be real). The university’s got a rep for solid programs—especially in things like aviation and architecture—and people come in from all over the map, so you end up with this melting pot of weird and wonderful personalities. It’s not the kind of place where you just go to class and go home, either. There’s always something happening, whether it’s a bonfire out by the lake or some underground band playing in a basement somewhere.
October 5, 1981
Konidela Ram Charan
Elgin, Illinois, USA
43 years old