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Thora Birch

Thora Birch

Actor, also director and producer · Born March 11, 1982 (44) · Los Angeles, California, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Primetime Emmy nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 1 other major award body

Thora Birch (born March 11, 1982) is an American actress. She was a child actor in the 1990s, starring in movies such as All I Want for Christmas (1991), Patriot Games (1992), Hocus Pocus (1993), Now and Then (1995), and Alaska (1996). She came to prominence in 1999 after earning worldwide attention and praise for her performance in American Beauty. She then starred in the well received film Ghost World (2001), which earned her a Golden Globe nomination.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 11, 1982 (44)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also director and producer
Titles
44 on MovieCove · 58 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 26Down 19% in 30 days

What are Thora Birch's films like?

Across their 37 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Horror 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
28%
Self
21%
Morality
16%
Survival
13%
Power
10%
Society
7%
Ideas
5%
Family bonds14 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 37 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 15 · Serious 8 · Dark 14

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

Grounded 27 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 9 · Charged 15 · Intense 13

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

Steady 17 · Shifting 19 · 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 22 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 2

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 18 · Engaged 16 · 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 11 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 15

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

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 5

Roles they play

24 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 10 of 24 analyzed roles.

Hero
10 of 24
Ally
5 of 24
Trickster
3 of 24
Shapeshifter
2 of 24
Shadow
2 of 24
Herald
1 of 24
Threshold guardian
1 of 24
Show the 24 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Melancholic
14
Hopeful
12
Dread
9
Warm
10
Other
39

How their films linger

Hopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous6

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 Thora Birch's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 33 of their 44 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Thora Birch'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

58 credits, 44 with a MovieCove page; 12 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Chronology of Water(2025)

    as Claudia

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Thirsty(2024)

    as Sonia Allen

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Midway Point(2024)

    as Cristina

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Mayfair Witches(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Gifford Mayfair

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • The Gabby Petito Story(2022)

    Director · Co-Executive Producer · as Nichole Schmidt

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • 13 Minutes(2021)

    as Jess

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Dani

  • Above Suspicion(2019)

    as Jolene

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Kindred Spirits(2019)

    as Chloe

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Last Black Man in San Francisco(2019)

    as Becca

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Affairs of State(2018)

    as Callie Roland

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Etruscan Smile(2018)

    as Emily

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Competition(2018)

    Producer · as Lauren

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Colony(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · as Morgan

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Petunia(2012)

    Producer · as Vivian Petunia

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Walking Dead(2010)

    Show 8 episodes · as Gamma · as Mary

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Pregnancy Pact(2010)

    as Sidney Bloom

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Deadline(2009)

    as Lucy Woods

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Winter of Frozen Dreams(2009)

    as Barbara Hoffman

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Train(2008)

    as Alex

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Dark Corners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Karen Clarke / Susan Hamilton

  • My Life as a Teenage Robot: Escape from Cluster Prime(2005)

    as Vega (voice)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Slingshot(2005)

    as April

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Silver City(2004)

    as Karen Cross

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Dot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Narrator

  • Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story(2003)

    as Liz Murray

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Shadow Realm(2002)

    as Susan Thornhill

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Ghost World(2001)

    as Enid

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Making of 'Dungeons and Dragons'(2001)

    as Empress Savina (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Hole(2001)

    as Liz Dunn

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Dungeons & Dragons(2000)

    as Empress Savina

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • The Smokers(2000)

    as Lincoln Roth

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Anywhere But Here(1999)

    as Mary

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • American Beauty(1999)

    as Jane Burnham

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Night Ride Home(1999)

    as Clea Mahler

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Alaska(1996)

    as Jessie Barnes

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • TFI Friday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Now and Then(1995)

    as Teeny

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Outer Limits(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Aggie Travers

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Erin

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Clear and Present Danger(1994)

    as Sally Ryan

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Monkey Trouble(1994)

    as Eva

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Monty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hocus Pocus(1993)

    as Dani Dennison

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Itsy Bitsy Spider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Little Girl (voice)

  • Patriot Games(1992)

    as Sally Ryan

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • All I Want for Christmas(1991)

    as Hallie O'Fallon

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Paradise(1991)

    as Billie Pike

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Dark Avenger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Susie Donovan

  • Parenthood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 12 episodes · as Taylor Buckman

  • Doogie Howser, M.D.(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Megan

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Purple People Eater(1988)

    as Molly Johnson

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Day by Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 33 episodes · as Molly Farrell

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

    Show 1 episode · as Clea

  • Civilian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Hurricane Bianca: The Roots of All Evil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mary

  • Mr. Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • The Last Seder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 58 titles, 54 of them dated from 1951 to 2025; peak year 2000.

Biggest box office

American Beauty (1999)

$356M worldwide

Highest rated

American Beauty (1999)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19512025

Peak 2000 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 19 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 1 more milestone

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting57 of 58: 55 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score37thDirecting2 of 58: 1 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 58: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1980s3 · acting1990s18 · acting2000s15 · acting2010s10 · 10 acting · 1 crew2020s7 · 7 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 30% of 27 roles
919606

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

a Screen Actors Guild Award from 4 major nominations, 2000–2003.

WinNomination
  1. 2003
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
  2. 2002
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
  3. 2000
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture

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 Thora Birch's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 37th percentile, the median of all 38; across their 37 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 37th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

37thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Approval · how many liked their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Reach · how many have seen their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Midcredits score across 44 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th15

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 44 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed20

Most divisive · actor

The Midway Point (2024)

94th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

American Beauty (1999)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 60/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 36. 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 Thora Birch's work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore12 titles33–77 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles22–63 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles29–75 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles28–84 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles33–80 · median 58 · 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 Thora Birch work with?

People who share at least 2 of Thora Birch's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Phillip Noyce shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles