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John Barrowman

John Barrowman

Actor · Born March 11, 1967 (59) · Mount Vernon, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical performer and media personality, best known on British television for his acting and presenting work for the BBC and for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in the science fiction series Doctor Who and Torchwood. Barrowman and his family emigrated to the United States when he was nine years old. Growing up in Illinois, his high school teachers encouraged his love for music and theatre and he studied performing arts at the United States International University in San Diego before visiting Britain and landing the role of Billy Crocker in Cole Porter's Anything Goes in London's West End. As a television presenter and guest, Barrowman has appeared in a variety of light entertainment shows, including Live & Kicking and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical talent shows Any Dream Will Do, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, and I'd Do Anything. Barrowman was a contestant on the celebrity ice skating show Dancing on Ice and was a guest act for the Royal Variety Performance. In 1998, Barrowman was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and in 2006 he was voted Stonewall's "Entertainer of the Year". In addition to appearing in several films and television series, Barrowman has featured on more than a dozen musical theatre recordings including cover tunes found on his 2007 album Another Side, and 2008's Music Music Music. Both albums reached the UK Top 40, as did his 2010 self-titled album, which reached number 11, his highest chart placing to date. With his sister as co-author, Barrowman has published two memoirs and autobiographies, Anything Goes (2008) and I Am What I Am (2009). Description above from the Wikipedia article John Barrowman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 11, 1967 (59)
From
Mount Vernon, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 39 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 65 days to Oct 28Up 3% in 30 days

What are John Barrowman's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
30%
Society
18%
Ideas
18%
Survival
15%
Self
14%
Bonds
4%
Community3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 5 · Serious 0 · Dark 1

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

Grounded 3 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 4 · Intense 1

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

Steady 2 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

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 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 5 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Hero
2 of 4
Shadow
2 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
3
Joyful
3
Thrilling
3
Melancholic
5
Dread
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Feel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous1

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 John Barrowman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Barrowman'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

39 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page; 52 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • John Barrowman - Laid Bare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Speech & Debate: Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Lucian Angelo

  • Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Captain Jack Harkness

  • Shopping with Keith Lemon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Fireman Sam: Set for Action!(2018)

    as Flex Dexter (voice)

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Legends of Tomorrow(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · as Malcolm Merlyn

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The Flash(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Cutter Moran · as Malcolm Merlyn

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Gilded Lilys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Julius Ashford Lily

  • All Stars(2013)

    as Matthew

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Zero Dark Thirty(2012)

    as Jeremy

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Arrow(2012)

    Show 68 episodes · as Malcolm Merlyn

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Scandal(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as The Fixer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Who: Tales Lost in Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Torchwood: Web of Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 12 episodes · as Captain Jack Harkness (voice)

  • Goodnight Burbank (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • John Barrowman: Live at the Royal Albert Hall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Executive Producer · as Himself

  • Doctor Who: The End of Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Captain Jack Harkness

  • An Evening with John Barrowman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Executive Producer · as Himself

  • The Super Hero Squad Show(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Stranger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all shows

  • Tonight's the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 22 episodes · Actor

  • Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 7 episodes · as Camp officer

  • Doctor Who Monster Files (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 13 episodes · as Captain Jack Harkness

  • Bizarre ER (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 8 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

  • Torchwood(2006)

    Show 41 episodes · as Jack Harkness

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Hotel Babylon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Producers(2005)

    as Lead Tenor

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 11 episodes · as Captain Jack Harkness

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Who Confidential (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • Desperate Housewives(2004)

    Show 5 episodes · as Patrick Logan

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • De-Lovely(2004)

    as Musical Performer - "Night and Day"

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Method(2004)

    as Timothy Stevens

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Hustle(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Dean Deville

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Shark Attack 3: Megalodon(2002)

    as Ben Carpenter

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Putting It Together (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as The Young Man

  • Titans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 13 episodes · as Peter Williams

  • Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh(1998)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Central Park West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 21 episodes · as Peter Fairchild

  • Daytime Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Untouchables(1987)

    as Street Person (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 40 titles from 1987 to 2025; peak year 2002.

Biggest box office

All Stars (2013)

$5.7M worldwide

Highest rated

Torchwood (2006)

Midcredits 78th

Most popular right now

Arrow (2012)

Film career

19872025

Peak 2002 · steadily prominent in film for years. 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
Acting38 of 40: 38 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thProducing2 of 40: 2 only producing, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s2 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s19 · 18 acting · 1 crew2010s14 · 13 acting · 1 crew2020s3 · acting

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.

How do John Barrowman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 9; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 27th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

29thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 18 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Shark Attack 3: Megalodon (2002)

87th percentile spread · 74% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh (1998)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 53/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 59, detractors 35. 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 John Barrowman's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 66 · intenseMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 63 · intenseMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.