Ron Ruffin

Ron Ruffin is a fictional mental patient and zombie and a recurring character featured on the Netflix streaming video series Santa Clarita Diet. Played by actor Jonathan Slavin, he was introduced in the season two episode, "No Family is Perfect". He made two appearances in season two, and four appearances in season three, including the series finale.

Biography
Ron Ruffin was a mental patient from Santa Clarita, California. He suffered a mental breakdown after his wife had passed away from a terminal illness. He was admitted to a mental health facility, which offered him therapy, though he complained about there never being enough juice boxes offered.

While a patient, he met Joel Hammond, who had been admitted for a mandatory forty-eight hour observation. Believing that Ron was nuts, Joel felt secure in telling him the truth about a problem that had been plaguing him for several weeks. His wife, Sheila, had been transformed into a flesh-eating zombie, and Joel was desperate to find a cure. Joel left the facility shortly after meeting Ron.

Ron was discharged a few weeks later, but never forgot the story that Joel told him. He tracked the Hammonds down to thank them for helping him in his hour of need. Sheila was surprised to learn that Joel had told him the truth about her.

Ron found the undead head of Gary West in the Hammonds' basement. Desiring to become a zombie himself, he tricked Gary into biting him, after which, Ron became a proud member of the undead.

Unlike others, Ron had no difficulty in living the un-life of a zombie. He also had no qualms about sharing his gift with others, and began putting the bite on other people indiscriminately. Joel and Sheila realized that this was a problem, and were at odds over how to handle the Ron situation. They tried talking to him, but Ron largely ignored their concerns.

Joel and Sheila had been abducted by a Serbian businessman named Dobrivoje Poplovic, who wanted the valuable black blood coursing through Sheila's body that made her immortal. Partnering up with a newly made zombie named Jean and a former Knight of Serbia named Tommy, Ron Ruffin led this so-called "Cult of Sheila" on a rescue operation to save Joel and Sheila. Joel and Sheila largely extradited themselves through their own resourcefulness, but Ron and the others certainly helped out.

What became of Ron Ruffin following the formation of the Cult of Sheila and their daring rescue operation is unknown.

Notes & Trivia



 * Actor Jonathan Slavin is also known for playing the role of Paul Wemlinger in the "Clear and Wesen Danger" episode of Grimm.


 * Jonathan Slavin played Justin Hankel in the "Pretty Dead" episode of Castle, which starred Nathan Fillion. Slavin and Fillion both appeared in episodes from season two of Santa Clarita Diet.

Season Two

 * Santa Clarita Diet: No Family is Perfect
 * Santa Clarita Diet: Going Pre-Med

Season Three

 * Santa Clarita Diet: Knighttime
 * Santa Clarita Diet: Belle and Sebastian Protect the Head
 * Santa Clarita Diet: A Specific Form of Recklessness
 * Santa Clarita Diet: Forever!
 * Santa Clarita Diet: Zombody
 * Santa Clarita Diet: The Cult of Sheila