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Tate Taylor

Tate Taylor

Actor, director, producer and writer · Born June 3, 1969 (57) · Jackson, Mississippi, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Tate Taylor is an American filmmaker and actor. A frequent collaborator with his friends and prolific character actresses Allison Janney and Octavia Spencer, Taylor is best known for directing The Help, Get on Up, and The Girl on the Train.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 3, 1969 (57)
From
Jackson, Mississippi, USA
Works as
Actor, director, producer and writer
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 33 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 17% in 30 days

What are Tate Taylor's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: 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
Morality
30%
Bonds
21%
Survival
18%
Self
16%
Society
9%
Ideas
3%
Power
3%
Deception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 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 1 · Serious 3 · Dark 5

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

Grounded 6 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 5

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

Steady 1 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 2

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 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 1 · 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 0 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 2

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

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Melancholic
6
Absurd
3
Thrilling
3
Dread
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Bittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet6
  • 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 Tate Taylor's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tate Taylor'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

33 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Palm Royale(2024)

    Show 20 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Rumble Through the Dark(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Breaking News in Yuba County(2021)

    Director · Producer · as Attractive Customer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Filthy Rich(2020)

    Show 10 episodes · Director · Creator · Executive Producer · Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all shows

  • Ava(2020)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Ma(2019)

    Director · Producer · as Officer Grainger

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Girl on the Train(2016)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Grace and Frankie(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Get on Up(2014)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Help(2011)

    Director · Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Love & Distrust(2010)

    Producer · as Dusty (segment "Auto Motives")

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Winter's Bone(2010)

    as Satterfield

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Prop 8: The Musical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as The Frightened Villagers

  • Pretty Ugly People(2008)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as George's Boyfriend

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Sordid Lives: The Series(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Richie Miller

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Breakin' All the Rules(2004)

    as Attendant

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Chicken Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Luke Smith

  • A.U.S.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Gung-Ho A.U.S.A.

  • I Spy(2002)

    as Lieutenant Percy

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Planet of the Apes(2001)

    as Friend at Leo's Party

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Six Feet Under(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Job Applicant #1

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Journeyman(2001)

    as Chester Patton

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Queer as Folk(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Calvin

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Auto Motives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Producer · as Dusty

  • Charmed(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Applicant #3

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Romy and Michele's High School Reunion(1997)

    as Casey

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • A Time to Kill(1996)

    Production Assistant

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Drew Carey Show(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The Adventures of Pete & Pete (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Production Assistant

  • Cupid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer

  • Ma 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Miss Macy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • The 17th Annual Coral Gables Christmas Caroling Extravaganza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 33 titles, 29 of them dated from 1993 to 2024.

Biggest box office

The Help (2011)

$222M worldwide

Highest rated

The Help (2011)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

  • 2002Screen debut· I Spy
  • 2019Career best· Ma

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting19 of 33: 13 only acting, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score31stDirecting14 of 33: 4 only directing, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score37thWriting4 of 33: 0 only writing, 4 with another roleProducing14 of 33: 2 only producing, 12 with another role · typical Midcredits score37thOther crew3 of 33: 2 only other crew, 1 with another role

33 titles, 12 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1990s5 · 3 acting · 2 crew2000s12 · 12 acting · 3 crew2010s7 · 3 acting · 6 crew2020s5 · 1 acting · 5 crew

Billing

usually 12th · top billed in 0% of 6 roles

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.

Awards

1 major award from 5 major nominations, 2012–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Comedy Series
  2. 2012
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Adapted Screenplay
    • +2 other major bodies · 1 win and 2 nominations
      • Writers Guild Award, won
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Adapted Screenplay
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Adapted Screenplay

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 Tate Taylor's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 31st percentile, the median of all 16; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 34th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

34thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

95thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 24 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor, producer

Love & Distrust (2010)

90th percentile spread · 61% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer, producer

The Help (2011)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 56. 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 Tate Taylor's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles44–81 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles24–71 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles58–76 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles27–82 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles34–76 · median 48 · moderatenear 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 Tate Taylor work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tate Taylor's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Norris shares the most, 5.

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers