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Aidan Quinn

Aidan Quinn

Actor, also producer · Born March 8, 1959 (67) · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Aidan Quinn (born March 8, 1959) is an American actor. He made his film debut in Reckless (1984) and has starred in over 80 feature films, including Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), The Mission (1986), Stakeout (1987), All My Sons (1987), Avalon (1990), Benny & Joon (1993), Legends of the Fall (1994), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), Michael Collins (1996), Practical Magic (1998), Song for a Raggy Boy (2003), Wild Child (2008) and Unknown (2011). He also played Captain Thomas "Tommy" Gregson on the CBS television series Elementary (2012–19). Quinn has received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in the television films An Early Frost (1985) and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007). Highly active in Irish cinema and the United States, Quinn is a four-time Irish Film and Television (IFTA) Award nominee, winning Best Supporting Actor in a Film for the Conor McPherson film The Eclipse (2009).

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 8, 1959 (67)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
76 on MovieCove · 105 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 63 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

What are Aidan Quinn's films like?

Across their 67 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama32 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Thriller2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 14th percentile
: browse their Thriller 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
25%
Morality
21%
Self
19%
Survival
12%
Society
11%
Power
6%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds23 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love10 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity11 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption8 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief8 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 63 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 22 · Serious 17 · Dark 24

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

Grounded 45 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 18 · Charged 26 · Intense 19

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

Steady 28 · Shifting 31 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 46 · Some laughs 17 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 36 · Even-paced 26 · Relentless 1

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 33 · Engaged 23 · Full focus 7

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

Easy watch 20 · Affecting 22 · Heavy 21

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

Resolved 47 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 5

Roles they play

54 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 13 of 54 analyzed roles.

Ally
13 of 54
Hero
12 of 54
Shadow
9 of 54
Mentor
8 of 54
Shapeshifter
6 of 54
Threshold guardian
4 of 54
Trickster
1 of 54
Herald
1 of 54
Show the 54 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
34
Melancholic
33
Warm
17
Hopeful
20
Contemplative
16
Other
59

How their films linger

Hopeful30 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet27 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy19
  • Bittersweet28
  • Tragic9
  • Ambiguous10
  • 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 Aidan Quinn's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 46 of their 76 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (29).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Aidan Quinn'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

105 credits, 76 with a MovieCove page; 9 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Lightkeeper(2026)

    as Father MacGabbhan

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Gettysburg Address(2025)

    as Theodore Parker (voice)

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Walsh Sisters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · as Daddy Walsh

  • Rematch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · as Roger Laver

  • Daughter of the Bride(2023)

    as Bruce

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Blacklight(2022)

    as Gabriel Robinson

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The American Guest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · as Theodore Roosevelt

  • Spiked(2021)

    as John Wilson

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Visible: Out on Television(2020)

    Show as Michael Pierson

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Change in the Air(2018)

    as Moody Burkhart

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Stay(2013)

    as Dermot

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Rushlights(2013)

    as Cameron Brogden

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • If I Were You(2012)

    as Derek

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Last Keepers(2013)

    as John

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Allegiance(2012)

    as Lieutenant Colonel Owens

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Horses of McBride(2012)

    as Matt Davidson

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Festival of Lights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Adem

  • Elementary(2012)

    Show 154 episodes · Director · as Thomas Gregson

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Stand Up(2011)

    as Sandy

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Greening of Whitney Brown(2011)

    as Henry Brown

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Prime Suspect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 13 episodes · as Kevin Sweeney

  • Unknown(2011)

    as Martin B.

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright(2010)

    as Charlie Wright

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Blue Bloods(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Gus Vanderlip

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Sarah's Key(2010)

    as William Rainsferd

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Flipped(2010)

    as Richard Baker

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Jonah Hex(2010)

    as Ulysses S. Grant

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • The 5th Quarter(2010)

    as Steven Abbate

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • White Collar(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Professor George Oswald

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • A Shine of Rainbows(2009)

    as Alec

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • From Ararat to Zion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Narrator

  • Handsome Harry(2009)

    as Prof. Porter

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Eclipse(2009)

    as Nicholas Holden

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Wild Child(2008)

    as Gerry Moore

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Prince of Motor City(2008)

    as Charlie Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Dark Matter(2007)

    as Jacob Reiser

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Canterbury's Law(2008)

    Show 6 episodes · as Matt Furey

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • 32A (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Frank Brennan

  • Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee(2007)

    as Henry Dawes

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Exonerated (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Kerry Max Cook

  • The Book of Daniel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 4 episodes · as Daniel Webster

  • Mayday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as John Berry

  • Nine Lives(2005)

    as Henry

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Weeds(2005)

    Show 4 episodes · as CEO

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Empire Falls(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as David Roby

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Return to Sender(2004)

    as Frank Nitzche

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Shadow of Fear(2004)

    as Detective Scofield

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Miracle Run(2004)

    as Douglas Thomas

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Proud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Commodore Alfred Lind

  • See You in My Dreams(2004)

    as Joe F. Brown

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Cavedweller(2004)

    as Clint Windsor

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius(2004)

    as Harry Vardon

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Plainsong(2004)

    as Tom Guthrie

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Song for a Raggy Boy(2003)

    as William Franklin

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor(2003)

    as Gen. Benedict Arnold

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Evelyn(2002)

    as Nick Barron

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Stolen Summer(2002)

    as Joe O'Malley

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Night Visions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeremy Bell (segment "The Passenger List")

  • Songcatcher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Tom Bledsoe

  • The Prince and the Pauper(2000)

    as Miles Hendon

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Two of Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Paul McCartney

  • Music of the Heart(1999)

    as Brian

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Third Watch(1999)

    Show 5 episodes · as John Miller

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ben Nicholson · as Burton Lowe

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • This Is My Father(1998)

    Executive Producer · as Kieran O'Day

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • In Dreams(1999)

    as Paul Cooper

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Practical Magic(1998)

    as Gary Hallet

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for Livingstone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Henry Morton Stanley

  • The Assignment(1997)

    as Annibal Ramirez / Carlos

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Commandments(1997)

    as Seth Warner

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Irish in America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Narrator

  • Michael Collins(1996)

    as Harry Roland

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Looking for Richard(1996)

    as Richmond

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Lumière and Company(1995)

    as (segment "John Boorman")

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Haunted(1995)

    as Professor David Ash

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Stars Fell on Henrietta(1995)

    as Don Day

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Out of Ireland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Maurice Woulfe (voice)

  • Legends of the Fall(1994)

    as Alfred Ludlow

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Mary Shelley's Frankenstein(1994)

    as Cap. Robert Walton

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Baseball(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Blink(1994)

    as Detective John Hallstrom

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Benny & Joon(1993)

    as Benjamin 'Benny' Pearl

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • A Private Matter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Bob Finkbine

  • The Playboys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Tom Casey

  • At Play in the Fields of the Lord(1991)

    as Martin Quarrier

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Lies of the Twins(1991)

    as James McEwan / Jonathan McEwan

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Avalon(1990)

    as Jules Kaye

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Handmaid's Tale(1990)

    as Nick

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Lemon Sisters(1989)

    as Frankie McGuinness

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Perfect Witness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Samuel De Valera Paxton

  • Crusoe(1988)

    as Crusoe

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Stakeout(1987)

    as Richard "Stick" Montgomery

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

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

    as Chris Keller

  • The Mission(1986)

    as Felipe Mendoza

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • An Early Frost(1985)

    as Michael Pierson

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Desperately Seeking Susan(1985)

    as Dez

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Reckless(1984)

    as Johnny Rourke

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Chris Keller

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

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Guthrie

  • Ages of the Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer · Actor

  • Butterfly in the Typewriter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Barnet Rosset

  • Hal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Professor Tigues

  • Little Audrey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Bishop Ryan

  • The Body Is Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as John Umley

  • The Well of Saint Nobody (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 104 titles, 98 of them dated from 1951 to 2026; peak year 2010.

Biggest box office

Legends of the Fall (1994)

$161M worldwide

Highest rated

Flipped (2010)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Elementary (2012)

Film career

19512026

Peak 2010 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 28 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
Acting104 of 104: 101 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thDirecting2 of 104: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleProducing2 of 104: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

104 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1950s1 · acting1980s10 · acting1990s27 · 27 acting · 1 crew2000s33 · acting2010s19 · 19 acting · 1 crew2020s8 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 19% of 48 roles
848994990409

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.

How do Aidan Quinn's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 55th percentile, the median of all 66; across their 63 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 51st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 63

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 63

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 63

Midcredits score across 76 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up21
  • 50th to 74th26
  • 25th to 49th22
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

33 of their 76 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved10
  • Divisive4
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser33
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed22

Most divisive · actor

The Lightkeeper (2026)

99th percentile spread · 46% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Flipped (2010)

Midcredits 95th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 58 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 45. 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 Aidan Quinn's work okay for kids?

Across up to 21 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore16 titles25–76 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity21 titles12–67 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity15 titles27–72 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs16 titles16–43 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense15 titles27–64 · median 45 · moderatenear 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 Aidan Quinn work with?

People who share at least 2 of Aidan Quinn's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Liam Neeson shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles