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Joan Allen

Joan Allen

Actor, also producer · Born August 20, 1956 (70) · Rochelle, Illinois, USA

Oscar nominee · Primetime Emmy nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 5 other major award bodies

Joan Allen (born August 20, 1956) is an American actress. She worked in theatre, television and film during her early career, and achieved recognition for her Broadway debut in Burn This, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play in 1989. She has received three Academy Award nominations; she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Nixon (1995) and The Crucible (1996), and for Best Actress for The Contender (2000). Her other films include The Ice Storm (1996), Face/Off (1997), Pleasantville (1998), The Notebook (2004), The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 20, 1956 (70)
From
Rochelle, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
38 on MovieCove · 55 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 155 days to Oct 26

What are Joan Allen's films like?

Across their 35 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
24%
Self
23%
Survival
18%
Morality
17%
Power
11%
Society
5%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds12 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief6 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 32 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 6 · Serious 11 · Dark 15

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 22 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 17 · Intense 12

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

A split, not a type: Steady 14 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 5

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 2

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 5

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 12 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 10

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 5 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 16

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

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

22 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 10 of 22 analyzed roles.

Ally
10 of 22
Hero
6 of 22
Mentor
2 of 22
Shapeshifter
2 of 22
Shadow
2 of 22
Show the 22 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
21
Melancholic
22
Dread
9
Contemplative
9
Warm
6
Other
31

How their films linger

Bittersweet15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet25
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4
  • 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 Joan Allen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 38 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joan Allen'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

55 credits, 38 with a MovieCove page; 17 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Zero Day(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · as Sheila Mullen

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Lisey's Story(2021)

    Show 8 episodes · as Amanda Debusher

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Who Will Write Our History(2018)

    as Rachela Auerbach (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Family(2016)

    Show 12 episodes · as Claire Warren

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Room(2015)

    as Nancy

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Rickover: The Birth of Nuclear Power (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • A Good Marriage(2014)

    as Darcy Anderson

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Legacy(2012)

    as Pamela Landy

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Luck(2011)

    Show 9 episodes · as Claire Lachay

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • The Killing(2011)

    Show 6 episodes · as Margaret O'Neal

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Kitten's First Full Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham and the American City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Narrator

  • Georgia O'Keeffe(2009)

    Executive Producer · as Georgia O'Keeffe

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Hachi: A Dog's Tale(2009)

    as Cate Wilson

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Death Race(2008)

    as Warden Hennessey

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Ultimatum(2007)

    as Pamela Landy

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Rape of Europa(2006)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Bonneville(2006)

    as Carol Brimm

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Heidi Holland (segment "The Heidi Chronicles")

  • I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Yes(2004)

    as She

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Upside of Anger(2005)

    as Terry Wolfmeyer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Supremacy(2004)

    as Pamela Landy

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Notebook(2004)

    as Anne Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Off the Map(2003)

    as Arlene

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Mists of Avalon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Morgause

  • The Contender(2000)

    as Laine Hanson

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • When the Sky Falls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Sinead Hamilton

  • All the Rage(1999)

    as Helen Harding

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Pleasantville(1998)

    as Betty Parker

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Ice Storm(1997)

    as Elena Hood

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Face/Off(1997)

    as Eve Archer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Crucible(1996)

    as Elizabeth Proctor

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Nixon(1995)

    as Pat Nixon

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Mad Love(1995)

    as Margaret Roberts

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Josh and S.A.M.(1993)

    as Caroline Whitney

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Lydia (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Searching for Bobby Fischer(1993)

    as Bonnie Waitzkin

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Ethan Frome(1993)

    as Zenobia Zeeman Frome

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Without Warning: The James Brady Story(1991)

    as Sarah Brady

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • In Country(1989)

    as Irene

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Tucker: The Man and His Dream(1988)

    as Vera

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Room Upstairs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Ellie

  • All My Sons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Ann Deever

  • Peggy Sue Got Married(1986)

    as Maddy Nagle

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Manhunter(1986)

    as Reba McClane

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Twilight Zone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as (segment "Shelter Skelter")

  • Compromising Positions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Mary Alice Mahoney

  • Evergreen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 3 episodes · as Iris Friedman

  • Screen Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Zeena

  • Say Goodnight, Gracie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Ginny

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Ann Keller · as Zeena Frome

  • A Wedding(1978)

    as Extra (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellie

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 55 titles from 1951 to 2025; peak year 2008.

Biggest box office

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

$443M worldwide

Highest rated

Room (2015)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

The Notebook (2004)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19512025

Peak 2008 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 17 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.

Show 2 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting55 of 55: 54 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score74thProducing1 of 55: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1970s1 · acting1980s12 · acting1990s13 · acting2000s16 · 16 acting · 1 crew2010s10 · acting2020s2 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 22% of 27 roles
86960106

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 awards from 20 major nominations, 1996–2010.

WinNomination
  1. 2010
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Made for Television Movie
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television
  2. 2006
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actress
  3. 2002
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
  4. 2001
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
    • +2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, won
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Female Lead
  5. 1999
    • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actress
  6. 1997
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actress
  7. 1996
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

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 Joan Allen's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 77th percentile, the median of all 32; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 74th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Approval · how many liked their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Reach · how many have seen their films

90thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up18
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 38 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Crowd Pleaser20
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Yes (2004)

65th percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Room (2015)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 78/100 in their films, across 31 reviewed titles; fans 84, detractors 51. 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 Joan Allen's work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore16 titles17–84 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity20 titles6–55 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity18 titles20–79 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles16–57 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense15 titles30–72 · median 61 · intenseheavier 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 Joan Allen work with?

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

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles