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Nick Nolte

Nick Nolte

Actor, also producer · Born February 8, 1941 (85) · Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Golden Globe winner · Oscar nominee · Primetime Emmy nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Nicholas King Nolte (/ˈnoʊlti/; born February 8, 1941) is an American actor. Known for his leading man roles in both dramas and romances, he has received a Golden Globe Award and nominations for three Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. Nolte first became famous for his role in the ABC miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man (1976), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie nomination. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for The Prince of Tides (1991). He has received three Academy Award nominations for The Prince of Tides (1991), Affliction (1998), and Warrior (2011). His other notable films include The Deep (1977), Who'll Stop the Rain (1978), North Dallas Forty (1979), 48 Hrs. (1982), Cannery Row (1982), Under Fire (1983), Teachers (1984), Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), Another 48 Hrs. (1990), Cape Fear (1991), Lorenzo's Oil (1992), Jefferson in Paris (1995), The Thin Red Line (1998), The Good Thief (2002), Hulk (2003), Hotel Rwanda (2004), Over the Hedge (2006), The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008), Tropic Thunder (2008), Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010), The Company You Keep (2012), Gangster Squad (2013), A Walk in the Woods (2015), Head Full of Honey (2018), and Angel Has Fallen (2019). His television credits include the HBO series Luck (2011–2012), the Fox miniseries Gracepoint (2014), the Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019) and the Peacock crime drama Poker Face (2023). From 2016 to 2017, Nolte played President Richard Graves in the Epix series, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy. Description above from the Wikipedia article Nick Nolte, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 8, 1941 (85)
From
Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
94 on MovieCove · 120 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

What are Nick Nolte's films like?

Across their 85 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 83 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 27 · Serious 25 · Dark 31

A split, not a type: Grounded 41 · Stylized 26 · Heightened 16

Gentle 18 · Charged 34 · Intense 31

A split, not a type: Steady 35 · Shifting 34 · Whiplash 14

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 44 · Some laughs 26 · Funny 13

Slow burn 35 · Even-paced 40 · Relentless 8

Casual 26 · Engaged 46 · Full focus 11

Easy watch 25 · Affecting 30 · Heavy 28

A split, not a type: Resolved 45 · Open-ended 24 · Ambiguous 14

Roles they play

71 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 29 of 71 analyzed roles.

Hero
29 of 71
Shadow
13 of 71
Mentor
12 of 71
Ally
7 of 71
Threshold guardian
4 of 71
Shapeshifter
2 of 71
Herald
2 of 71
Trickster
2 of 71
Show the 71 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
48
Melancholic
34
Contemplative
24
Warm
20
Dread
17
Other
82

How their films end · 12 with a twist

  • Happy15
  • Bittersweet45
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous18
  • Cyclical2

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 Nick Nolte's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 62 of their 94 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (29).

Subscription and free streaming for Nick Nolte's 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

120 credits, 94 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Confession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Company(2026)

    as Tom

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian(2026)

    as Kuiil (voice)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • Crime 101(2026)

    as Money

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
  • Die My Love(2025)

    as Harry

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • The Golden Voice(2025)

    as Barry

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • Poker Face(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Arthur Liptin

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
  • Blackout(2022)

    as Ethan McCoy

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Last Words(2020)

    as Shakespeare

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
  • Paradise Lost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · as Judge Forsythe

  • The Mandalorian(2019)

    Show 3 episodes · as Kuiil (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Angel Has Fallen(2019)

    as Clay Banning

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Head Full of Honey(2018)

    as Amadeus

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • The Padre(2018)

    as Nemes

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Graves(2016)

    Show 20 episodes · as President Richard Graves

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
  • The Ridiculous 6(2015)

    as Frank Stockburn

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
  • Asthma(2014)

    as Werewolf (voice)

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • A Walk in the Woods(2015)

    as Stephen Katz

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Return to Sender(2015)

    as Mitchell Wells

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Run All Night(2015)

    as Eddie Conlon

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • Gracepoint(2014)

    Show 6 episodes · as Jack Reinhold

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows
  • Hateship Loveship(2013)

    as Mr. McCauley

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • Noah(2014)

    as Samyaza (voice)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • Parker(2013)

    as Hurley

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • Gangster Squad(2013)

    as Bill Parker

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • The Company You Keep(2012)

    as Donal Fitzgerald

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • The Cold Call (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Mr. Battleworth

  • Luck(2011)

    Show 9 episodes · as Walter Smith

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows
  • Redemption: Bringing Warrior to Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Warrior(2011)

    as Paddy Conlon

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
  • Zookeeper(2011)

    as Bernie the Gorilla (voice)

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Arthur(2011)

    as Burt Johnson

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • Arcadia Lost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Benerji

  • My Own Love Song(2010)

    as Caldwell

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness(2008)

    as Four Leaf Tayback

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
  • Tropic Thunder(2008)

    as Four Leaf Tayback

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Chicago 10(2007)

    as Thomas Foran (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • The Spiderwick Chronicles(2008)

    as Mulgarath

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • The Mysteries of Pittsburgh(2008)

    as Joe Bechstein

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Off the Black(2006)

    as Ray Cook

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Paris, Je T'aime(2006)

    as Vincent (Parc Monceau)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
  • Over the Hedge(2006)

    as Vincent (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • Peaceful Warrior(2006)

    as Socrates

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • Neverwas(2005)

    as T. L. Pierson

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • Hotel Rwanda(2004)

    as Colonel Oliver

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • Clean(2004)

    as Albrecht Hauser

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • The Beautiful Country(2004)

    as Steve

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Bare Knuckle Filming: The Construction of Northfork (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Northfork(2003)

    as Father Harlan

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Hulk(2003)

    as Father

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • The Good Thief(2002)

    as Bob

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • Intimate Affairs(2001)

    Producer · as Faldo

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Trixie(2000)

    as Senator Drummond Avery

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
  • The Golden Bowl(2000)

    as Adam Verver

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Simpatico(1999)

    as Vincent Webb

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
  • Breakfast of Champions(1999)

    as Harry Le Sabre

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • The Thin Red Line(1998)

    as Lt. Col. Gordon Tall

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • Affliction(1997)

    Executive Producer · as Wade Whitehouse

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Afterglow(1997)

    as Lucky Mann

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • U Turn(1997)

    as Jake McKenna

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Nightwatch(1997)

    as Inspector Cray

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • Mother Night(1996)

    as Howard Campbell

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • Mulholland Falls(1996)

    as Max Hoover

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • Jefferson in Paris(1995)

    as Thomas Jefferson

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • I Love Trouble(1994)

    as Peter Brackett

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Blue Chips(1994)

    as Pete

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • I'll Do Anything(1994)

    as Matt Hobbs

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Lorenzo's Oil(1992)

    as Augusto Odone

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • The Player(1992)

    as Nick Nolte

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • The Prince of Tides(1991)

    as Tom Wingo

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Cape Fear(1991)

    as Sam Bowden

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Another 48 Hrs.(1990)

    as Jack Cates

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Q&A(1990)

    as Mike Brennan

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • Everybody Wins(1990)

    as Tom O'Toole

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
  • New York Stories(1989)

    as Lionel Dobie

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Farewell to the King(1989)

    as Learoyd

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Three Fugitives(1989)

    as Lucas

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • Weeds(1987)

    as Lee Umstetter

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • Extreme Prejudice(1987)

    as Jack Benteen

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • Down and Out in Beverly Hills(1986)

    as Jerry Baskin

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Grace Quigley(1984)

    as Seymour Flint

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • Teachers(1984)

    as Alex Jurel

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Under Fire(1983)

    as Russell Price

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • 48 Hrs.(1982)

    as Jack Cates

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Cannery Row(1982)

    as Doc

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Heart Beat(1980)

    as Neal Cassady

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • North Dallas Forty(1979)

    as Phillip Elliott

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • Who'll Stop the Rain(1978)

    as Ray Hicks

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • The Deep(1977)

    as David Sanders

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Jordache (archive footage; uncredited)

  • The Northville Cemetery Massacre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Chris (voice) (uncredited)

  • Rich Man, Poor Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 12 episodes · as Tom Jordache

  • Return to Macon County(1975)

    as Bo Hollinger

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • The Runaway Barge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Roy Blount

  • Adams of Eagle Lake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 2 episodes · as Officer Jerry Troy

  • Death Sentence(1974)

    as John Healy

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • The California Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Buzz Stafford

  • Winter Kill(1974)

    as Dave Michaels

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
  • Chopper One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Bob

  • Toma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Wally

  • Electra Glide in Blue(1973)

    as Hippie Kid (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • Barnaby Jones(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Barringer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows
  • Dirty Little Billy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Town Gang Leader (uncredited)

  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Alan Melder

  • The Rookies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Tommy

  • Emergency!(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Fred

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
  • Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Ron Johnson

  • The Feather Farm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Medical Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 2 episodes · as Tank

  • Aggie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Thanks

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Barney Austin

  • A Magnificent Death from a Shattered Hand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Poacher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as John Hardy

  • Shelter Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Vested (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 120 titles, 115 of them dated from 1955 to 2026; peak year 1990.

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward winNomination
19552026

Peak 1990 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 45 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.

Show 4 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting119 of 120: 117 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score52ndProducing2 of 120: 0 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 120: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s3 · 2 acting · 1 crew1970s21 · acting1980s12 · acting1990s20 · 20 acting · 1 crew2000s23 · 23 acting · 1 crew2010s26 · acting2020s9 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 36% of 73 roles
7383939803081318

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

a Golden Globe from 14 major nominations, 1976–2017.

WinNomination
  1. 2017
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy
  2. 2012
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor
  3. 2005
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  4. 1999
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Male Lead
  5. 1992
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
  6. 1988
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
  7. 1977
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Television Series - Drama
  8. 1976
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series

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 Nick Nolte's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 87; across their 83 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 83

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 83

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 83

Midcredits score across 94 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up23
  • 50th to 74th30
  • 25th to 49th27
  • Below 25th14

Shape of the crowd

45 of their 94 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser45
  • Broadly Agreed12
  • Mixed28

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 81 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 Nick Nolte's work okay for kids?

Across up to 44 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 & Gore31 titles19–90 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity44 titles18–62 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity30 titles36–90 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs27 titles10–63 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense28 titles27–81 · median 62 · 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 Nick Nolte work with?

People who share at least 2 of Nick Nolte's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alan Rudolph shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers

Mixed roles