You might have seen the name Hudson Joseph Meek pop up lately, especially if you're a fan of Edgar Wright’s high-octane 2017 hit Baby Driver. Most people searching for "Joseph Meek" are actually looking for this talented young performer. It's one of those things where a middle name and a first name get swapped in the Google search bar, but the story behind the actor is much more significant than a simple typo.
He wasn't just another face in a crowd of extras. Hudson Joseph Meek played the younger version of Miles—better known as Baby—the lead character portrayed by Ansel Elgort.
Who was Hudson Joseph Meek in Baby Driver?
In the film, the backstory is everything. To understand why Baby is so obsessed with music and why he has permanent tinnitus, you have to look at the flashback scenes. That’s where Hudson comes in. He portrayed the innocence of a child before the trauma of the car accident that took his parents.
✨ Don't miss: Ozzy Osbourne God Bless: Why the Prince of Darkness Always Ends With a Prayer
It was a small but pivotal role. Think about it: without those scenes of "Young Baby," the character's motivation to keep his iPods synced and his world curated by sound wouldn't make any sense. Hudson’s performance provided the emotional anchor for the entire movie.
He was just a kid from Birmingham, Alabama, specifically the suburb of Vestavia Hills. He started acting young, following in the footsteps of his brother, Tucker Meek.
Why the name Joseph Meek is trending now
If you’ve noticed a surge in interest around the name, there’s a heartbreaking reason for it. In December 2024, the news broke that Hudson Joseph Meek had passed away. He was only 16 years old.
The details were tragic. According to reports from the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office and the Vestavia Hills Police Department, Hudson fell from a moving vehicle on December 19, 2024. He was rushed to UAB Hospital in Birmingham but sadly succumbed to blunt force trauma injuries two days later.
The industry and his local community were devastated.
A look at his career beyond the getaway car
While Baby Driver was his "buzziest" credit, Hudson was a working actor with a surprisingly deep resume for someone his age.
- MacGyver (2018): He appeared in an episode titled "Dia de los Muertos + Sicarios + Family."
- Found (2023): He played the teenage version of "Sir" (the character played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar), showing he could handle darker, more complex roles.
- The School Duel (2024): One of his final projects where he played a character named Sirius.
- Legacies: He guest-starred in the popular CW series.
He even did voiceover work, lending his voice to the animated series Badanamu Stories. Honestly, the kid was everywhere. He wasn’t just "the kid from that one movie"—he was a professional who loved the craft.
The legacy of a young talent
It’s easy to look at a list of credits and forget there’s a real person behind them. Hudson wasn’t just an actor; he was a sophomore at Vestavia Hills High School. He played football. He was in the choir.
His family described him as "tenacious," "quick-witted," and a bit of a prankster. You’ve probably met kids like him—the ones who can light up a room just by walking in. His obituary mentioned that he never let the "facts get in the way of a funny story." That’s a classic trait of a natural-born storyteller.
What happened after the accident?
In the wake of the tragedy, his family and community didn't just mourn; they acted. They established the Hudson J. Meek Memorial Scholarship. It’s awarded annually to a student at Vestavia Hills High School who embodies that same spirit of service and creativity.
There was also a massive outpouring of support on social media. People who worked with him on sets like Found and Genius shared stories about how he’d go out of his way to learn the names of every crew member. That’s rare, even for adult actors.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Supporters
If you're looking to honor the memory of the young man often searched as "Joseph Meek" or Hudson Meek, here are a few things you can do:
📖 Related: Faith Hill and Family: The Messy, Real Story Behind the Country Music Royalty
- Watch his work: Beyond Baby Driver, check out his episodes in Found or MacGyver to see the range he was developing.
- Support the scholarship: If you’re moved by his story, look into the Hudson J. Meek Memorial Scholarship at Vestavia Hills High School. Supporting local arts and student scholarships is a direct way to keep his legacy alive.
- Check out his upcoming releases: Because he was so active, a few projects were scheduled for release in 2025. Keeping an eye out for these shows his family and the production teams that his work still matters.
The loss of Hudson Joseph Meek is a reminder of how quickly things can change. While many will remember him as the young boy in the back of a car in a Hollywood blockbuster, those who knew him remember a kid who lived life at full throttle.