What happened to Nev Schulman? The once-ubiquitous star of MTV’s Catfish seemed to vanish from the spotlight after years of investigating online deception and romantic scams.
From his early days as the subject of the original Catfish documentary to becoming the face of a long-running reality series, Schulman’s career was defined by uncovering truth in the digital age.
Who is Nev Schulman?
Nev Schulman is a filmmaker, television host, and producer best known for his work on MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show, which explores the world of online deception and fake identities. He first rose to fame in 2010 as the subject of the documentary Catfish, which followed his own experience of being lured into an online relationship with a woman who wasn’t who she claimed to be.
The film became a cultural phenomenon, coining the term “catfish” to describe someone who creates a false online persona.
After the success of the Catfish documentary, Schulman became the executive producer and co-host (alongside Max Joseph, who later left the show) of Catfish: The TV Show, which premiered in 2012.
The series helps individuals uncover whether their online love interests are real or hiding behind fabricated identities. Beyond Catfish, Schulman has worked as a producer on other projects, including documentaries and TV series, and has been involved in advocacy for internet safety and digital ethics.
Schulman has been open about his personal life, including his marriage to Laura Perlongo in 2017 and their three children. He has also faced controversies, such as past allegations of inappropriate behavior (which he denied and MTV investigated before reinstating him on Catfish).
Despite these challenges, he remains a recognizable figure in pop culture, known for his empathetic yet no-nonsense approach to uncovering online deception.
What Happened to Nev Schulman
In August 2024, Schulman revealed he’s “lucky to be here” after a harrowing collision with a truck left him with a broken neck. The 39-year-old shared the shocking news with fans on Instagram, posting photos and videos from a hospital bed where he could be seen wearing a neck brace, as well as X-rays that clearly showed the extent of the injury. The accident happened while he was biking through New York to pick up his son from school.
In a heartfelt caption, Schulman opened up about the life-altering moment. “I never made it to pick up my son from school on the bike. In some ways, I’m glad I didn’t,” he wrote. “I was alone on impact. Me and the truck. And then, I guess, the pavement.”
He recalled waking up unconscious and disoriented, initially unaware of how serious his injuries were. Though he sustained stable fractures in his neck, doctors reassured him that he was not at risk of paralysis and is expected to make a full recovery.
Schulman expressed deep gratitude to the medical team that treated him, especially the first responders and ICU staff who were by his side in those critical early hours. He also shared emotional moments of his recovery, videos showing him struggling to stand with support, softly embracing his children, and examining the cracked bike helmet that likely saved his life.
Road to Recovery
The weeks and months following what happened to Nev Schulman proved to be an exhausting and painful journey, testing both his physical and mental strength. Recovery from a broken neck required intense rehabilitation, with Schulman undergoing rigorous physical therapy sessions to regain full mobility.
The process was slow and often frustrating, with simple daily tasks becoming challenging obstacles. However, true to his resilient nature, Schulman remained determined, documenting parts of his progress with his followers to shed light on the difficult realities of serious injury recovery.
Through perseverance and the support of his family and medical team, Schulman gradually regained his strength. What began as struggling to stand with assistance eventually turned into regained independence, and the man who once faced the terrifying possibility of paralysis made a full recovery.
Today, Schulman is not only fit again but has returned to his active lifestyle, including cycling, though undoubtedly with greater caution.
