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Elias Koteas

Elias Koteas

Actor, also producer · Born March 11, 1961 (65) · Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 1 other major award body

Elias Koteas (born March 11, 1961) is a Canadian actor, known for his roles as Alvin "Al" Olinsky on the series Chicago P.D., Tom True on Goliath, Lionel Shrike in Now You See Me (2013), Col. Marks on Combat Hospital, James Skinner on The Killing, Laeddis in Shutter Island (2010), Monsieur Gateau in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Jack Payne in the film Shooter (2007), Peter Brandt in Collateral Damage (2002), Capt. James Stars in The Thin Red Line (1998), Edgar Reese in Fallen (1998), Antonio Freeman in Gattaca (1997), and Casey Jones in two of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films. He won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film Ararat (2002). He has appeared in many films including Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), The Adjuster (1991), Exotica (1994), The Prophecy (1995), Crash (1996), Living Out Loud (1998), Harrison's Flowers (2002), Zodiac (2007), and Skinwalkers (2007).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 11, 1961 (65)
From
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
81 on MovieCove · 97 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 23% in 30 days

What are Elias Koteas' films like?

Across their 61 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama22 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Horror 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
23%
Bonds
22%
Survival
18%
Morality
18%
Society
7%
Ideas
6%
Power
5%
Family bonds15 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity12 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief11 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 59 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 13 · Serious 12 · Dark 34

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 27 · Stylized 25 · Heightened 7

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 10 · Charged 24 · Intense 25

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

Steady 24 · Shifting 32 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 42 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 6

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 29 · Even-paced 27 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 18 · Engaged 29 · Full focus 12

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 10 · Affecting 24 · Heavy 25

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 28 · Open-ended 18 · Ambiguous 13

Roles they play

33 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 9 of 33 analyzed roles.

Shadow
9 of 33
Ally
7 of 33
Hero
7 of 33
Mentor
5 of 33
Shapeshifter
2 of 33
Threshold guardian
2 of 33
Trickster
1 of 33
Show the 33 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
38
Melancholic
30
Dread
18
Contemplative
18
Warm
11
Other
54

How their films linger

Thought-provoking21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet25
  • Tragic7
  • Ambiguous17

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 Elias Koteas' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 54 of their 81 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (28).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Elias Koteas' 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

97 credits, 81 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Silent Planet(2024)

    as Theo

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Janet Planet(2023)

    as Avi

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Baker(2022)

    as Vic

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • My Days of Mercy(2017)

    as Simon

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Chicago Justice(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Alvin Olinsky

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Goliath(2016)

    Show 8 episodes · as Tom True

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Chicago Med(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Alvin Olinsky

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Jake Squared(2013)

    Producer · as Jake Klein

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Chicago P.D.(2014)

    Show 107 episodes · as Alvin Olinsky

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • The Last Days on Mars(2013)

    as Charles Brunel

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Now You See Me(2013)

    as Lionel Shrike (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Devil's Knot(2013)

    as Jerry Driver

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Frame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Vaughan

  • Chicago Fire(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · as Alvin Olinsky

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas(2011)

    as Sergie Katsov

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Dream House(2011)

    as Boyce

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Unforgettable(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam Rhodes

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Winnie Mandela(2011)

    as Colonel de Vries

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Combat Hospital(2011)

    Show 13 episodes · as Colonel Marks

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • The Killing(2011)

    Show 12 episodes · as James Skinner

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Let Me In(2010)

    as The Policeman

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • A Letter to Elia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Elia Kazan (Voice)

  • My Own Love Song(2010)

    as Dean

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Killer Inside Me(2010)

    as Joe Rothman

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Shutter Island(2010)

    as Laeddis

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • 3 Backyards(2010)

    as John

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Mark Murdock

  • The Fourth Kind(2009)

    as Abel Campos

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Defendor(2009)

    as Chuck Dooney

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • I Come with the Rain(2009)

    as Hasford

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Haunting in Connecticut(2009)

    as Reverend Popescu

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button(2008)

    as Monsieur Gateau

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Dark Streets(2008)

    as Lieutenant

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Two Lovers(2008)

    as Ronald Blatt

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Girl in the Park(2007)

    as Raymond

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows(2007)

    as Val Lewton (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Saving Grace(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as William Drugh

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Prisoner(2007)

    as Jailer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Shooter(2007)

    as Jack Payne

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Zodiac(2007)

    as Jack Mulanax

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Skinwalkers(2006)

    as Jonas

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Conviction(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Mike Randolph

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • The Greatest Game Ever Played(2005)

    as Arthur Ouimet

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Big Empty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as The Specialist

  • American Dad!(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jim (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • House(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Moriarty

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • CSI: NY(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Joe

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Traffic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mike McKay

  • S1m0ne(2002)

    as Hank Alano

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Ararat(2002)

    as Ali / Jevdet Bay

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Collateral Damage(2002)

    as Peter Brandt

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Novocaine(2001)

    as Harlan Sangster

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Shot in the Heart(2001)

    as Gary Gilmore

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Dancing at the Blue Iguana(2000)

    as Sully

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Lost Souls(2000)

    as John Townsend

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Harrison's Flowers(2000)

    as Yeager Pollack

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Sopranos(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Dominic Palladino

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • The Thin Red Line(1998)

    as Capt. James Staros

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Living Out Loud(1998)

    as The Kisser

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Apt Pupil(1998)

    as Archie

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Divorce: A Contemporary Western(1998)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Fallen(1998)

    as Edgar Reese

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Gattaca(1997)

    as Antonio Freeman

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Hit Me(1996)

    as Sonny Rose

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Crash(1996)

    as Vaughan

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Sugartime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Butch Blasi

  • The Prophecy(1995)

    as Thomas Daggett

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Power of Attorney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Paul Dellacroce

  • Camilla(1994)

    as Vincent Lopez

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Exotica(1994)

    as Eric

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Cyborg 2: Glass Shadow(1993)

    as Colson 'Colt' Ricks

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III(1993)

    as Casey Jones / Whit

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Habitation of Dragons(1992)

    as Wally Smith

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Chain of Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Jesus

  • Contact (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Mohannan

  • The Adjuster(1991)

    as Noah

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Almost an Angel(1990)

    as Steve Garner

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Look Who's Talking Too(1990)

    as Stuart

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Desperate Hours(1990)

    as Wally Bosworth

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Backstreet Dreams(1990)

    as Wizard

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(1990)

    as Casey Jones

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Friends, Lovers, & Lunatics (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Davey

  • Blood Red(1989)

    as Silvio

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Στρατηγός καλεί ροκάδες... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Writer

  • Malarek (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Victor Malarek

  • Full Moon in Blue Water(1988)

    as Jimmy

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Tucker: The Man and His Dream(1988)

    as Alex

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Onassis: The Richest Man in the World(1988)

    as Young Aristotle Onassis

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • She's Having a Baby(1988)

    as Elias Koteas (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Gardens of Stone(1987)

    as Pete Deveber

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Some Kind of Wonderful(1987)

    as Skinhead

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • One Magic Christmas(1985)

    as Eddie

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Private Sessions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Johnny O'Reilly

  • Atlantic City(1980)

    as Extra (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • God of Tides (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Walker

  • Little One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Block (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 97 titles, 94 of them dated from 1980 to 2024; peak year 2009.

Biggest box office

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

$336M worldwide

Highest rated

Zodiac (2007)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Chicago P.D. (2014)

Film career

MilestoneNomination
19802024

Peak 2009 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 13 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
Acting96 of 97: 95 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thWriting1 of 97: 1 only writing, 0 with another roleProducing1 of 97: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s13 · 12 acting · 1 crew1990s25 · acting2000s29 · acting2010s24 · 24 acting · 1 crew2020s3 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 4% of 49 roles
8595000510

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; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

2 major nominations and no wins, 2009.

  1. 2009
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Acting Ensemble

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Elias Koteas' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 67; across their 59 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 59

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 59

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 59

Midcredits score across 81 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up24
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th23
  • Below 25th14

Shape of the crowd

31 of their 81 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved12
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser31
  • Broadly Agreed10
  • Mixed22

Most divisive · actor

Ararat (2002)

99th percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Shutter Island (2010)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 56 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 45. 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 Elias Koteas' work okay for kids?

Across up to 36 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore25 titles34–86 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity36 titles8–70 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity28 titles31–76 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs25 titles20–65 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense27 titles16–83 · median 63 · intenseheavier 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 Elias Koteas work with?

People who share at least 2 of Elias Koteas' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Paul Sarossy shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles