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Isaiah Mustafa

Isaiah Mustafa

Actor · Born February 11, 1974 (52) · Portland, Oregon, USA

Isaiah Mustafa (born February 11, 1974 height 6' 3½" (1,92 m)) is an American actor and former NFLpractice squadwide receiver. Mustafa is widely known as the main character for a series of Old Spice TV commercials, The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, for portraying Luke Garroway on Freeform's fantasy series Shadowhunters, and as adult Mike Hanlon in It Chapter Two (2019). Mustafa was born in Portland, Oregon, the youngest of seven children of Shahidah Mustafa-Davis and John Wali Mustafa, who owned and ran a limousine service in Laguna Hills, California in the early 1980s. Mustafa studied history at Arizona State and he played during the 1997 Rose Bowl between the then-undefeated Sun Devils and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Although Mustafa expected to become a high school teacher after graduation, a sports agent suggested that he try out for NFL teams. The Tennessee Oilers signed him to the practice squad, then sent him to NFL Europe's Barcelona Dragons in 1998. After a season on the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns' practice squads in 1999, Mustafa attended the Seattle Seahawks' training camp in 2000. Next he owned a restaurant called Jo Jo's Barbecue on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles that has since closed. Mustafa is a comic book fan; his knowledge of Doctor Doom's first name helped him win $47,000 on The Weakest Link, for a question on the first name of Doctor Frankenstein. The money helped him pursue his post-restaurateur goal of becoming an actor.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 11, 1974 (52)
From
Portland, Oregon, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 40 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 156 days to Oct 27Down 25% in 30 days

What are Isaiah Mustafa's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th 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
Self
30%
Bonds
29%
Morality
18%
Survival
16%
Society
7%
Family bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 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 3 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 3 · Intense 3

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 2

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

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 3 · 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 4 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 2 of 7 analyzed roles.

Shadow
2 of 7
Mentor
2 of 7
Threshold guardian
1 of 7
Hero
1 of 7
Ally
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
7
Tense
4
Bittersweet
2
Romantic
2
Dread
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Hopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous2

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 Isaiah Mustafa's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Isaiah Mustafa'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

40 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • I Know What You Did Last Summer(2025)

    as Andrew

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Cross(2024)

    Show 16 episodes · as John Sampson

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Boy Kills World(2023)

    as Benny

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Murder at Yellowstone City(2022)

    as Cicero

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

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

    as J.R.

  • Home Team(2022)

    as Porcupine Coach

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Rosalinda 2020 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director · Cinematographer · Epk Producer

  • It: Chapter Two(2019)

    as Mike Hanlon

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Clinic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Fletcher

  • Five Minutes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Roman

  • Girl Flu. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Gabriel

  • After the Reality(2016)

    as Garreth

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Shadowhunters(2016)

    Show 55 episodes · as Luke Garroway

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Selfie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Mitchell McMoney

  • Black-ish(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Isaiah Mustafa

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Sirens(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Danny

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Back in the Day(2014)

    as T

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Crush(2013)

    as Coach Evans

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Anger Management(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Wesley

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Baby Daddy(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Hudson

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Rags(2012)

    as Reginald Worth

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Three Stooges(2012)

    as Moe's Hip Executive

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Charlie's Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Detective Ray Goodson

  • Horrible Bosses(2011)

    as Officer Wilkens

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Love Bites (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Craig

  • Femme Fatales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Raven

  • Madea's Big Happy Family(2011)

    as Calvin

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

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

    as Ronnie

  • Nikita(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Cyrus

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Hot in Cleveland(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Kevin

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • NCIS: Los Angeles(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Brent Duffy

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Marvel Super Heroes: What the--?! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Luke Cage

  • Castle(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Team Leader

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Eli Stone(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Newlywed Husband

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Chuck(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Greta #2 · as Rick Noble

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Even Money(2006)

    as Basketball Player (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Ugly Betty(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Bailiff

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Brian Williams

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Robot Chicken(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Genie / Gerald Johanssen / Harlem Globetrotter (voice)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Oliver Newcomb

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 40 titles from 2003 to 2025; peak year 2011.

Biggest box office

It: Chapter Two (2019)

$473M worldwide

Highest rated

Rags (2012)

Midcredits 80th

Most popular right now

Shadowhunters (2016)

Film career

20032025

Peak 2011 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. 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
Acting39 of 40: 39 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thDirecting1 of 40: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 40: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography1 of 40: 0 only cinematography, 1 with another role

By decade

2000s10 · acting2010s23 · acting2020s7 · 6 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
1116

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 Isaiah Mustafa's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 30th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Madea's Big Happy Family (2011)

94th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Rags (2012)

Midcredits 80th · 69% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 40. 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 Isaiah Mustafa's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles64–91 · median 75 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles21–53 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles24–85 · median 80 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles36–59 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 75 · intenseMedian 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 Isaiah Mustafa work with?

People who share at least 2 of Isaiah Mustafa's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jason Fuchs shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Producers