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Dana Wheeler-Nicholson

Dana Wheeler-Nicholson

Actor · Born October 9, 1960 (66) · New York City, New York, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Dana Wheeler-Nicholson (born New York City, New York, October 9, 1960) is an American actress. Sometimes credited as Dana Wheeler Nicholson, she has appeared in numerous movies, but is probably best known for her role in Fletch as Gail Stanwyk (wife of the villain and love interest of the title character played by Chevy Chase) and in Tombstone (1993) as Mattie Blaylock (Wyatt Earp's common law wife). Her most recent movie role was in Fast Food Nation (2006). She has also appeared in several TV series including Seinfeld, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Sex and the City, Boston Public, Boston Legal, Friday Night Lights, and most recently The Good Guys. She is the granddaughter of pioneering American comic book publisher Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson. Description above from the Wikipedia article Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 9, 1960 (66)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 56 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 27Down 23% in 30 days

What are Dana Wheeler-Nicholson's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: 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
Bonds
30%
Morality
21%
Survival
17%
Self
14%
Society
10%
Power
4%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 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 7 · Serious 3 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 9 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 6 · Charged 6 · Intense 0

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

A split, not a type: Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 9 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Hero
1 of 3
Trickster
1 of 3
Ally
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Absurd
5
Warm
5
Hopeful
4
Melancholic
3
Other
11

How their films linger

Hopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet5
  • 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 Dana Wheeler-Nicholson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Dana Wheeler-Nicholson'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

56 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page.

  • Unconventional(2022)

    Show 7 episodes · as Carolyn Guillory

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Unconventional (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Blue Miracle(2021)

    as Tricia Bisbee

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Walker(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Joy Caldwell

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Emergence(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Vanessa Cox

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Miss Arizona(2018)

    as Maybelle

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Bull(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Evelyn Waters

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • 6 Years(2015)

    as Joanne

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Winter in the Blood(2013)

    as Malvina

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Angels Sing(2013)

    as Maggie

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Parkland(2013)

    as Lillian Zapruder

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Nashville(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Beverly

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Five Time Champion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Danielle

  • Blacktino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Moon

  • The Good Guys(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Meredith

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Dance with the One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Mary

  • The Deep End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Reyes

  • Fast Food Nation(2006)

    as Debi Anderson

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Friday Night Lights(2006)

    Show 21 episodes · as Angela Collette

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Dana Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty?(2005)

    as Victoria Caine

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Boston Legal(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Stephanie Rogers

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Battle of Shaker Heights(2003)

    as Mathilda

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Without a Trace(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Sarah Pritchard

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • In My Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Eleanor McCullough

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Hilary Marsden · as Tara Black

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Sam the Man(2001)

    as Woman #2 in Restaurant

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Grounded for Life(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Arianna

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Boston Public (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as FBI Agent Monica Price

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Donna Evans · as Lilah Jones

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Sex and the City(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Laney Berlin

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Nick and Jane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Jane

  • Living in Peril(1997)

    as Linda Woods

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Jamaica Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Lori Peterson

  • The Pompatus of Love(1995)

    as Kathryn

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Single Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 2 episodes · as Erika

  • Denise Calls Up(1995)

    as Gail Donelly

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Bye Bye Love(1995)

    as Heidi

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Frank & Jesse(1994)

    as Annie

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • My Life's in Turnaround (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Rachel

  • Tombstone(1993)

    as Mattie Earp

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Det. Angela White

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Night We Never Met(1993)

    as Inga

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Palace Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • NYPD Mounted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Donna Lee Wellington

  • Murder in High Places(1991)

    as Natalie

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Maggie Callister

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Circuitry Man(1990)

    as Lori

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Seinfeld(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Shelly

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Baby M (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sherri

  • Beverly Hills Buntz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 13 episodes · as Rebecca Griswold

  • Crime Story(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Marilyn Stewart

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Fletch(1985)

    as Gail Stanwyk

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Mrs. Soffel(1984)

    as Jessie Bodyne

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Little Drummer Girl(1984)

    as Katrin

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Hitchhiker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Belinda Haskell

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 55 titles from 1983 to 2025; peak year 1984.

Biggest box office

Fletch (1985)

$60M worldwide

Highest rated

Fletch (1985)

Midcredits 77th

Most popular right now

Frank & Jesse (1994)

Film career

19832025

Peak 1984 · 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
Acting55 of 55: 55 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score54th

By decade

1980s8 · acting1990s19 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s13 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 15th · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
8494

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 Dana Wheeler-Nicholson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 46th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 39th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 40 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

Unconventional (2022)

92nd percentile spread · 34% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Friday Night Lights (2006)

Midcredits 98th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 64/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 39. 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 Dana Wheeler-Nicholson'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 17 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 53 · moderateMedian of all films: 36

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

Who does Dana Wheeler-Nicholson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dana Wheeler-Nicholson's MovieCove titles; Willam Belli shares the most, 2.