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Brian McElhaney

Brian McElhaney

Actor and writer, also director and producer · Born August 8, 1986 (40) · Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee · 1 other major award body

Brian McElhaney was born on 8 August 1986 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Over Your Dead Body (2026), Arthur (2011) and Saturday Night Live (1975).

Biography from IMDb.

Born
August 8, 1986 (40)
From
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Works as
Actor and writer, also director and producer
Titles
13 on MovieCove · 25 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 11% in 30 days

What are Brian McElhaney's films like?

Across their 5 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
37%
Self
34%
Morality
17%
Survival
8%
Power
4%
Friendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 2 · Wry 0 · Earnest 2

Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 1 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 3 · Intense 1

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

Steady 0 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
4
Tense
1
Joyful
2
Manic
2
Contemplative
1
Other
4

How their films linger

Fun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous1

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 Brian McElhaney's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 13 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Brian McElhaney'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

25 credits, 13 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Over Your Dead Body(2026)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Pizza Movie(2026)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer · as Brian

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Demi Adejuyigbe: Is Going to Do One (1) Backflip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Thanks

  • You're an Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Tate

  • Early to Rise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Russian Game Show Host

  • The Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Brian

  • Plus One(2019)

    as Martin the Bartender

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Brian

  • Pregame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Harry

  • Dude Bro Party Massacre III(2015)

    as Turtleneck Bro

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Greener Grass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Brian

  • Balls Out(2014)

    as Chance

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Amazing Spider-Man 2(2014)

    as Times Square Bystander

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Much Ado About Nothing(2012)

    as Second Watchman

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Beside Still Waters(2013)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Goodwin Games(2013)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Young Adult(2011)

    as Book Associate

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Searching for Sonny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Gary Noble

  • Unforgettable(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Officer Tim Gosling

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Arthur(2011)

    as College Student

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Eagles Are Turning People Into Horses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Nick Panzer

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

    as Martin Finch

  • Hardly Working: All-Nighters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · as Brian

  • How I Met Your Mother(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Justin

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Thud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 79th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 23 titles, 22 of them dated from 2005 to 2026; peak year 2012.

Biggest box office

Over Your Dead Body (2026)

$2.4M worldwide

Highest rated

Over Your Dead Body (2026)

Midcredits 51st

Film career

20052026

Peak 2012 · at the high point of their film career. 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
Acting21 of 23: 19 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdDirecting2 of 23: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting3 of 23: 1 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing2 of 23: 0 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew1 of 23: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

2000s2 · acting2010s14 · 14 acting · 1 crew2020s6 · 4 acting · 3 crew

Billing

usually 15th · top billed in 0% of 6 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.

Awards

1 major award from 3 major nominations, 2017–2019.

WinNomination
  1. 2019
    • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Sketch Series
  2. 2018
    • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety – Sketch Series
  3. 2017
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety 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 Brian McElhaney's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 10; across a limited sample of 4 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 4

Approval · how many liked their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 13 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 13 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · producer

Beside Still Waters (2013)

74th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Much Ado About Nothing (2012)

Midcredits 83rd · 73% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 34. 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 Brian McElhaney'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 47 · 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 Brian McElhaney work with?

People who share at least 2 of Brian McElhaney's MovieCove titles; Nick Kocher shares the most, 4.