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Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland

Actor, also producer and director · Born December 21, 1966 (59) · Paddington, London, England, UK

2 Primetime Emmys · Golden Globe winner · 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards · 1 other major award body

Kiefer Sutherland (born December 21, 1966) is a British-Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24. Sutherland first achieved critical acclaim for his role in the Canadian film The Bay Boy (1985,) after which he rose to further prominence for Hollywood roles, primarily as villains. During the 2000s, he pivoted to more heroic roles. He has won an Emmy Award and Golden Globe award. He is the son of Canadian actors Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 21, 1966 (59)
From
Paddington, London, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also producer and director
Titles
88 on MovieCove · 114 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

What are Kiefer Sutherland's films like?

Across their 77 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 72 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 22 · Serious 19 · Dark 31

A split, not a type: Grounded 34 · Stylized 25 · Heightened 13

Gentle 7 · Charged 33 · Intense 32

Steady 21 · Shifting 44 · Whiplash 7

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 46 · Some laughs 16 · Funny 10

Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 46 · Relentless 7

Casual 29 · Engaged 33 · Full focus 10

A split, not a type: Easy watch 24 · Affecting 19 · Heavy 29

Resolved 52 · Open-ended 16 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

59 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 21 of 59 analyzed roles.

Shadow
21 of 59
Hero
19 of 59
Mentor
7 of 59
Ally
6 of 59
Threshold guardian
2 of 59
Shapeshifter
2 of 59
Trickster
1 of 59
Herald
1 of 59
Show the 59 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
54
Melancholic
26
Thrilling
22
Dread
16
Contemplative
17
Other
72

How their films end · 16 with a twist

  • Happy17
  • Bittersweet37
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous18
  • Other1

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 Kiefer Sutherland's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 58 of their 88 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (30).

Subscription and free streaming for Kiefer Sutherland'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

114 credits, 88 with a MovieCove page; 40 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Father Joe(2026)

    Producer · as Father Joe

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Brothers Under Fire(2026)

    as Capt. Jordan Wright

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
  • Tinsel Town(2025)

    as Bradley Mack

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • Stone Cold Fox(2025)

    as Sergeant Breaker

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Juror #2(2024)

    as Larry Lasker

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial(2023)

    as Lt. Philip Francis Queeg

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • They Cloned Tyrone(2023)

    as Nixon

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • Rabbit Hole(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer · as John Weir

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows
  • The First Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 10 episodes · as Franklin D. Roosevelt

  • The Contractor(2022)

    as Rusty

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • A Creepshow Animated Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Richard (segment "Survivor Type") (voice)

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

    Show 14 episodes · as Clay Bryce

  • Where Is Kyra?(2017)

    as Doug

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Flatliners(2017)

    as Dr. Barry Wolfson

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
  • Names on the Cup (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Free to Rock(2017)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • 24: Legacy(2016)

    Show 12 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows
  • Designated Survivor(2016)

    Show 53 episodes · Executive Producer · as Tom Kirkman

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
  • Zoolander 2(2016)

    as Kiefer Sutherland

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
  • Forsaken(2015)

    as John Henry Clayton

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Metal Gear Solid: Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Documentation & Support · as Self

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

    as James Dempsey

  • Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Agent Sam Stanley

  • Last Week Tonight with John Oliver(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Bauer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • Pompeii(2014)

    as Corvus

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Monsters vs Aliens Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Touch(2012)

    Show 26 episodes · Producer · as Martin Bohm

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows
  • Night of the Living Carrots(2011)

    as General W.R. Monger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • The Confession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Executive Producer · Idea · as The Confessor

  • The Confession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 10 episodes · Producer · as The Confessor

  • Melancholia(2011)

    as John

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • Twelve(2010)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • Marmaduke(2010)

    as Bosco (voice)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • B.O.B.'s Big Break(2009)

    as General W.R. Monger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space(2009)

    as General W.R. Monger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Monsters vs. Aliens(2009)

    as General W.R. Monger (voice)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Mirrors(2008)

    Executive Producer · as Ben Carson

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight(2008)

    as Raistlin Majere (voice)

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
  • 24: Day six Debrief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 5 episodes · as Jack Bauer

  • 24: Day Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 8 episodes · as Jack Bauer

  • The Sentinel(2006)

    as David Breckinridge

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • The Wild(2006)

    as Samson (voice)

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • River Queen(2005)

    as Doyle

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • Jiminy Glick in Lalawood(2004)

    as Kiefer Sutherland

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Taking Lives(2004)

    as Christopher Hart

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • NASCAR: The IMAX Experience(2004)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • Corner Gas(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Kiefer Sutherland

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • L.A. Confidential (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Det. Jack Vincennes

  • DreamWorks 6 Spooky Stories Collection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as General W.R. Monger (voice)

  • Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
  • Phone Booth(2002)

    as The Caller

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • Paradise Found(2003)

    as Paul Gauguin

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Cowboy Up(2001)

    as Hank Braxton

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Dead Heat(2002)

    as Pally

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Desert Saints(2002)

    as Arthur Banks

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • 24(2001)

    Show 204 episodes · Co-Executive Producer · Executive Producer · Producer · as Jack Bauer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
  • To End All Wars(2001)

    as Lt. Jim 'Yanker' Reardon

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • The Right Temptation(2000)

    as Michael Farrow-Smith

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • Picking Up the Pieces(2000)

    as Officer Bobo

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Beat(2000)

    as William S. Burroughs

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
  • After Alice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Rebels: A Journey Underground (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 6 episodes · as Narrator

  • Woman Wanted(1999)

    Director · as Wendell

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Bauer (archive footage) · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • Ground Control(1998)

    as Jack Harris

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Break Up(1998)

    as John Box

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • A Soldier's Sweetheart(1998)

    as Rat Kiley

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Dark City(1998)

    as Dr. Daniel P. Schreber

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • Truth or Consequences, N.M.(1997)

    Director · as Curtis Freley

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Hourglass(1995)

    as uncredited

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • Freeway(1996)

    as Bob Wolverton

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • E! True Hollywood Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • A Time to Kill(1996)

    as Freddie Lee Cobb

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Armitage III: Poly-Matrix(1996)

    as Ross (voice)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Duke of Groove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Hugo

  • Eye for an Eye(1996)

    as Robert Doob

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • The Cowboy Way(1994)

    as Sonny Gilstrap

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Teresa's Tattoo(1994)

    as Roadblock Officer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • Natural Selection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Executive Producer

  • The Three Musketeers(1993)

    as Athos

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Last Light(1993)

    Director · as Denver Bayliss

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • Fallen Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director · as Matt Cordell

  • The Vanishing(1993)

    as Jeff Harriman

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • A Few Good Men(1992)

    as Lt. Jonathan Kendrick

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me(1992)

    as Sam Stanley

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Article 99(1992)

    as Dr. Peter Morgan

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • The Nutcracker Prince(1990)

    as Nutcracker Prince (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • Flatliners(1990)

    as Nelson Wright

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • Young Guns II(1990)

    as Josiah Gordon 'Doc' Scurlock

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
  • Chicago Joe and the Showgirl(1990)

    as Karl Hulten

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
  • Flashback(1990)

    as John Buckner

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Army Colonel (voice) · as Jack Bauer (voice) · as Wayne Slater (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Renegades(1989)

    as Buster McHenry

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
  • 1969(1988)

    as Scott Clifton Denny

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • Young Guns(1988)

    as Doc Scurlock

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • Promised Land(1987)

    as Danny Rivers

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Crazy Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Brooks

  • The Killing Time(1987)

    as The Stranger

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • The Lost Boys(1987)

    as David

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • Stand by Me(1986)

    as Ace Merrill

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
  • Amazing Stories(1986)

    as Static

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • Trapped in Silence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Kevin Richter

  • At Close Range(1986)

    as Tim

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • Amazing Stories(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Static

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
  • The Bay Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Donald Campbell

  • Max Dugan Returns(1983)

    as Bill

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Copperhead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Horseman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Winter Kills (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 114 titles, 110 of them dated from 1983 to 2026; peak year 1989.

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward win
19832026

Peak 1989 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 46 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
Acting111 of 114: 99 only acting, 12 with another role · typical Midcredits score49thDirecting4 of 114: 0 only directing, 4 with another roleWriting1 of 114: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing10 of 114: 2 only producing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score59thOther crew1 of 114: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

114 titles, 12 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 8 of them.

By decade

1980s17 · acting1990s31 · 30 acting · 5 crew2000s29 · 29 acting · 2 crew2010s22 · 20 acting · 6 crew2020s11 · 11 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 25% of 71 roles
8388939803081318

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

2 Primetime Emmys, a Golden Globe and 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards from 27 major nominations, 2002–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
  2. 2009
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
  3. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  4. 2006
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Drama Series
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
  5. 2005
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  6. 2004
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
  7. 2003
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Drama Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  8. 2002
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama

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 Kiefer Sutherland's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 78; across their 72 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 72

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 72

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 72

Midcredits score across 88 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th25
  • Below 25th21

Shape of the crowd

36 of their 88 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser36
  • Broadly Agreed10
  • Mixed33

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 65 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 44. 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 Kiefer Sutherland's work okay for kids?

Across up to 35 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore30 titles36–85 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity35 titles13–54 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity30 titles21–77 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs28 titles24–54 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense27 titles35–81 · 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 Kiefer Sutherland work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kiefer Sutherland's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joe Roth shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles