Gia Ruiz is an art director whose credits include the independent comedy The Foot Fist Way. She also worked in the art department on Eastbound & Down, connecting her professional background with two productions associated with her husband, actor and writer Danny McBride.
The couple met at a Super Bowl party in 2002 and married in October 2010. They have two children, Declan and Ava, and later established their family home in Charleston, South Carolina. McBride’s interviews offer glimpses of their life together, including shared morning routines, parenting decisions, and a playful approach to gift giving.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Gia Ruiz |
| Profession | Art director and art department professional |
| Film credit | The Foot Fist Way (2006), art director. |
| Television credit | Eastbound & Down, art department assistant, credited as Gia M. Ruiz. |
| Earlier work | Worked with students with disabilities at Los Angeles City College |
| Husband | Danny McBride |
| First meeting | A Super Bowl party in 2002. |
| Wedding date | October 9, 2010. |
| Children | Two: Declan and Ava. |
| Family home | Charleston, South Carolina. |
Her Work With Students at Los Angeles City College
Gia Ruiz was working with students with disabilities at Los Angeles City College when she met Danny McBride in 2002. Vanity Fair recorded this detail in its 2016 profile of the actor, placing her professional background in student support before her documented film credits. Her later production work included art direction on The Foot Fist Way and an art department role on Eastbound & Down.
How She Met Danny McBride at a Super Bowl Party
Gia Ruiz and Danny McBride first met at a Super Bowl party in 2002. Their connection began before The Foot Fist Way and Eastbound & Down brought him wider recognition, placing their introduction in the early years of his entertainment career.
McBride later recalled the meeting on The Late Late Show with James Corden, describing it as “interest at first sight.” According to AmoMama’s account of that interview, they stayed in touch before beginning a romantic relationship. A later invitation to join him on a cross-country road trip became an important turning point for the couple.
The Cross-Country Road Trip That Brought Them Closer
A cross-country road trip became a turning point in Gia Ruiz’s relationship with Danny McBride. According to AmoMama’s account of his appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, the invitation came during a Christmas Eve conversation. McBride was preparing to leave his job and asked Ruiz to accompany him on the drive. She accepted, and the journey helped their connection develop into a romantic relationship, becoming part of the story he later shared about how they fell in love.
Art Direction on The Foot Fist Way
Gia Ruiz is credited as the art director of The Foot Fist Way, the independent comedy directed by Jody Hill and starring Danny McBride as taekwondo instructor Fred Simmons. The production credits also name Randy Gambill as its production designer. The film premiered at Sundance in 2006 before reaching theaters in 2008, making it an early professional connection between Ruiz and McBride.
An art director generally helps turn the production designer’s visual plans into practical settings for filming. The role involves organizing design work and coordinating the resources needed to achieve the intended look, with responsibilities varying according to the production’s scale and budget. This provides context for Ruiz’s credited contribution to the film’s visual production.
Her Art Department Work on Eastbound & Down
Gia Ruiz worked in the art department on Eastbound & Down, with IMDb listing 13 episodes across 2009 and 2010. Her credited roles include art department assistant and art department production assistant. In “Chapter 13,” she appears in the crew credits under the name Gia M. Ruiz.
The HBO comedy starred Danny McBride as Kenny Powers, a former professional baseball player who returns to his hometown and becomes a physical education teacher. Created by McBride, Jody Hill, and Ben Best, the series continued the collaboration behind The Foot Fist Way. Ruiz’s involvement extended her production experience from independent film into episodic television during the show’s early years.
Their October 2010 Wedding
Gia Ruiz and Danny McBride married in October 2010, with IMDb listing October 9 as the date. In a July 2026 interview with NPR’s Wild Card, McBride recalled celebrating in Palm Springs, California. He explained that they had reserved an entire hotel for a weekend of festivities.
The celebration included a large pool party, and McBride joked that his wedding suit was eventually recovered from the bottom of the pool. When asked which moment from his past he would like to revisit, he chose his wedding day. He remembered the people who attended and the experiences he and Ruiz had shared since, saying the memory still made him smile.
Raising Their Two Children, Declan and Ava
Gia Ruiz and Danny McBride are parents to son Declan George and daughter Ava. Their first child, Declan, was born on September 26, 2011, in Los Angeles. Ava, their younger child, joined the family several years later.
In a 2021 Entertainment Weekly interview, McBride said he and Ruiz regularly discussed their children’s relationship with technology. Watching his son play Minecraft with friends during lockdown had helped him appreciate how online activities could maintain social connections. He wanted technology to contribute positively to their children’s lives. He also recalled a lighter family ritual: listening to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You” while driving his son to school.
Why They Moved From Los Angeles to Charleston
Gia Ruiz and Danny McBride moved their family to Charleston, South Carolina, in 2017. McBride had spent time there filming Vice Principals, and several close friends and collaborators also relocated to the area. Charleston became both their family home and a base for production work.
In a 2026 NPR interview, McBride explained that filming Alien: Covenant in Australia in 2016 had prompted him to reconsider his priorities. Their daughter was still very young, and being away made him question a future spent in hotel rooms, staying connected with his children through video calls. He wanted more time with his family. Moving to Charleston and shifting production to the South allowed him to continue working closer to home.
Family Routines and Their $25 Gift Tradition
In a 2024 GQ profile, Danny McBride described getting up around 5 a.m. for quiet time with Gia Ruiz. They would watch the news and joke about local commercials. His morning then included school drop-offs and a hot-chocolate stop with his son before returning home to write.
The couple also developed a playful Valentine’s Day tradition during their early dating years. In a 2021 Entertainment Weekly interview, McBride recalled visiting a Burbank mall with $25 each and 45 minutes to find a gift for the other. They would open their purchases in the food court, and he remembered the fun of choosing the presents, even when the gifts themselves were nothing remarkable.
Public Appearances at Premieres and Film Festivals
Gia Ruiz has accompanied Danny McBride to film festival events and television premieres. On January 20, 2018, she attended the Arizona cocktail party at the DIRECTV Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Getty Images photographed her alongside McBride, Rob McElhenney, and Kaitlin Olson.
She also attended the Los Angeles premiere of The Righteous Gemstones’ fourth and final season on March 5, 2025. PEOPLE’s coverage of the premiere identifies Ruiz as accompanying her husband, who discussed the HBO comedy and Bradley Cooper’s guest appearance at the event.
Net Worth Estimates and Career Income
A 2021 profile by Tuko estimated Gia Ruiz’s net worth at approximately $350,000. However, it did not provide financial records or explain its calculation, making this a speculative online estimate.
Her documented professional work includes art direction on The Foot Fist Way and an art-department position on Eastbound & Down. These credits establish her experience in film and television, although they do not disclose her pay from either production.
Her business activities also include Don Gato Tequila. An April 2026 company announcement published by BevNET identifies her as a co-founder and credits her with leading research and development for its two tequila expressions. The announcement provides no details about her ownership percentage or business income, so it cannot establish her current personal wealth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gia Ruiz?
Gia Ruiz is an art director and art-department professional known for The Foot Fist Way and Eastbound & Down. She is also married to actor, writer, and producer Danny McBride.
What does Gia Ruiz do for a living?
Her professional background includes film art direction and television production work. An April 2026 company announcement also identifies her as a co-founder of Don Gato Tequila and credits her with leading product research and development.
How did Gia Ruiz and Danny McBride meet?
They met at a Super Bowl party in Los Angeles. Vanity Fair’s 2016 profile dates their meeting to 2002, when she was working with students with disabilities at Los Angeles City College.
When did Gia Ruiz marry Danny McBride?
They married in October 2010 in Palm Springs, California. IMDb lists their wedding date as October 9, 2010.
How many children do Gia Ruiz and Danny McBride have?
They have two children, a son named Declan and a daughter named Ava. McBride has discussed their family life and parenting experiences in interviews.
Where do Gia Ruiz and Danny McBride live?
The family lives in the Charleston area of South Carolina. They moved there from Los Angeles in 2017, and Charleston became a base for McBride’s creative work.
Conclusion: Gia Ruiz’s Film Work and Family Life
Gia Ruiz’s professional background includes art direction on The Foot Fist Way and art-department work on Eastbound & Down. Her involvement as a co-founder of Don Gato Tequila adds a business chapter to her experience in entertainment production.
Alongside that work, she and Danny McBride have built a family life with their children, Declan and Ava, in the Charleston area. His interviews about parenting, shared routines, and their move to South Carolina offer glimpses of their everyday life together. Her production credits and business activities complete a picture of a career that has continued beyond her early film work. More Profile About Celebrity.
