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Ben Foster

Ben Foster

Actor, also producer · Born October 29, 1980 (45) · Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Primetime Emmy nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Benjamin A. Foster (born October 29, 1980) is an American actor. His films include The Punisher (2004), X-Men: The Last Stand and Alpha Dog (both 2006), 30 Days of Night (2007), The Messenger and Pandorum (both 2009), The Mechanic (2011), Contraband (2012), Kill Your Darlings and Lone Survivor (both 2013), The Program (2015), Warcraft (2016), and Leave No Trace (2018). He has won an Independent Spirit Award for portraying Tanner Howard in Hell or High Water (2016). He also had a recurring role as Russell Corwin in Six Feet Under (2003–05). Description above from the Wikipedia article Ben Foster (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 29, 1980 (45)
From
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
55 on MovieCove · 72 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 157 days to Oct 28Down 8% in 30 days

What are Ben Foster's films like?

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

Genres

Action16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Biography6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th 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
Morality
26%
Self
22%
Survival
21%
Bonds
19%
Society
7%
Power
3%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 45 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 5 · Serious 13 · Dark 27

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 23 · Stylized 18 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 10 · Intense 28

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

Steady 13 · Shifting 28 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 33 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 5

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 29 · Relentless 6

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

Casual 6 · Engaged 34 · Full focus 5

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 7 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 21

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

Resolved 30 · Open-ended 13 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

37 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 14 of 37 analyzed roles.

Shadow
14 of 37
Hero
11 of 37
Ally
7 of 37
Mentor
2 of 37
Threshold guardian
1 of 37
Herald
1 of 37
Trickster
1 of 37
Show the 37 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
37
Melancholic
21
Dread
12
Contemplative
8
Thrilling
7
Other
36

How their films linger

Bittersweet20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet28
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous9

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 Ben Foster's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 43 of their 55 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ben Foster'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

72 credits, 55 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Viva la Madness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2028)

    Actor

  • The Stunt Driver(2026)

    as Evel Knievel

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Motor City(2025)

    as Reynolds

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Christy(2025)

    as Jim V. Martin

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Sharp Corner(2024)

    as Josh McCall

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • King Ivory(2024)

    as George 'Smiley' Greene

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Long Day's Journey Into Night(2025)

    as Jamie Tyrone

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Finestkind(2023)

    as Tom Eldridge

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Emancipation(2022)

    as Jim Fassel

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Medieval(2022)

    as Jan Žižka

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Hustle(2022)

    as Vince Merrick

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Survivor(2021)

    Executive Producer · as Harry Haft

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Contractor(2022)

    as Mike

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Galveston(2018)

    as Roy Cady

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Leave No Trace(2018)

    as Will

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Hal(2018)

    as Hal Ashby

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Hostiles(2017)

    as Philip Wills

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Dinner(2017)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Rock'n Roll(2017)

    as Ben Foster

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Inferno(2016)

    as Bertrand Zobrist

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Hell or High Water(2016)

    as Tanner Howard

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Warcraft(2016)

    as Medivh (Guardian)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Finest Hours(2016)

    as Richard Livesey

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Program(2015)

    as Lance Armstrong

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: A Streetcar Named Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Stanley Kowalski

  • Until We Could (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Narrator (Voice)

  • Lone Survivor(2013)

    as Petty Officer Second Class Matthew "Axe" Axelson

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Kill Your Darlings(2013)

    as William Burroughs

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Ain't Them Bodies Saints(2013)

    as Patrick Wheeler

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • 360(2011)

    as Tyler

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Contraband(2012)

    as Sebastian Abney

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Rampart(2011)

    Producer · as General Terry

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Here(2011)

    as Will Shepard

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Mechanic(2011)

    as Steve McKenna

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Messenger(2009)

    as Will Montgomery

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Pandorum(2009)

    as Bower

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Blink (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as AJ

  • Birds of America(2008)

    as Jay

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • 30 Days of Night(2007)

    as The Stranger

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • 3:10 to Yuma(2007)

    as Charlie Prince

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • X-Men: The Last Stand(2006)

    as Warren Worthington III / Angel

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Alpha Dog(2006)

    as Jake Mazursky

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • My Name Is Earl(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Glen Shipley

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Hostage(2005)

    as Mars Krupcheck

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Robot Chicken(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Time Traveler / Orville Redenbacher (voice)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things(2004)

    as Fleshy Boy

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • 11:14(2003)

    as Eddie

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Punisher(2004)

    as Specker Dave

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Bare Knuckle Filming: The Construction of Northfork (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Northfork(2003)

    as Cod

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Bang Bang You're Dead(2002)

    as Trevor Adams

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Dead Zone(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Darren Foldes

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Big Trouble(2002)

    as Matt Arnold

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Laramie Project(2002)

    as Aaron Kreifels

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Six Feet Under(2001)

    Show 24 episodes · as Russell Corwin

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Get Over It(2001)

    as Berke Landers

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Boston Public (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Max Warner

  • Liberty Heights(1999)

    as Ben Kurtzman

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Freaks and Geeks(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Eli

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Family Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Jason Nelson

  • Breakfast with Einstein (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Ryan

  • I've Been Waiting for You(1998)

    as Charlie

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • You Wish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Earl

  • Kounterfeit(1996)

    as Travis

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Flash Forward (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 26 episodes · as Tucker James

  • The Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cowboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Lee 'Babe' Midnight

  • Floodplain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Gable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Raven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Stalemate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer · Actor

  • Untitled William S. Burroughs Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Screenplay

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 71 titles, 64 of them dated from 1984 to 2026; peak year 2022.

Biggest box office

Warcraft (2016)

$439M worldwide

Highest rated

Hell or High Water (2016)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Punisher (2004)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19842026

Peak 2022 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 32 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
Acting69 of 71: 66 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score59thDirecting1 of 71: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting1 of 71: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing3 of 71: 0 only producing, 3 with another roleOther crew1 of 71: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

71 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s8 · acting2000s23 · acting2010s20 · 19 acting · 2 crew2020s12 · 12 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 21% of 43 roles
98081318

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 Screen Actors Guild Award and 1 other major award from 7 major nominations, 2004–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
  2. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Television Movie
  3. 2017
    • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Supporting Male
  4. 2016
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor
  5. 2008
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  6. 2005
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  7. 2004
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama 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 Ben Foster's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 50; across their 45 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Reach · how many have seen their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Midcredits score across 55 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th22
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

26 of their 55 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Universally Panned1
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser26
  • Broadly Agreed8
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Long Day's Journey Into Night (2025)

92nd percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Six Feet Under (2001)

Midcredits 97th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 43 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 52. 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 Ben Foster's work okay for kids?

Across up to 32 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore27 titles22–93 · median 71 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity32 titles13–63 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity26 titles25–88 · median 70 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs26 titles10–70 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense26 titles32–89 · 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 Ben Foster work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ben Foster's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Chris Pine shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles