Kriti Mehrotra
As the creator, director, and executive producer behind many Netflix original documentary series, Greg Whiteley arguably understands interpersonal nuances better than anyone. After all, most of his work, like ‘Mitt,’ ‘Last Chance U,’ ‘Cheer,’ as well as ‘Wrestlers,’ underscores the indisputable positive impact of friendships, tough love, and unwavering support. It’s no surprise his company, One Potato Productions, follows these same principles of respect, which is why Jason Michael Arnot was even given a tribute at the end of ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ season 2.
Jason Michael Arnot’s Ingenuity Helped Him Become a Renowned Producer
Born on October 2, 1985, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Cynthia Ann and Dean Edwin Arnot, Jason Michael Arnot sensed from an early age that he was different from others since he always had a creative perspective on everything. Therefore, once he found his own unique voice while growing up alongside two brothers, Sean Arnot and David White, he decided to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in Illinois for a degree in filmmaking as soon as he graduated from Covenant Christian High School in 2004 — he had clear ambitions.
In fact, upon concluding his formal studies, Jason relocated to Los Angeles, California, where he gradually established a rather remarkable career for himself as an editor and producer. He bided his time to rise up the industry ladder, securing his first legitimate film project in 2011 and proving his mettle through his work while also pushing artistic, creative, and visionary boundaries. Then, not only did he work alongside filmmaker Abbey Celeste Aichinger to bring her visions to life on her YouTube channel, ThunderblissFilms, but he also landed a spot at One Potato Productions.
It was in 2014 that Jason really started making his mark in mainstream entertainment thanks to his role as a producer in the short biographical documentary ‘The Story of Sweet Pie.’ Little did he know this would inadvertently lead him to the set of ‘Last Chance U,’ where he served as a field producer, story producer, supervising story producer, and co-director from 2016 to 2020. Later on, he worked in similar capacities across all other ensuing Greg Whiteley-created series — ‘Cheer’ (2020-2022), ‘Wrestlers’ (2023), and ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ (2024-Present). This co-director, editor, and producer moved back to his home state in late 2023 to be closer to his family, yet it didn’t affect his work one bit; instead, he continued to shine on.
Jason Michael Arnot Sadly Passed Away in 2025
Although not much information about Jason’s personal health is publicly available as of writing, we do know he endured some issues over the years, reportedly including a misdiagnosis in early 2008. While he never revealed what precisely transpired or if it was to have a long-term impact, he shared pictures in 2021 to showcase that it had left one side of his face bruised and puffed up for a while. Less than four years from publicly posting these images of his face and a little over 3 months after sharing an image of a road sign reading “Graveyard Road,” the 39-year-old artist unfortunately passed away in his home in Mooresville, Indiana, on March 6, 2025.
When Jason passed away, he left behind his mother Cynthia Arnot, father Dean Arnot, brothers Sean Arnot and David White, sister-in-law Brittany White, a niece as well as two nephews. From what we can tell, they are understandably still grieving him, but they also seem to be doing their best to move forward in life by focusing on the good times they all shared together. After all, that is what he would’ve wanted. Jason’s friends, colleagues, and other loved ones share this same sentiment, with all of them expressing that he was arguably the most beloved human they had ever come across.
As seen above, Greg paid tribute to Jason on his Instagram the day after his March 16, 2025, funeral service, penning, in part, “There’s not a single member of our crew that was more beloved than Jason. It’s a testament to his talent and passion for a unique style of storytelling as well as an extremely tender and generous heart toward those who lived on the margins… He excelled at finding the humor in their story, but never at the expense of their humanity… The hole that Jason has left behind in our small production company is immense. Prayers for his Mom, Cynthia, his Dad, Dean, his brother Sean, as well as the rest of us who will miss him.”
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