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Michael Shannon

Michael Shannon

Actor, also producer and director · Born August 7, 1974 (52) · Lexington, Kentucky, USA

2 Screen Actors Guild Awards · Oscar nominee · Primetime Emmy nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Michael Corbett Shannon (born August 7, 1974) is an American actor, producer, musician, and theatre director. He has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in the Sam Mendes period drama Revolutionary Road (2008) and the Tom Ford psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals (2016). He earned Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for his role in 99 Homes (2014), and a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for the Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night (2016). Shannon made his film debut in 1993 with Groundhog Day and received widespread attention for his performance in 8 Mile (2002). He is known for his on-screen versatility, performing in both comedies and dramas such as Pearl Harbor (2001), Bad Boys II (2003), Bug (2006), Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), The Iceman (2012), Premium Rush (2012), The Night Before (2015), The Shape of Water (2017) and Knives Out (2019). He played Superman's Kryptonian adversary General Zod in Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and is set to reprise the role in The Flash (2022). Shannon is a frequent collaborator of Jeff Nichols, appearing in all of his films: Shotgun Stories (2007), Take Shelter (2011), Mud (2012), Midnight Special, and Loving (both 2016). He is also known for his role as Nelson Van Alden in the HBO period drama series Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014), for which he was nominated for three Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2021, he had a main role in the Hulu drama miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 7, 1974 (52)
From
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer and director
Titles
96 on MovieCove · 121 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

What are Michael Shannon's films like?

Across their 74 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 67 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 21 · Serious 12 · Dark 34

A split, not a type: Grounded 35 · Stylized 19 · Heightened 13

A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 28 · Intense 32

Steady 21 · Shifting 36 · Whiplash 10

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 41 · Some laughs 17 · Funny 9

Slow burn 25 · Even-paced 36 · Relentless 6

Casual 15 · Engaged 43 · Full focus 9

A split, not a type: Easy watch 17 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 33

A split, not a type: Resolved 33 · Open-ended 19 · Ambiguous 15

Roles they play

54 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 16 of 54 analyzed roles.

Shadow
16 of 54
Mentor
12 of 54
Hero
12 of 54
Threshold guardian
9 of 54
Ally
4 of 54
Shapeshifter
1 of 54
Show the 54 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
56
Melancholic
34
Dread
21
Contemplative
18
Absurd
17
Other
63

How their films end · 13 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet38
  • Tragic8
  • Ambiguous17
  • Cyclical2

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 Michael Shannon's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 76 of their 96 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (36).

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Shannon'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

121 credits, 96 with a MovieCove page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Mr. Irrelevant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Bill Parcells

  • Buddy(2026)

    as Willie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • Love Letter to Texas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Gus

  • Bulls(2026)

    as Alistair Whitman

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Death by Lightning(2025)

    Show 4 episodes · as James Garfield

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
  • Nuremberg(2025)

    as Justice Robert H. Jackson

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Eric LaRue(2023)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • The End(2024)

    as Father

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • All Happy Families(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • A Different Man(2024)

    as Michael Shannon

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • The Bikeriders(2023)

    as Zipco

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
  • Worlds Collide: Making 'The Flash'(2023)

    Thanks · as Self - 'General Zod'

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • The Flash(2023)

    as General Zod

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Waco: The Aftermath(2023)

    Show 5 episodes · Executive Producer · as Gary Noesner

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows
  • A Little White Lie(2023)

    as Shriver

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • George & Tammy(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · as George Jones

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
  • Amsterdam(2022)

    as Henry Norcross

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Little Demon(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Unshaven Man (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
  • Bullet Train(2022)

    as White Death

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • Abandoned(2022)

    as Renner

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Night's End(2022)

    as Isaac Dees

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Heart of Champions(2021)

    as Jack Murphy

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Nine Perfect Strangers(2021)

    Show 8 episodes · as Napoleon

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows
  • Echo Boomers(2020)

    as Mel Donnelly

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • The Quarry(2020)

    Producer · as Chief Moore

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Knives Out(2019)

    as Walt Thrombey

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Don McGahn

  • State Like Sleep(2018)

    as Edward

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
  • The Little Drummer Girl(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · as Martin Kurtz

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
  • What They Had(2018)

    Executive Producer · as Nick

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
  • Poor Boy(2016)

    as Blayde Griggs

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
  • Fahrenheit 451(2018)

    as Captain Beatty

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • The Current War(2017)

    as George Westinghouse

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • Waco(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · Producer · as Gary Noesner

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
  • 12 Strong(2018)

    as Hal Spencer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • The Shape of Water(2017)

    as Richard Strickland

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • Pottersville(2017)

    Executive Producer · as Maynard Greiger

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Room 104(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Nathan

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows
  • Signature Move(2017)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • Frank & Lola(2016)

    as Frank Reilly

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • Salt and Fire(2016)

    as Matt Riley

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films
  • Loving(2016)

    as Grey Villet

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • Nocturnal Animals(2016)

    as Bobby Andes

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Wolves(2016)

    as Lee Keller

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Complete Unknown(2016)

    as Tom Brayton

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Elvis & Nixon(2016)

    Executive Producer · as Elvis Presley

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Midnight Special(2016)

    as Roy Tomlin

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • The Night Before(2015)

    as Mr. Green

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Freeheld(2015)

    as Dane Wells

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • 99 Homes(2014)

    as Rick Carver

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Ringo Starr · as Self · as Self - Guest

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows
  • She's Funny That Way(2014)

    as Policeman Macy's

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • The Harvest(2013)

    as Richard

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Young Ones(2014)

    as Ernest Holm

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
  • They Came Together(2014)

    as Spike

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • Journey of Discovery: Creating Man of Steel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Choose You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Avicii

  • Sparrows Dance(2012)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Man of Steel(2013)

    as General Zod

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Mud(2012)

    as Galen

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Michael Shannon Reads the Insane Delta Gamma Sorority Letter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Happy Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Just Mike

  • The Iceman(2012)

    as Richard Kuklinski

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Premium Rush(2012)

    as Bobby Monday

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • Keep the Lights On(2012)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • The Broken Tower (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Emile

  • Take Shelter(2011)

    as Curtis LaForche

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • Machine Gun Preacher(2011)

    as Donnie

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • Return (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Mike

  • Boardwalk Empire(2010)

    Show 56 episodes · as Nelson Van Alden

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done(2009)

    as Brad McCullum

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Jonah Hex(2010)

    as Doc Cross Williams

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films
  • The Runaways(2010)

    as Kim Fowley

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • 13(2010)

    as Henry

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Herbert White (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Herbert White

  • Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • The Greatest(2009)

    as Jordan Walker

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • The Missing Person(2009)

    as John Rosow

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • Revolutionary Road(2008)

    as John Givings

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • Marvelous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as John

  • Shotgun Stories(2007)

    as Son Hayes

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • Lucky You(2007)

    as Ray Zumbro

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Blackbird (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Murl

  • Bug(2006)

    as Peter Evans

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Let's Go to Prison(2006)

    as Lynard

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • World Trade Center(2006)

    as Dave Karnes

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • Dead Birds(2004)

    as Clyde

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • The Woodsman(2004)

    as Rosen

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Water(2004)

    as Bobby Matherson

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Criminal(2004)

    as Gene

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Grand Theft Parsons(2003)

    as Larry Oster-Berg

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Zamboni Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Walt

  • Bad Boys II(2003)

    as Floyd Poteet

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • Kangaroo Jack(2003)

    as Frankie Lombardo

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
  • 8 Mile(2002)

    as Greg Buehl

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • High Crimes(2002)

    as Troy Abbott

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Vanilla Sky(2001)

    as Aaron

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • Crossing Jordan(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Philip Corday

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
  • New Port South(2001)

    as Stanton

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • Pearl Harbor(2001)

    as Gooz

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Tigerland(2000)

    as Sgt. Filmore

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Cecil B. Demented(2000)

    as Petie

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • Jesus' Son(1999)

    as Dundun

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • The Photographer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Maurice

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

    as Phil Kunz

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Avery Shaw

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
  • Chicago Cab(1997)

    as Crack Head

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • The Ride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Jimmy

  • Early Edition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Merle · as Mr. Andrews

  • Chain Reaction(1996)

    as D.C. Flower Delivery Man

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Groundhog Day(1993)

    as Fred

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Overexposed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Young Man

  • Dead Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Dinner with Audrey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Doctor Caligari's Cabinet of Wonders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Doctor Caligari

  • King Snake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Last Meals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Governor George Callahan

  • The Young King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mick

  • Vegas: A Love Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 121 titles, 113 of them dated from 1992 to 2026; peak year 2017.

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19922026

Peak 2017 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 46 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 3 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting115 of 121: 111 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thDirecting1 of 121: 1 only directing, 0 with another roleProducing6 of 121: 2 only producing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score49thOther crew3 of 121: 3 only other crew, 0 with another role

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

By decade

1990s7 · acting2000s31 · acting2010s51 · 48 acting · 6 crew2020s24 · 21 acting · 4 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 16% of 70 roles
930308131823

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

2 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 1 other major award from 13 major nominations, 2009–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
  2. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
  3. 2017
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
  4. 2016
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
    • +2 other major bodies · 3 nominations
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated ×2 · Best Supporting Actor
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Male
  5. 2014
    • Independent Spirit Award, won
  6. 2012
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Male Lead
  7. 2011
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  8. 2009
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

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 Michael Shannon's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 55th percentile, the median of all 84; across their 67 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 67

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 67

Reach · how many have seen their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 67

Midcredits score across 96 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up24
  • 50th to 74th34
  • 25th to 49th24
  • Below 25th14

Shape of the crowd

48 of their 96 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned3
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser48
  • Broadly Agreed12
  • Mixed24

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 63 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 50. 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 Michael Shannon's work okay for kids?

Across up to 49 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore39 titles37–90 · median 60 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity49 titles13–73 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity45 titles38–90 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs40 titles26–73 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense38 titles28–84 · median 56 · 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 Michael Shannon work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Shannon's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jeff Nichols shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles