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Phoebe Cates

Phoebe Cates

Actor · Born July 16, 1963 (63) · New York City, New York, USA

Phoebe Belle Cates (born July 16, 1963) is a retired American actress, model, and entrepreneur best known for her roles in several teen films, most notably Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) and Gremlins (1984). Her last movie acting role was in The Anniversary Party (2001). Cates has been married to actor Kevin Kline since 1989; they have two children.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 16, 1963 (63)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 20 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 6% in 30 days

What are Phoebe Cates' films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
41%
Bonds
32%
Morality
11%
Power
6%
Survival
6%
Society
4%
Romantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 8 · Serious 4 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 4 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 7

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 4 of 12 analyzed roles.

Ally
4 of 12
Hero
3 of 12
Herald
2 of 12
Shapeshifter
1 of 12
Shadow
1 of 12
Trickster
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
4
Joyful
6
Tense
4
Contemplative
5
Romantic
4
Other
13

How their films linger

Feel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet3
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Phoebe Cates' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Phoebe Cates' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

20 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous: Making Gremlins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as (archive footage)

  • The Anniversary Party(2001)

    as Sophia Gold

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Princess Caraboo(1994)

    as Princess Caraboo / Mary Baker

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Bodies, Rest & Motion(1993)

    as Carol

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Drop Dead Fred(1991)

    as Elizabeth

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Gremlins 2: The New Batch(1990)

    as Kate Beringer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Largo Desolato (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Marguerite

  • I Love You to Death(1990)

    as Disco Girl

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Heart of Dixie(1989)

    as Aiken Reed

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Shag(1988)

    as Carson McBride

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Bright Lights, Big City(1988)

    as Amanda

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Date with an Angel(1987)

    as Patty Winston

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Lace 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Lili

  • Lace II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lili

  • Gremlins(1984)

    as Kate

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Lace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lili

  • Private School(1983)

    as Christine Ramsey

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Baby Sister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Annie Burroughs

  • Fast Times at Ridgemont High(1982)

    as Linda Barrett

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Paradise(1982)

    as Sarah

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 20 titles from 1982 to 2014; peak year 1983.

Biggest box office

Gremlins (1984)

$165M worldwide

Highest rated

Gremlins (1984)

Midcredits 89th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19822014

Peak 1983 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 6 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting20 of 20: 20 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rd

By decade

1980s12 · acting1990s6 · acting2000s1 · acting2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 31% of 13 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Phoebe Cates' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 43rd percentile, the median of all 14; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 14 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Date with an Angel (1987)

65th percentile spread · 23% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Gremlins (1984)

Midcredits 89th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 35. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Phoebe Cates' work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles26–57 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles15–70 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles18–60 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles18–65 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles17–54 · median 28 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Phoebe Cates work with?

People who share at least 2 of Phoebe Cates' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joe Dante shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers