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James Wilder

James Wilder

Actor, also producer · Born August 5, 1968 (58) · Cleveland, Ohio, USA

James Wilder (born August 5, 1968) is an American film and television actor. He's best known for his roles as Adam Louder on the Fox soap opera Models Inc., Christopher Searls on the ABC TV drama Equal Justice,  and Nick Lewis on NBC's 1993 remake of Route 66. At the age of 14, he was living in his mother's native Paris, regaling audiences with his one man show at such legendary venues as the Moulin Rouge and Lido and later on Broadway. While there, he performed with the Nouveau Cirque De Paris, the precursor to Cirque du Soleil, before making his way to LA where he lived for several years in his customized van. It wasn't long before he nabbed a role in the Broadway hit "Sugar Babies" while studying at the famed NY Actors Studio, at which he was later inducted as a member. Upon returning to LA, TV and film roles rolled in. Some were great, highlighting his scope, others not so much. From his breakout role as the troubled addict son of Ed Asner in the ABC Circle Theater presentation Cracked Up to his heralded star turn in the Emmy-award winning legal drama Equal Justice (with Sarah Jessica Parker) and evocative characterization of a drug-dealing seducer on Melrose Place. In 1997, he dated actress Kirstie Alley. The two met on the set of Nevada and soon were engaged, but split after four years.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 5, 1968 (58)
From
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
23 on Motif · 40 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 39 days to Oct 28Down 21% in 30 days

What are James Wilder's films like?

Across their 19 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama5 titlesTypical Motif score: 23rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Motif score: 16th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Motif score: 20th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Motif score: 10th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Motif score: 26th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Mystery2 titlesTypical Motif score: 37th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Mystery movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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
42%
Survival
17%
Self
16%
Bonds
10%
Power
7%
Society
7%
Ideas
2%
Deception9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 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 7 · Serious 4 · Dark 7

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

Grounded 13 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 11 · Intense 3

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 9 · 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 10 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 0

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

A split, not a type: Casual 9 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 3

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

11 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 7 of 11 analyzed roles.

Shadow
7 of 11
Trickster
2 of 11
Herald
1 of 11
Hero
1 of 11
Show the 11 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Melancholic
8
Absurd
6
Dread
4
Contemplative
4
Other
11

How their films linger

Unsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous5

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 James Wilder's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 23 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James Wilder's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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

40 credits, 23 with a Motif page.

  • PROBE: Case Files (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    Writer

  • 3 Holes and a Smoking Gun(2014)

    as Bobby Blue Day

    Motif score: 20th percentile of all films

  • McBride: Dogged(2007)

    as Michael Whyte

    Motif score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Marriage(2006)

    as Brent Richter

    Motif score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Mind Games(2003)

    as Brian Reeves

    Motif score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Face Value (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

    as Tim Gates

  • Heart of Stone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

    as Steve Sterns

  • Perfume(2001)

    as Billy

    Motif score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Burning Down the House(2001)

    Producer · as Arnie Green

    Motif score: 19th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Touched by a Killer(2001)

    as Tyler Nash

    Motif score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Flypaper (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    as Jerry

  • Charades(1998)

    as Quinn

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Kisses in the Dark (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Stanley (The Coriolis Effect)

  • The Last Don II (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Billy D'Angelo

  • Ivory Tower (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Jarvis Cone

  • Allie & Me (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    as Rodney Alexander

  • Veronica's Closet(1997)

    Show 4 episodes · as Hunter

    Motif score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Our Mother's Murder(1997)

    as Scott Douglas

    Motif score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Nevada(1997)

    as Rip

    Motif score: 19th percentile of all films

  • To Love, Honor and Deceive (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    as Detective Jim Sanders

  • A Face to Die For(1996)

    as Alec Dalton

    Motif score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Outer Limits(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Raymond Dalton

    Motif score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Tollbooth (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    as Vic

  • Tonya & Nancy: The Inside Story(1994)

    as Jeff Gillooly

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Coriolis Effect (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    as Stanley

  • Confessions: Two Faces of Evil(1994)

    as Robert Berndt

    Motif score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Night Owl (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    as Harry

  • Route 66 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 4 episodes · as Nick Lewis

  • Melrose Place(1992)

    Show 7 episodes · as Reed Carter

    Motif score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Grass Roots (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    as Jerry Lomax

  • Prey of the Chameleon(1992)

    as J.D.

    Motif score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Scorchers(1991)

    as Dolan

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Equal Justice(1990)

    Show 27 episodes · as Christopher Searls

    Motif score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Shades of Love: Midnight Magic (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    as Anthony Palmer

  • Murder One(1988)

    as Carl Isaacs

    Motif score: 20th percentile of all films

  • State Park(1988)

    as Truckie

    Motif score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Zombie High(1987)

    as Barry

    Motif score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Cracked Up (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    as John Owens

  • Nightforce(1987)

    as Mack

    Motif score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Delta Pi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    as Shawn

Career shape

Star power in the 47th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 40 titles from 1984 to 2021; peak year 1987.

Biggest box office

Zombie High (1987)

$22K worldwide

Highest rated

State Park (1988)

Most popular right now

Equal Justice (1990)

Film career

19842021

Peak 1987 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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
Acting39 of 40: 39 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Motif score19thWriting1 of 40: 1 only writing, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s7 · acting1990s23 · acting2000s8 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s1 · crew

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 Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do James Wilder's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 19th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 19th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

19thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Motif score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th17

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 23 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed15

Most divisive · actor

3 Holes and a Smoking Gun (2014)

94th percentile spread · 46% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Our Mother's Murder (1997)

68% liked

Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif 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.

Who does James Wilder work with?

People who share at least 2 of James Wilder's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Fleming B. Fuller shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers