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Brian d'Arcy James

Brian d'Arcy James

Actor, also producer · Born June 29, 1968 (58) · Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · 2 other major award bodies

Brian d'Arcy James is an American actor and musician. He is known primarily for his Broadway roles, including Shrek in Shrek the Musical, Nick Bottom in Something Rotten!, King George III in Hamilton, and The Baker in Into the Woods. He has received five Tony Award nominations for his work.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 29, 1968 (58)
From
Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
51 on MovieCove · 60 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 157 days to Oct 28Down 28% in 30 days

What are Brian d'Arcy James' films like?

Across their 17 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: 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
26%
Self
23%
Power
17%
Morality
17%
Society
8%
Ideas
5%
Survival
3%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 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 2 · Serious 6 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 7

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

A split, not a type: Steady 8 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 1

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 3 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 7

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 8 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
10
Contemplative
7
Melancholic
4
Dread
3
Thrilling
4
Other
19

How their films linger

Bittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

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 Brian d'Arcy James' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 39 of their 51 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Brian d'Arcy James' 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

60 credits, 51 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Finnegan's Foursome(2026)

    as Teddy Finnegan

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Copenhagen Test(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as Peter Moira

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • The Family McMullen(2025)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Hamilton(2020)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Millers in Marriage(2024)

    as Dennis

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Pain Hustlers(2023)

    as Dr. Lydell

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • She Came to Me(2023)

    as Trey Ruffa

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Love & Death(2023)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Fred Fason

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Devil's Peak(2023)

    as Bo

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Dear Edward(2023)

    Show 5 episodes · as Bruce

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Cathedral(2021)

    as Richard Damrosch

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Let Me Go (The Right Way) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Dr. Kemp

  • How We Roll(2022)

    Show 11 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • West Side Story(2021)

    as Officer Krupke

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Hawkeye(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Derek Bishop

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Centaurworld(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as The General (voice)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Comey Rule(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mark Giuliano

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Bombshell in Concert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • Devs(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Anton

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Bombshell(2019)

    as Brian Wilson (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Evil(2019)

    Show 7 episodes · as Victor LeConte

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • The Kitchen(2019)

    as Jimmy Brennan

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • X-Men: Dark Phoenix(2019)

    as President of the United States

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • All These Small Moments(2018)

    as Tom Sheffield

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Trouble(2017)

    as Logan

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • First Man(2018)

    as Joseph A. Walker

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Song of Back and Neck(2018)

    as Stone

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Molly's Game(2017)

    as Bad Brad

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • 1922(2017)

    as Sheriff Jones

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House(2017)

    as Robert Kunkel

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Rebel in the Rye(2017)

    as Giroux

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Manhunt(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Professor Henry Murray

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • 13 Reasons Why(2017)

    Show 22 episodes · as Andrew Baker

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Sisters(2015)

    as Jerry

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Spotlight(2015)

    as Matt Carroll

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Time Out of Mind(2014)

    as Mark

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Mozart in the Jungle(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Ludwig van Beethoven

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Hoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Henry Hickey

  • Ironside(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Bill Broughton

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Shrek the Musical(2013)

    as Shrek

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Admission(2013)

    as Christopher Flynn

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • One Singular Sensation! Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Bird in a Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Walter

  • The Fitzgerald Family Christmas(2012)

    as Skippy

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Friends with Kids(2011)

    as Husband in Restaurant

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Game Change(2012)

    as Ted Frank

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Smash(2012)

    Show 18 episodes · as Frank Houston

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Person of Interest(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Wheeler

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Big C(2010)

    Show 3 episodes · as Tim

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Detective Nolan

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Ghost Town(2008)

    as Irish Eddie

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Rescue Me(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Felcher

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • G(2002)

    as Lloyd

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Monday Night Mayhem(2002)

    as Al Michaels (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Endurance(2000)

    as Frank Wild (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Exiled (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Brinkley

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Adam Brubeck

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Dedicated to Morris Burke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Rabbit, Rabbit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 60 titles, 58 of them dated from 1999 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Spotlight (2015)

$99M worldwide

Highest rated

Spotlight (2015)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward win
19992026

Peak 2018 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 3 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting58 of 60: 58 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thProducing1 of 60: 1 only producing, 0 with another roleOther crew1 of 60: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1990s2 · acting2000s6 · acting2010s31 · acting2020s19 · 17 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 5% of 21 roles
001520

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 2 other major awards from 4 major nominations, 2016–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Musical Theater Album
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Performance
  2. 2016
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Independent Spirit Award, won

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 Brian d'Arcy James' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 32; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 54th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 51 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up21
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 51 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Song of Back and Neck (2018)

83rd percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Spotlight (2015)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 85, detractors 51. 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 Brian d'Arcy James' work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles30–80 · median 52 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles19–42 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles35–73 · median 53 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles27–59 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles40–70 · median 58 · moderateheavier 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 Brian d'Arcy James work with?

People who share at least 2 of Brian d'Arcy James' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bill Camp shares the most, 2.

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers