After Attempting to Check off Their Bucket List, 'The Buried Life' Crew Still Have Work to Do

The two season reality television show, The Buried Life, started out more as a project than anything else. A group of four friends travel together as they try to tick off a long bucket list. It's meant to be compelling and uplifting.

Duncan Penn, Jonnie Penn, Ben Nemtin, and Dave Lingwood partnered with MTV to get it done. However, this many years later, how did they really turn out as people? Let's dive into where they are now.

In business, Duncan Penn is climbing to the top. Like Ben, he became a #1 NYT bestselling author. Plus, he's super interested in what Elon Musk is up to, investing in companies like SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink.

He's become so successful that he was even voted among the Top 100 Influential People of 2024. Like the other guys, he's working media now, too. Duncan is the executive producer on five television shows.

Duncan is also giving back to the community with lots of philanthropy efforts. Again, though, his work links back to Elon Musk as he gifts profusely to The Givepower Foundation which focuses on using Tesla's technology to help better the world's environment.

It appears that Ben Nemtin has moved on to bigger and better things. According to his website, "Ben Nemtin is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, co-founder of The Buried Life movement and inspirational keynote speaker. He has delivered over 500 keynotes to brands and Fortune 500 companies around the globe."

He also opened up about his struggles with mental health. He admitted that he struggled with going to school due to anxiety, even leaving the rugby team and dropping out of college. This is what eventually lead him to The Buried Life initiative.

Ben reflects fondly on the time, writing: "I now truly believe that anyone can do anything and I have seen how this belief changes how you make decisions and, ultimately, how you live your life."

By the way, in case you're wondering, Ben is taken now. His girlfriend, Vanessa Fitzgerald, focuses on health and wellness in her content creation journey.

Dave Lingwood took what he learned from The Buried Life and went on to found more project and companies, too. He created a television studio called Theos with the other guys. Originally, it was named Four Peaks Studio.

It appears that Dave heads a lot of the operations, but they're all pitching in. Their Instagram explains: "We bring our new ideas into the world. We make tv, films and work with people that inspire us. Follow the journey here, and thanks for your support over the years."

He's also in the travel industry. Dave founded HATA which focuses on health and wellness. The company is a "modern luxury A-Frame vacation home and wellness retreat in the heart of the high desert," according to their Instagram.

Dave is also taken who he calls the love of his life. Maria Paula Mora joins Dave on his many adventures and, according to her page, she also works in the wellness world, making them a lovely match.

Jonnie Penn continued on with his brainy way and earned his PhD. Now, he is a Professor of AI Ethics and Society at the University of Cambridge. Like his fellow Buried Lifers, he also became a #1 NYT bestselling author.

His academic career doesn't stop there. Jonnie also does research with Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University, St. Edmund’s College, and Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence.

Similarly to Ben, Jonnie is open to public speaking events. Rather than motivational speaking, he focuses on conversations surrounding artificial intelligence.