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Audra McDonald

Audra McDonald

Actor, also producer · Born July 3, 1970 (56) · Berlin, Germany

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

Audra Ann McDonald is an American actress and singer. Primarily known for her work on the Broadway stage, she has won six Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win in all four acting categories. She has performed in musicals, operas, and dramas such as A Moon for the Misbegotten, 110 in the Shade, Carousel, Ragtime, Master Class, and Porgy and Bess. In addition to her six Tony Awards, she has received numerous accolades including two Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award. She was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 2016 from President Barack Obama and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2017.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 3, 1970 (56)
From
Berlin, Germany
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 67 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 8% in 30 days

What are Audra McDonald's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
37%
Morality
17%
Society
15%
Self
11%
Ideas
8%
Survival
6%
Power
6%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 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 7 · Serious 3 · Dark 5

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

Grounded 13 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 7 · Intense 3

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

Steady 11 · Shifting 4 · 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 5 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 3 · 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 8 · Engaged 6 · 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 6 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 5

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

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 6
Mentor
1 of 6
Threshold guardian
1 of 6
Herald
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Hopeful
11
Warm
7
Tense
7
Contemplative
7
Melancholic
5
Other
12

How their films linger

Hopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet12
  • 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 Audra McDonald's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Audra McDonald'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

67 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page; 28 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Auction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    as Rita White

  • Audra McDonald: I Am What I Am (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Performer

  • Satisfied(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Audra McDonald at the London Palladium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Executive Producer · Actor

  • Ragtime, The Musical: All-Star Reunion Concert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Sarah

  • Origin(2023)

    as Miss Hale

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Whitney Houston in Focus(2023)

    Producer · Actor

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Rustin(2023)

    as Ella Baker

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Down Low(2023)

    as Patty

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Gilded Age(2022)

    Show 17 episodes · as Dorothy Scott

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Respect(2021)

    as Barbara Franklin

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Ohio State Murders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Suzanne

  • The Bite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Rachel

  • An Evening With Audra McDonald (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • Song of Rapa Nui(2020)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • In Concert at The Hollywood Bowl: Musicals and the Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Soloist

  • Live with Carnegie Hall: Audra McDonald (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • The Vote (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Central Park(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Ashley (voice)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Live from Lincoln Center: Sutton Foster in Concert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Host

  • New York Philharmonic New Year's Eve: Bernstein on Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Host

  • Hello Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Sally

  • Beauty and the Beast(2017)

    as Madame Garderobe

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Good Fight(2017)

    Show 27 episodes · as Liz Reddick · as Liz Reddick-Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas(2016)

    as Caroler

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Lady Day

  • Ricki and the Flash(2015)

    as Maureen Brummel

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • BoJack Horseman(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mother Superior (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Saving My Tomorrow(2014)

    Show as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Sound of Music Live!(2013)

    as Mother Abbess

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Ordained(2013)

    as Anthea

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Audra McDonald: Go Back Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel: Live from Lincoln Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Host

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

    Actor

  • Doc McStuffins(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Itty Bitty Bess (voice)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Rampart(2011)

    as Sarah

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Liz Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Music Instinct: Science & Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • A Raisin in the Sun(2008)

    as Ruth Younger

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Jenny Smith

  • Private Practice(2007)

    Show 77 episodes · as Naomi Bennett

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Audra McDonald Sings the Movies for New Year's Eve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Audra McDonald and Friends: Build a Bridge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Kidnapped (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • The Bedford Diaries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 8 episodes · as Carla Bonatelle

  • The Colbert Report (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Sarah (segment "Ragtime") (archive footage)

  • Passion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Clara

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Naomi Bennett

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Iron Chef America: The Series(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • The Best Thief in the World(2004)

    as Ruth

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • It Runs in the Family(2003)

    as Sarah Langley

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Mister Sterling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 10 episodes · as Jackie Brock

  • Wonderful Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Eileen

  • Wit(2001)

    as Susie Monahan

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Last Debate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Barbara Manning

  • Audra McDonald at the Donmar, London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Cradle Will Rock(1999)

    as Blitzstein - 'Joe Worker' Singer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Annie(1999)

    as Miss Grace Farrell

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Audrey Jackson

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years(1999)

    as Bessie in her 20s

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Object of My Affection(1998)

    as Wedding Singer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Creating Ragtime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Sarah

  • Seven Servants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Actor

  • Homicide: Life on the Street(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Teresa Giardello

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 1 episode · as Clara

  • Love Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 66 titles, 64 of them dated from 1976 to 2026; peak year 2022.

Biggest box office

Ricki and the Flash (2015)

$41M worldwide

Highest rated

Wit (2001)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Private Practice (2007)

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutNomination
19762026

Peak 2022 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. 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.

  • 1999Screen debut· Annie
  • 2001Breakout· Wit
  • 2001Primetime Emmy nomination· Wit

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting65 of 66: 64 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thProducing2 of 66: 1 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s1 · acting1990s8 · acting2000s21 · acting2010s16 · acting2020s18 · 17 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
9914

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 2 other major awards from 14 major nominations, 2001–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Musical Theater Album
  2. 2024
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  3. 2023
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
  4. 2022
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
  5. 2020
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
  6. 2017
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
  7. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
  8. 2015
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Special Class Program
Show 4 earlier years
  1. 2013
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Special Class Programs
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Musical Theater Album
  2. 2009
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Classical Album
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Opera Recording
  3. 2008
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
  4. 2001
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie

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 Audra McDonald's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 21; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 33 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

The Ordained (2013)

98th percentile spread · 41% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Wit (2001)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 77/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 84, 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 Audra McDonald's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 52 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles29–61 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 50 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 64 · intenseMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 56 · moderateMedian 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 Audra McDonald work with?

People who share at least 2 of Audra McDonald's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Craig Zadan shares the most, 3.

Composers

Producers