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Bowen Yang

Bowen Yang

Actor · Born November 6, 1990 (35) · Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Primetime Emmy nominee · Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Bowen Yang (born November 6, 1990) is an American actor, comedian, podcaster, and writer. Yang was hired to join the writing staff of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in September 2018, ahead of its 44th season, and a year later was promoted to on-air cast status for SNL's 45th season. He made history becoming the first SNL featured player to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021. He was promoted to repertory status before the 47th season. Yang has appeared in the television series Girls5Eva, Ziwe, and The Other Two and is a cast member on Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens. He is also known for his appearances in the LGBTQ romantic comedies Fire Island and Bros, both released in 2022. He co-hosts a comedy pop-culture podcast, Las Culturistas, with Matt Rogers. In January 2019, he was named to Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment list. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bowen Yang, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 6, 1990 (35)
From
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Works as
Actor
Titles
35 on MovieCove · 43 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 42% in 30 days

What are Bowen Yang's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Animation4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th 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
42%
Self
34%
Morality
7%
Society
6%
Survival
5%
Ideas
3%
Power
2%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 2 · Dark 1

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 4 · Charged 7 · Intense 2

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

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 3 · Funny 7

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 9 · 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 10 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 3 of 7 analyzed roles.

Trickster
3 of 7
Shadow
2 of 7
Ally
1 of 7
Hero
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
9
Warm
6
Melancholic
5
Absurd
4
Contemplative
3
Other
19

How their films linger

Feel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet8
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

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 Bowen Yang's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 30 of their 35 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Bowen Yang'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

43 credits, 35 with a MovieCove page; 37 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Tangles(2026)

    as Dale (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Cat in the Hat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as (voice)

  • Waking Up From a Nap on a Long Day of Doing Nothing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Jean-Marie Menga (voice)

  • The Moment(2026)

    as Bowen Yang (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Wicked: For Good(2025)

    as Pfannee

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Las Culturistas Culture Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer · as Self - Host

  • Overcompensating(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · as Davis

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • The Wedding Banquet(2025)

    as Chris

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Planning New York (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld(2024)

    Show 13 episodes · as Ed (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Wicked(2024)

    as Pfannee

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Fantasmas(2024)

    Show 3 episodes · as Dodo

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • The Garfield Movie(2024)

    as Nolan (voice)

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • The Tiger's Apprentice(2024)

    as Sidney (voice)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Good Burger 2(2023)

    as Bowen Yang

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain(2023)

    as Deetch Nordwind

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Scott Pilgrim Takes Off(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as TV Gossip #2 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Dicks: The Musical(2023)

    as God

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Monkey King(2023)

    as Dragon King (voice)

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · as Celestial Administrator (voice) · as Celestial Administrator / Sailor #1 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Martin Li / Mr. Negative

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again(2022)

    as Ronnie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Bros(2022)

    as Lawrence Grape

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Fire Island(2022)

    as Howie

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Lost City(2022)

    as Ray the Moderator

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Cicada(2020)

    as Hudson

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Schmigadoon!(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · Consulting Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Monsters at Work(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Carter (voice)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Girls5eva(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Zander · as Zander (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend(2020)

    as Kim Jong-un

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Duncanville(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Garrett (voice)

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens(2020)

    Show 17 episodes · as Edmund

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Isn't It Romantic(2019)

    as Donny's Guy

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Other Two(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Bowen Yang

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • High Maintenance(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Brian

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Late Night with Seth Meyers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 7 episodes · as Frank · as Self · as Self - Guest

  • Broad City(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sales associate

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Dry Me Crazy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Laundromat Attendant

  • The Outs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · as Jason

  • Archer(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Untitled Bowen Yang/Matt Rogers project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Writer · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 43 titles, 40 of them dated from 1989 to 2026; peak year 2023.

Biggest box office

Wicked: For Good (2025)

$541M worldwide

Highest rated

Tangles (2026)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Wicked: For Good (2025)

Film career

19892026

Peak 2023 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 4 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
Acting41 of 43: 40 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thWriting3 of 43: 1 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing1 of 43: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · acting2000s1 · acting2010s7 · acting2020s31 · 29 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 7% of 14 roles
1924

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

9 major nominations and no wins, 2019–2025.

  1. 2025
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  2. 2024
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
  3. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
  4. 2021
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
  5. 2020
    • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Sketch Series
  6. 2019
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Sketch 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 Bowen Yang's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

90thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 35 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 35 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

Bros (2022)

87th percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Tangles (2026)

Midcredits 94th · 77% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 46. 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 Bowen Yang's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles9–54 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles11–73 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles19–88 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles13–72 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles17–51 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all 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 Bowen Yang work with?

People who share at least 2 of Bowen Yang's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michelle Yeoh shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Mixed roles