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Michael Chernus

Michael Chernus

Actor, also producer · Born August 8, 1977 (49) · Rocky River, Ohio, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 1 other major award body

Michael Louis Chernus (born August 8, 1977) is an American actor. He has acted on film, television, and the stage. He is perhaps best known for his role as Cal Chapman on the Netflix original comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). Chernus played Phineas Mason / Tinkerer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Homecoming, which was released on July 7, 2017.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 8, 1977 (49)
From
Rocky River, Ohio, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
61 on MovieCove · 68 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 157 days to Oct 28Down 10% in 30 days

What are Michael Chernus' films like?

Across their 34 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
35%
Bonds
24%
Morality
15%
Survival
11%
Society
11%
Power
5%
Identity12 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 6 · Charged 13 · Intense 6

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

Steady 9 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 4

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 13 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 5

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

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 7 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 3

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 9 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 9

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 11 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 5

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 3 of 12 analyzed roles.

Shadow
3 of 12
Ally
2 of 12
Trickster
2 of 12
Hero
2 of 12
Herald
1 of 12
Shapeshifter
1 of 12
Mentor
1 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
19
Melancholic
13
Contemplative
13
Absurd
10
Dread
7
Other
31

How their films linger

Thought-provoking16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous16

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 Michael Chernus' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 47 of their 61 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Chernus' 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

68 credits, 61 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Evil Genius(2026)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • A Statement(2026)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Ray Gunn(2026)

    as Sam

  • Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as John Wayne Gacy

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Birthrite(2025)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Cologne 75(2025)

    Associate Producer · as Michael Watts

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • A Complete Unknown(2024)

    as Theodore Bikel

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Wake(2025)

    as Jack

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Molli and Max in the Future(2023)

    as Turboschmuck

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Out of My Mind(2024)

    as Mr. Dimming

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Carol & the End of the World(2023)

    Show 3 episodes · as Eric (voice)

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Dead Ringers(2023)

    Show 6 episodes · as Tom

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • The Courtroom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as John Keathley

  • Severance(2022)

    Show 13 episodes · as Ricken Hale

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Werewolves Within(2021)

    as Pete Anderton

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Monsterland(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Tommy

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Materna(2020)

    as David

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Tommy(2020)

    Show 12 episodes · as Ken Rosey

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Little America(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Inez & Doug & Kira (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Doug

  • Evil(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr Paul Wimsimer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Prodigal Son(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jerry

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Perpetual Grace, LTD(2019)

    Show 5 episodes · as Everly Pirdoo

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Ramy(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Kindergarten Teacher(2018)

    as Grant Spinelli

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Furlough(2018)

    as Bus Driver

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Meyerowitz Stories(2017)

    as Male Nurse

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Wormwood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Mal

  • Spider-Man: Homecoming(2017)

    as Phineas Mason / The Tinkerer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Dinner(2017)

    as Dylan Heinz

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The Most Hated Woman in America(2017)

    as Jon Garth Murray

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Wormwood(2017)

    Show as Mal

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Easy(2016)

    Show 5 episodes · as Kyle

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Complete Unknown(2016)

    as Clyde Goodwin Jr.

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Family Fang(2015)

    as Kenny

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Patriot(2015)

    Show 18 episodes · as Edward Tavner

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Mistress America(2015)

    as Dylan

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • People Places Things(2015)

    as Gary

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Aloha(2015)

    as Roy

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Alex of Venice(2014)

    as Trofimov

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Goodbye to All That(2014)

    as Freddie

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Manhattan(2014)

    Show 23 episodes · as Louis "Fritz" Fedowitz

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Glass Chin(2014)

    as Brian Colby

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Captain Phillips(2013)

    as Shane Murphy

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Orange Is the New Black(2013)

    Show 17 episodes · as Cal Chapman

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • He's Way More Famous Than You(2013)

    as Michael Chernus

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Jack & Diane(2012)

    as Jaimie

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Elementary(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Edwin Borstein

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The New Normal(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • The Bourne Legacy(2012)

    as Arthur Ingram

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Men in Black 3(2012)

    as Jeffrey Price

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Higher Ground(2011)

    as Ned

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Feed the Fish(2010)

    as JP

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Love & Other Drugs(2010)

    as Jerry

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Big C(2010)

    Show 4 episodes · as Pastor Rick

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Coach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Michael

  • Nonames(2010)

    as Danny

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Messenger(2009)

    as Alan

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Mercy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 9 episodes · as Ryan Flanagan

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Spencer Harman

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Bored to Death(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Francis Hamm

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The Rebound(2009)

    as Actor #3 / Twentysomething #1

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Nurse Jackie(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Louie

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • High Street Plumbing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Kirby

  • Damages(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · as New Jersey Bar Owner

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Lovely by Surprise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Humkin

  • Winter Passing(2005)

    as Ben

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Jay Delaney · as Tommy Sullivan

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 65 titles, 64 of them dated from 1999 to 2026; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

Men in Black 3 (2012)

$654M worldwide

Highest rated

Captain Phillips (2013)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Severance (2022)

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutNomination
19992026

Peak 2016 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 9 MovieCove titles. 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
Acting65 of 65: 64 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndProducing1 of 65: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s10 · acting2010s36 · acting2020s17 · 17 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 27 roles
0616

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.

Awards

3 major nominations and no wins, 2023–2026.

  1. 2026
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
  2. 2023
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

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 Michael Chernus' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of the 36 of 37 with a score; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 60 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

30 of their 60 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser30
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

The Wake (2025)

99th percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Captain Phillips (2013)

Midcredits 98th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 55. 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 Michael Chernus' work okay for kids?

Across up to 20 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore14 titles6–68 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity20 titles14–70 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity15 titles40–79 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs13 titles26–59 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles13–68 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most 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 Michael Chernus work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Chernus' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Oren Moverman shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers