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Don McKellar

Don McKellar

Actor, writer and director, also producer · Born August 17, 1963 (63) · Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Cannes award winner · Sundance award nominee · Critics Choice Award nominee

Don McKellar CM (born August 17, 1963) is a Canadian actor, writer, playwright, and filmmaker. He was part of a loosely-affiliated group of filmmakers to emerge from Toronto known as the Toronto New Wave. He is known for directing and writing the film Last Night, which won the Prix de la Jeunesse at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, as well as his screenplays for films such as Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, The Red Violin, and Blindness. McKellar frequently acts in his own projects, and has also appeared in Atom Egoyan's Exotica and David Cronenberg's eXistenZ and Crimes of the Future. He is also known for being a fixture on Canadian television, with series including Twitch City, Odd Job Jack, and Slings & Arrows, as well as writing the book for the popular Tony Award-winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone. He is an eight-time nominee and two-time Genie Award winner. Description above from the Wikipedia article Don McKellar, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 17, 1963 (63)
From
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Works as
Actor, writer and director, also producer
Titles
43 on MovieCove · 80 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 26Up 11% in 30 days

What are Don McKellar's films like?

Across their 34 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Comedy12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
Self
35%
Morality
14%
Society
13%
Ideas
12%
Survival
12%
Bonds
11%
Power
4%
Identity10 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 32 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 17 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 7

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

Gentle 9 · Charged 13 · Intense 10

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

Steady 12 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 5

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 16 · Some laughs 13 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 5 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 10

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 8 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 12

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 9 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 12

Roles they play

14 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 4 of 14 analyzed roles.

Hero
4 of 14
Ally
4 of 14
Trickster
3 of 14
Shadow
2 of 14
Herald
1 of 14
Show the 14 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Melancholic
15
Contemplative
17
Absurd
10
Dread
7
Other
33

How their films linger

Thought-provoking17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Bittersweet18
  • Ambiguous16

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 Don McKellar's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 43 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Don McKellar'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

80 credits, 43 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Occupant of the Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Minturn

  • No Other Choice(2025)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Haunted Season(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Minturn

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Sympathizer(2024)

    Show 7 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Les Cake

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Crimes of the Future(2022)

    as Wippet

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Middle Man(2021)

    as Doctor

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw(2020)

    as Bernard Buckley

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Most Wanted(2020)

    as Norm

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Hey Lady! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 5 episodes · as Dr. Wolfe

  • American Woman(2019)

    as Newscaster 1 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Through Black Spruce(2018)

    Director · as Journalist

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Meditation Park(2017)

    as Gabriel

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Blood Honey(2017)

    as Dr. Bert Morrison

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Lolz-ita (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Eric

  • Window Horses(2016)

    as Dietmar (voice)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Michael: Every Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · Executive Producer

  • Your Mother and I (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Father

  • Closet Monster(2015)

    Story Editor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Zoom(2015)

    as Horowitz

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • It's Not You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Writer

  • Sensitive Skin(2014)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · as Al

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • The Grand Seduction(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • 3 Days in Havana(2013)

    as Pepe

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Treading Water(2013)

    as Richard

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Subconscious Password (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as The Host (voice)

  • I'm Yours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Phil

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

    as Brian

  • Scott Pilgrim vs. the World(2010)

    as Director

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • This Movie Is Broken (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Idea · Writer

  • Cooking With Stella (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Michael Laffont

  • Republic of Doyle(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as J.J. Murphy

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Manson, My Name Is Evil(2009)

    as Prosecutor

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Green Door (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Ron

  • Blindness(2008)

    Screenplay · as Thief

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Redacted(2007)

    as Criminal Investigator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Phone Call From Imaginary Girlfriends: Istanbul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Writer

  • Phone Call From Imaginary Girlfriends: Ankara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Writer

  • Monkey Warfare(2006)

    as Dan

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Clarence Fines

  • Where the Truth Lies(2005)

    as Publishing Executive

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Childstar(2004)

    Director · Writer · as Rick Shille

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Clean(2004)

    as Vernon

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Slings and Arrows(2003)

    Show 18 episodes · as Darren Nichols

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Odd Job Jack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 52 episodes · as Jack Ryder (voice)

  • The Event (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Matt Shapiro

  • Public Domain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Host

  • Rub & Tug (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Conrad

  • Trudeau (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Greenbaum

  • Waydowntown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Brad

  • I Was a Rat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Oliver Tapscrew

  • Degrassi: The Next Generation(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Keith

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • The Art of Woo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Nathan

  • Preludes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • A Word from the Management (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Writer

  • This Might Be Good (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Sea People(1999)

    as Mr. Whittaker

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • eXistenZ(1999)

    as Yevgeny Nourish

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Passion of Ayn Rand(1999)

    as Alfred

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Red Violin(1998)

    Screenplay · as Evan Williams (Montréal)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Last Night(1998)

    Director · Writer · as Patrick Wheeler

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Elimination Dance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · Writer · as Male Dance Partner

  • Twitch City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 13 episodes · Creator · Story · Teleplay · Writer · as Curtis

  • Never Met Picasso(1996)

    as Jerry

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Sarabande (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Max

  • In the Presence of Mine Enemies(1997)

    as Paul Heller

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Joe's So Mean to Josephine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Mike

  • Once a Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Dance Me Outside(1994)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • When Night Is Falling(1995)

    as Timothy

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Camilla(1994)

    as Security Guard

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Exotica(1994)

    as Thomas

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

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

    as Ray Bud

  • Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould(1993)

    Screenplay · as Concert Promoter

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Giant Steps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Real Estate Hucker

  • My Niagara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Cabel

  • Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director · Writer

  • The Adjuster(1991)

    as Tyler, the young censor

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Highway 61 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Screenplay · Story · as Pokey Jones

  • Roadkill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Screenplay · as Russel, the Serial Killer

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 80 titles from 1989 to 2025; peak year 1998.

Biggest box office

No Other Choice (2025)

$40M worldwide

Highest rated

No Other Choice (2025)

Midcredits 95th

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward win
19892025

Peak 1998 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 3 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
Acting67 of 80: 56 only acting, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thDirecting11 of 80: 2 only directing, 9 with another roleWriting19 of 80: 4 only writing, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score82ndProducing3 of 80: 1 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew2 of 80: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

80 titles, 17 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 9 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · 1 acting · 1 crew1990s23 · 21 acting · 8 crew2000s24 · 20 acting · 6 crew2010s22 · 17 acting · 7 crew2020s10 · 8 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 6% of 18 roles
910116

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

1 major award from 5 major nominations, 1998–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Adapted Screenplay
  2. 2016
    • Sundance award, nominated
  3. 1998
    • Cannes award, won · Foreign Film
    • Cannes award, nominated · Directors' Fortnight
    • Cannes award, nominated

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 Don McKellar's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 36; across their 32 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Approval · how many liked their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Reach · how many have seen their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 32

Midcredits score across 43 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 43 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

Blood Honey (2017)

89th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

No Other Choice (2025)

Midcredits 95th · 81% liked

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 32 reviewed titles; fans 81, 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 Don McKellar's work okay for kids?

Across up to 13 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 & Gore9 titles30–90 · median 78 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity13 titles33–76 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles26–69 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles15–65 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles27–90 · median 71 · 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 Don McKellar work with?

People who share at least 2 of Don McKellar's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Niv Fichman shares the most, 10.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles