Skip to content
MovieCove
Peter Spears

Peter Spears

Actor, producer and director · Born November 29, 1965 (60) · Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Oscar winner · BAFTA Award winner · 2 other major award bodies

Peter Spears (born November 29, 1965) is an American actor and filmmaker. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in Overland Park, Kansas. Spears is best known for winning an Oscar for producing Nomadland (2020), and for producing film Call Me by Your Name (2017). He directed the underground cult-favorite short film Ernest and Bertram, which portrayed Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie as gay lovers, and developed the television series Nightmare Cafe and John from Cincinnati.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 29, 1965 (60)
From
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Works as
Actor, producer and director
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 28 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 157 days to Oct 28Down 35% in 30 days

What are Peter Spears' films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Comedy 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
35%
Self
21%
Survival
20%
Society
12%
Power
5%
Morality
4%
Ideas
3%
Romantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 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 4 · Serious 0 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 7 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 5

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

Steady 3 · 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 8 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 3

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 5

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
7
Tense
5
Romantic
5
Bittersweet
4
Contemplative
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Bittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • 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 Peter Spears' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Peter Spears' 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

28 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • On Swift Horses(2024)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Queer(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Drift(2023)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Bones and All(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Nomadland(2020)

    Producer · as Peter

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Sublet(2020)

    as David

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Call Me by Your Name(2017)

    Producer · as Isaac

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Until We Could (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Producer

  • John from Cincinnati(2007)

    Show 10 episodes · Co-Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Careless(2007)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Something's Gotta Give(2003)

    as Danny Benjamin

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • CSI: Miami(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Josh Dalton

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Ernest and Bertram (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Writer

  • Some of My Best Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Terry

  • The Opposite of Sex(1998)

    as Dr. Allen

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Love Bug(1997)

    as Young Dr. Stumpfel

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Father of the Bride Part II(1995)

    as Dr. Wagner

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Cries from the Heart(1994)

    as Jeff

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Friends(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Joel

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Cafe Americain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Mark Durgin

  • Something to Live For: The Alison Gertz Story(1992)

    as Peter

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Benchley

  • Quantum Leap(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Doug Bridges / Reiser

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 2 episodes · as Barry Feldman

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Leading Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Mike Nichols: A Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • The Fredy Hirsch Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 28 titles, 24 of them dated from 1986 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

$73M worldwide

Highest rated

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Midcredits 96th

Film career

MilestoneNomination

Top draw in 1 MovieCove title.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting16 of 28: 14 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thDirecting2 of 28: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting2 of 28: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing12 of 28: 10 only producing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score57th

28 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · acting1990s8 · acting2000s6 · 3 acting · 3 crew2010s2 · 1 acting · 2 crew2020s6 · 2 acting · 5 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 Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

an Oscar, a BAFTA Award and 2 other major awards from 9 major nominations, 2018–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Feature
  2. 2021
    • Oscar, won · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Film
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Feature
  3. 2018
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Feature

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 Peter Spears' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 19 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · producer

John from Cincinnati (2007)

69th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, producer

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Midcredits 96th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the acting 80/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 87, detractors 49. 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 Peter Spears' 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 & Gore5 titles5–71 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles49–76 · median 71 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles32–72 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles36–70 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles8–75 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all 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 Peter Spears work with?

People who share at least 2 of Peter Spears' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Luca Guadagnino shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers