Skip to content
MovieCove
Nathan Lane

Nathan Lane

Actor, also producer · Born February 3, 1956 (70) · Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Golden Globe nominee

Nathan Lane, born Joseph Lane on February 3, 1956, in Jersey City, New Jersey, is an acclaimed American actor known for his work on stage and screen. He has been active in the entertainment industry since 1975 and has received numerous awards, including three Tony Awards, seven Drama Desk Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, three Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Lane made his professional theatre debut in 1978 in an off-Broadway production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". He gained widespread recognition for his roles in Broadway productions such as "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," "The Producers," and "Angels in America". His film credits include "The Lion King," "The Birdcage," "Mouse Hunt," and "The Producers". In addition to his stage and film work, Lane has appeared in various television series, including "Modern Family," "The Good Wife," and "Only Murders in the Building". He has been married to Devlin Elliott since 2015.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 3, 1956 (70)
From
Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
64 on MovieCove · 86 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 33% in 30 days

What are Nathan Lane's films like?

Across their 45 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Animation7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Documentary6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
Bonds
29%
Self
28%
Morality
14%
Society
13%
Ideas
8%
Survival
4%
Power
4%
Family bonds18 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity9 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 41 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 24 · Serious 12 · Dark 5

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 21 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 8

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

Gentle 16 · Charged 20 · Intense 5

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

Steady 25 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 5

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

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 24 · Funny 12

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 21 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 30 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 35 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

38 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 11 of 38 analyzed roles.

Ally
11 of 38
Trickster
10 of 38
Mentor
7 of 38
Hero
4 of 38
Shapeshifter
3 of 38
Shadow
2 of 38
Herald
1 of 38
Show the 38 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
20
Joyful
18
Hopeful
14
Bittersweet
12
Absurd
12
Other
53

How their films linger

Feel-good23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy21
  • Bittersweet19
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3
  • Cyclical1

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 Nathan Lane's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 49 of their 64 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Nathan Lane'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

86 credits, 64 with a MovieCove page; 40 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Mid-Century Modern(2025)

    Show 10 episodes · Executive Producer · as Bunny Schneiderman

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Spellbound(2024)

    as Luno - Oracle of the Moon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 5 episodes · as Dominick Dunne

  • Elsbeth(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Phillip Cross

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Dicks: The Musical(2023)

    as Harris

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Once Upon a Studio(2023)

    as Timon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Beau Is Afraid(2023)

    as Roger

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Digman!(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Yorbo (voice)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • The Gilded Age(2022)

    Show 13 episodes · as Ward McAllister

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Only Murders in the Building(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · as Teddy Dimas

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens(2020)

    as Giacomo

  • Penny Dreadful: City of Angels(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · as Lewis Michener

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

  • The Vanishing of Sidney Hall(2017)

    as Harold

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: Angels In America — Part Two: Perestroika (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Roy M. Cohn/The Angel Antarctica

  • National Theatre Live: Angels In America — Part One: Millennium Approaches (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Roy M. Cohn/Prior 2

  • Carrie Pilby(2016)

    as Dr. Petrov

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • No Pay, Nudity(2016)

    as Hershel Thalkin

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • American Crime Story(2016)

    Show 10 episodes · as F. Lee Bailey

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Difficult People(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Nathan Lane

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • The Nance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Chauncey Miles

  • The Blacklist(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Abraham Stern

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The English Teacher(2013)

    as Carl Kapinas

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Mirror Mirror(2012)

    as Brighton

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Nutcracker: The Untold Story(2010)

    as Uncle Albert

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • I'm Still Here(2010)

    as Nathan Lane (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Astro Boy(2009)

    as Hamegg (voice)

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Modern Family(2009)

    Show 10 episodes · as Pepper Saltzman

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 15 episodes · as Clarke Hayden

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa(2008)

    as Officer Meany

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Swing Vote(2008)

    as Art Crumb

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • 30 Rock(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Eddie

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Dish on Dolls(2006)

    as Stagehand in Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls (archive footage)

  • The Producers(2005)

    as Max Bialystock

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Lion King 1½(2004)

    as Timon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Broadway's Lost Treasures II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Nathan Detroit (segment "Guys & Dolls")

  • Timon & Pumbaa Virtual Safari 2.0 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Timon (voice)

  • Behind the Legend: Timon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Timon (voice)

  • Timon & Pumbaa's Virtual Safari 1.5 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Timon (voice)

  • Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!(2004)

    as Richard Levy the Driven

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Teacher's Pet(2004)

    as Spot Helperman / Scott Leadready II / Scott Manly-Manning (voice)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Charlie Lawrence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 7 episodes · as Charlie Lawrence

  • Nicholas Nickleby(2002)

    as Vincent Crummles

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Austin Powers in Goldmember(2002)

    as Mysterious Disco Man

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Stuart Little 2(2002)

    as Snowbell (voice)

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Primetime Glick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor(2001)

    as Max Prince

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Curb Your Enthusiasm(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Nathan Lane

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Man Who Came to Dinner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Sheridan Whiteside

  • Teacher's Pet(2000)

    Show 47 episodes · as Spot Helperman / Scott Leadready II (voice)

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • Trixie(2000)

    as Kirk Stans

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Titan A.E.(2000)

    as Preed (voice)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Love's Labour's Lost(2000)

    as Costard

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Isn't She Great(2000)

    as Irving Mansfield

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Stuart Little(1999)

    as Snowbell (voice)

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • George and Martha(1999)

    Show 26 episodes · as George (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • At First Sight(1999)

    as Phil Webster

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Lion King II: Simba's Pride(1998)

    as Timon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Encore! Encore! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 13 episodes · as Joseph Pinoni

  • Sex and the City(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Bobby Fine

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Merry Christmas, George Bailey(1997)

    as Clarence

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Mousehunt(1997)

    as Ernie Smuntz

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Around the World with Timon & Pumbaa(1996)

    as Timon 2 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Birdcage(1996)

    as Albert

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Boys Next Door(1996)

    as Norman Bulansky

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as The Cowardly Lion

  • Jeffrey(1995)

    as Father Dan

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Timon

  • The Lion King(1994)

    as Timon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Addams Family Values(1993)

    as Desk Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Phil

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Life with Mikey(1993)

    as Ed Chapman

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Last Mile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as The Stage Manager

  • Mad About You(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Nathan Twilley

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Unnatural Pursuits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Limo Passenger

  • Frankie and Johnny(1991)

    as Tim

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • He Said, She Said(1991)

    as Wallace "Wally" Thurman

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Joe Versus the Volcano(1990)

    as Baw - The Waponi Advance Man

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Lemon Sisters(1989)

    as Charlie Sorrell

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Ironweed(1987)

    as Harold Allen

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · as Bing Shalimar · as Herman in Fantasy Sequence

  • Miami Vice(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Morty Price

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Alice in Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Mouse

  • One of the Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 13 episodes · as Jonathan Burns

  • Live from Lincoln Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Chauncey Miles

  • Great Performances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Mouse

  • Cut Off (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 87 titles, 86 of them dated from 1971 to 2025; peak year 2003.

Biggest box office

The Lion King (1994)

$979M worldwide

Highest rated

The Lion King (1994)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19712025

Peak 2003 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 15 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 1 more milestone

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting87 of 87: 86 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thProducing1 of 87: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s6 · acting1990s24 · acting2000s28 · acting2010s14 · acting2020s12 · 12 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 11% of 35 roles
8797020717

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 Primetime Emmy and a Screen Actors Guild Award from 13 major nominations, 1995–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  2. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
  3. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
  4. 2014
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
  5. 2013
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
  6. 2011
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
  7. 2006
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  8. 1998
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Show 2 earlier years
  1. 1997
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
  2. 1995
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy 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 Nathan Lane's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of the 43 of 45 with a score; across their 40 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 61st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Approval · how many liked their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Reach · how many have seen their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Midcredits score across 62 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 62 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · actor

Merry Christmas, George Bailey (1997)

91st percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Lion King (1994)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 34 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 Nathan Lane's work okay for kids?

Across up to 24 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore18 titles8–72 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity24 titles16–66 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity17 titles4–78 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs18 titles5–51 · median 26 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense19 titles7–72 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Nathan Lane work with?

People who share at least 2 of Nathan Lane's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Matthew Broderick shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles