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Jonathan Watton

Jonathan Watton

Actor · Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Jonathan Watton is a Canadian actor, director, and cinematographer born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. His exact birthday is not publicly available in major sources. He is one of three sons to parents Barbara Ledwell and Wayne Watton, both teachers, and his father introduced him to film at an early age by screening 16 mm prints from the National Film Board of Canada in the living room. After graduating from Memorial University's Fine Arts Theatre Program, he was cast by celebrated theatre director Michael Langham in his first professional stage appearance as a founding member of the Atlantic Theatre Festival. He is a recent alumnus of Norman Jewison's prestigious Canadian Film Centre Film Director's program. As an actor, Watton is best known for playing Dr. Darcy Garland in Murdoch Mysteries (2011–2013, 39 episodes) and Commander Matthew Calhoun in The Handmaid's Tale (2019–2021, 16 episodes). His film credits include Maps to the Stars (2014, directed by David Cronenberg, opposite Julianne Moore), Breach (2007, starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger), XX (2017, Sundance), Closet Monster (2015, TIFF), Spinster (2019, opposite Chelsea Peretti), The Calling (2014), and Sharp Corner (2024). On television he has also appeared in Supernatural, Masters of Horror, Reign, Lost Girl, Mayor of Kingstown (2021), Invasion (2021), Strays (2021), and Star Trek: Short Treks (2018, as a Federation Officer). Beyond acting, Watton has directed and cinematographed several short films, including Last of the Snow (2012) and The Pamplemousse (2013), which have screened at festivals around the world. In theatre, he has performed with Canada's preeminent acting ensembles The Shaw Festival and Soulpepper Theatre Company, and in 2018 he returned to the stage in the lead role of the critically acclaimed production of North by Northwest for both the UK and North American premieres.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

From
Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Works as
Actor
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 37 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 63 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

What are Jonathan Watton's films like?

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

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Crime 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
Self
30%
Morality
24%
Survival
23%
Bonds
14%
Ideas
5%
Society
4%
Redemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 3 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 7 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 5 · Intense 4

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

Steady 4 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 5 · 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 1 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 2

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

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 6

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Melancholic
4
Dread
3
Bittersweet
3
Contemplative
4
Other
8

How their films linger

Haunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous3

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 Jonathan Watton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jonathan Watton'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

37 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page.

  • Sharp Corner(2024)

    as Dr. Peter Murphy

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie(2023)

    as Additional Voices (voice)

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Mayor of Kingstown(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as William Chalk

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Invasion(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Greg

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • You Will Still Be Here Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Aiden

  • Christmas Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Jason

  • Spinster(2019)

    as Will

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Children of Wrath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • Claws of the Red Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Michael Freeman

  • Crown and Anchor(2018)

    as Val

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Mary Goes Round(2017)

    as Therapist (voice)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Handmaid's Tale(2017)

    Show 16 episodes · as Matthew Calhoun

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Taken(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Colin Grant

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • XX(2017)

    as Robert Jacobs (segment "The Box")

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Closet Monster(2015)

    as Larry

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Private Eyes(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Adam Renfro

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • The Calling(2014)

    as Father Glendinning

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Maps to the Stars(2014)

    as Sterl Carruth

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Pamplemousse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Perfect Plan(2010)

    as Garrett Crawford

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Lost Girl(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Hugin

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Republic of Doyle(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Alex Pittman

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Listener(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Nicholas D’Angelo

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Just Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as David Gray

  • Murdoch Mysteries(2008)

    Show 39 episodes · as Dr. Darcy Garland

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • They Come Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Mason

  • Breach(2007)

    as Geddes

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Valerie on the Stairs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Bruce Sweetland

  • Between Truth and Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as John Walters

  • Four Minutes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Hamilton

  • Supernatural(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Dutton

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • A Hole in One(2004)

    as Bobby Watson

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Ryan

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • On the Line(2001)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Mutant X(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Billy Larkin

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows

  • The Crossing(2000)

    as Cadman

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Little Men(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Grayson Whittaker

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 37 titles from 1998 to 2025; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

Breach (2007)

$41M worldwide

Highest rated

Closet Monster (2015)

Midcredits 85th

Most popular right now

Breach (2007)

Film career

19982025

Peak 2017 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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.

  • 2000Screen debut· The Crossing
  • 2017Career best· XX

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting36 of 37: 36 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score51stDirecting1 of 37: 1 only directing, 0 with another role

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s14 · acting2010s17 · 16 acting · 1 crew2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles
0015

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.

How do Jonathan Watton's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 43rd percentile, the median of all 14; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Crown and Anchor (2018)

91st percentile spread · 39% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Handmaid's Tale (2017)

Midcredits 92nd · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 86, 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 Jonathan Watton's work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles45–79 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles28–66 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 55 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 60 · intenseMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 59 · 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 Jonathan Watton work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jonathan Watton's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Natalie Brown shares the most, 2.

Actors

Editors

Producers