Skip to content
MovieCove
Gary Werntz

Gary Werntz

Actor · Born July 24, 1948 (78)

Gary Werntz (born Gary Paul Werntz, July 24, 1948) is an American actor and producer whose exact birthplace and height are not publicly confirmed in major sources. He is married to Academy Award-nominated director and producer Mimi Leder (since January 26, 1986), and they have one daughter, actress Hannah Leder. He was previously married to Rebecca Adolfina Brenner. Three of his most recognizable film roles — The Peacemaker (1997), Deep Impact (1998), and Pay It Forward (2000) — were all directed by his wife. His most notable film credits include Mr. Thorsen in Pay It Forward (2000, with Kevin Spacey), Chuck Hotchner in Deep Impact (1998, with Robert Duvall and Robin Givens), Terry Hamilton in The Peacemaker (1997, with George Clooney), Judge Doyle in On the Basis of Sex (2018, with Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer), Attorney General in J. Edgar (2011, with Leonardo DiCaprio), Donley in Thick as Thieves (2009, with Channing Tatum and Liam Neeson), and Gen. Mark Clark in Fire on the Mountain (1996). On television he appeared as Deputy Director Harris Kurtz in The Leftovers (2014, HBO), Jack Finney in Mad Men (2007), Edward Morell in Vanished (2006, 5 episodes), Trenchcoat in John Doe (2002, 5 episodes), Dr. Emory Cooke in Criminal Minds (2006), Judge Donald Harris in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2004), Attendant Mavek in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1993), a Patron in Firefly (2002), a Judge in Bad Judge (2014–2015, NBC), and Shawn in Shameless (2013), with earlier credits in Wanted: Dead or Alive (1987, with Rutger Hauer), Exiled in America (1990, with Edward James Olmos), The Art of Dying (1991, with Wings Hauser), and NYPD Blue (1993).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 24, 1948 (78)
Works as
Actor
Titles
21 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 64 days to Oct 27

What are Gary Werntz's films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
49%
Bonds
25%
Survival
17%
Self
6%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 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 1 · Dark 4

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 3 · Intense 2

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

Steady 2 · 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 5 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 1

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 2 · 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 3 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
3
Melancholic
4
Hopeful
2
Thrilling
2
Absurd
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Hopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet4

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 Gary Werntz's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 21 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Gary Werntz'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, 21 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Planters(2019)

    as First 'Hello' Man / Excuse Me Man / Good Point Man (voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • On the Basis of Sex(2018)

    as Judge William Edward Doyle

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Bad Judge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge

  • The Leftovers(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Deputy Director Harris Kurtz

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • J. Edgar(2011)

    as Attorney General

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Shameless(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Shawn

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Code(2009)

    as Donley

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Mad Men(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Finney

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 5 episodes · as Edward Morell

  • Criminal Minds(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Emory Cooke

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Firefly(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Patron

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • John Doe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 5 episodes · as Trenchcoat

  • Rennie's Landing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Mr. Johnson

  • Pay It Forward(2000)

    as Mr. Thorsen

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Donald Harris

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Deep Impact(1998)

    as Chuck Hotchner

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Peacemaker(1997)

    as Terry Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Frame-Up II: The Cover-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Al Perry

  • Dragstrip Girl(1994)

    as McCarthy

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Baby Brokers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Dick Plager

  • Rio Shannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Tater Pikins

  • There Was a Little Boy(1993)

    as Jack

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Baby Doll Murders(1993)

    as Dr. Michael Rhodes

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Marked for Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Lynch

  • Exiled in America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Carl Mahler

  • Hangin' with Mr. Cooper(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff Miller

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • The Art of Dying(1991)

    as Roscoe

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Nightingales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Agt. James

  • Star Trek: The Next Generation(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Attendant Mavek

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Wanted: Dead or Alive(1986)

    as Agent

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Kate's Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Clerk

  • The Abduction of Allison Tate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Sgt. Williams

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Trashcan Reed

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 87th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 33 titles from 1986 to 2019; peak year 1997.

Biggest box office

The Peacemaker (1997)

$110M worldwide

Highest rated

Pay It Forward (2000)

Midcredits 80th

Most popular right now

The Peacemaker (1997)

Film career

19862019

Peak 1997 · 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting33 of 33: 33 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58th

By decade

1980s6 · acting1990s13 · acting2000s8 · acting2010s6 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 5 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.

How do Gary Werntz's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 21 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 21 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Dragstrip Girl (1994)

74th percentile spread · 46% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

On the Basis of Sex (2018)

Midcredits 86th · 77% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 36. 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 Gary Werntz's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 46 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Gary Werntz work with?

People who share at least 2 of Gary Werntz's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mimi Leder shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Editors