Who is David Dobrik, the young YouTube star worth US$7 million?
He rose to fame on the Vine app, married his Vlog Squad member’s mother for a joke and could be deported from the US if Donald Trump wins a Supreme Court case
If you’re not a teen, it’s possible you’ve never heard of David Dobrik. He’s a celebrity who has risen to fame on social media: originally featured on the video-sharing app Vine, he has since turned to YouTube and garnered more than 14 million subscribers.
Now, Dobrik has turned his empire into a net worth estimated at US$7 million. His elaborate stunts and vlogs have earned him film roles, a gig hosting the Teen Choice Awards and a loyal fan base.
Here’s everything you need to know about David Dobrik, a Vine star-turned-YouTuber:
David Dobrik was born in Kosice, Slovakia, on July 23, 1996. He has three siblings named Ester, Sarah and Toby.
Dobrik and his family immigrated to a suburb of Chicago when Dobrik was six years old. He attended Vernon Hills High School, where he played tennis.
Because he moved to the US when he was six, Dobrik is protected from deportation under the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which allows undocumented minors to live and work in the country. However, under President Donald Trump, those protections could be revoked.
After Dobrik graduated high school, his parents gave him a choice: go to college or move out. Dobrik chose to move to Los Angeles in 2013 with a few of his friends, and the group struggled to survive on cheap groceries such as peanut butter and bread.
Around this time, Dobrik discovered an app called Vine, where users could create short six-second looping videos to share with others. He started out running a few different sports accounts from which he would upload sports highlights and clips. At that point, Dobrik estimates he was making US$1,500 to US$2,000 a month.
But Dobrik soon transitioned over to creating comedic Vine videos. He started teaming up with other funny people on Vine – a group that’s come to be dubbed as the Vlog Squad. This includes other big-name former Vine stars and YouTubers such as Scotty Sire, Toddy Smith, Gabbie Hanna, Josh Peck and Zane Hijazi.