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Mather Zickel

Mather Zickel

Actor · Born March 10, 1974 (52) · New York City, New York, USA

Mather Zickel (born March 10, 1974, in New York, New York) is an American actor, writer, and comedian, 6′ 0″ (183 cm) tall, who graduated from Harvard University and studied at the Juilliard School. He is a member of The Groundlings in Los Angeles and has been active since 1997, accumulating over 80 film and television credits. He is married to actress Melanie Lynskey and they have two children. His most notable film credits include a role in 21 Jump Street (2012, with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill), a role in 22 Jump Street (2014), a role in Bad Neighbors (2014, with Seth Rogen and Zac Efron), a role in Bad Neighbors 2 (2016), and a role in The Nice Guys (2016, with Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling). On television he is best known as a recurring character in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005–present), Childrens Hospital (2008–2016), Drunk History (2013–2019), and What We Do in the Shadows (2019–2025, FX), with additional credits in Arrested Development (2013), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2015), Veep (2016), Shrill (2017), What If... (2021, Marvel), and The Afterparty (2022–2023, Peacock). He has also written and produced for Childrens Hospital and Drunk History, and directed episodes of What We Do in the Shadows.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 10, 1974 (52)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
44 on MovieCove · 49 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 65 days to Oct 28Up 7% in 30 days

What are Mather Zickel's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th 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
Bonds
29%
Morality
20%
Society
19%
Survival
13%
Self
13%
Ideas
4%
Power
2%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTradition vs change2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 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 3 · Serious 2 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 1 · 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 2 · Intense 4

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

A split, not a type: Steady 3 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 3

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 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 1

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

A split, not a type: Casual 5 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 3

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

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Absurd
5
Warm
6
Joyful
4
Melancholic
4
Other
8

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical2

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 Mather Zickel's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 30 of their 44 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mather Zickel'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

49 credits, 44 with a MovieCove page.

  • Day Ones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Day One

  • Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass(2026)

    as Niccolo

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Fantastic Four: First Steps(2025)

    as Boston Newscaster

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Alma and the Wolf(2025)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Organ Trail(2023)

    as Pa

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Babylon(2022)

    as Distribution Executive

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Crew(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as Frank

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Josiah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as The Assistant Director

  • L.A.'s Finest(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Romeo Dunn

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Suburbicon(2017)

    as James

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Raven's Home(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rafferty

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • How to Be a Latin Lover(2017)

    as James

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • I Love You, America(2017)

    Show as Man at Desk

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Timeless(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard Hart / Jimmy Capone

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Better Things(2016)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Hail, Caesar!(2016)

    as Chunk Mulligan

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Southbound(2015)

    as Lucas

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Younger(2015)

    Show 9 episodes · as Richard Caldwell

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Forever(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Frederick Gardner

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Masters of Sex(2013)

    Show 6 episodes · as George Johnson

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Newsreaders(2013)

    Show 10 episodes · as Louis LaFonda

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Elementary(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Hank Prince

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Burning Love(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Brock

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Wanderlust(2012)

    as Jim Stansel

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • House of Lies(2012)

    Show 6 episodes · as Michael Carlson

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Man Up!(2011)

    Show 13 episodes · as Will Keen

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • Coming & Going(2011)

    as Simon

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Fake(2011)

    as Loomis

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Cape(2011)

    Show 6 episodes · as Travis Hall

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Blue Bloods(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Leonard Walker

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Modern Family(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Scooter

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Royal Pains(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Brian

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Cupid(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Kozkowski

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • I Love You, Man(2009)

    as Gil

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Party Down(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Guy Stennislaus

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Delocated(2009)

    Show 12 episodes · as Rob the New Federal Agent

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Childrens Hospital(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Louis La Fonda

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Rachel Getting Married(2008)

    as Kieran

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Ten(2007)

    as Louis La Fonda

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Diggers(2006)

    as Alan

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Bones(2005)

    Show 4 episodes · as Aldo Clemens

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Molotov Samba (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Jack Storm

  • Veronica Mars(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Calvin Linden

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Arrested Development(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Executive

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Reno 911! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 7 episodes · as Mike Powers

  • Gilda Radner: It's Always Something(2002)

    as Bill Murray

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Achilles' Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Ike

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as John Valentine

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Caught Up(1998)

    as Rocker

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles from 1998 to 2026; peak year 2024.

Biggest box office

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

$17M worldwide

Highest rated

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Midcredits 72nd

Most popular right now

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (2026)

Film career

19982026

Peak 2024 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. 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
Acting48 of 48: 48 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score62nd

By decade

1990s2 · acting2000s17 · acting2010s22 · acting2020s7 · acting

Billing

usually 14th · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
9813

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 Mather Zickel's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 41st percentile, the median of all 18; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 28th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

28thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 44 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 44 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed15

Most divisive · actor

Coming & Going (2011)

81st percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Bones (2005)

Midcredits 88th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 53. 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 Mather Zickel'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 31 · mildMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does Mather Zickel work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mather Zickel's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Wain shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers