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Michael Rapaport

Michael Rapaport

Actor, also director · Born March 20, 1970 (56) · New York City, New York, USA

Michael Rapaport is an American actor, comedian, and podcast host who has built a prolific, decades-long career playing memorable characters across film, television, and comedy. Emerging in the early 1990s as a distinct character actor known for his gritty New York persona, fast-talking delivery, and comedic timing, he made his feature film debut in Zebrahead (1992) before landing his breakout dramatic role as a naive marine in Tony Scott's crime classic True Romance (1993). He quickly established himself as a versatile fixture of '90s cinema, delivering standout performances in critically acclaimed films such as Poetic Justice (1993), John Singleton's Higher Learning (1995), Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995), the crime drama Cop Land (1997), and the comedy Deep Blue Sea (1999). In television, Rapaport has maintained an equally robust presence, starring as Phoebe Buffay's police officer boyfriend Gary in NBC’s Friends, playing the lead role of a suburban father in the Fox sitcom The War at Home, and taking on major dramatic arcs in critically acclaimed series like Boston Public, Justified, Atypical, and Only Murders in the Building. Beyond scripted acting and voice work—including his prominent voice role as Ogre in the animated series The PJs—he has achieved widespread recognition as a sports and political commentator, documentary filmmaker (directing the acclaimed Beats, Rhymes & Travels: A Tribe Called Quest Documentary), and host of several popular podcasts, cementing his status as a ubiquitous and outspoken fixture in modern American entertainment.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 20, 1970 (56)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, also director
Titles
89 on MovieCove · 120 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 24% in 30 days

What are Michael Rapaport's films like?

Across their 59 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy24 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st 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
31%
Self
23%
Morality
18%
Power
10%
Society
9%
Survival
6%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds21 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth8 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 53 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 16 · Dark 15

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

Grounded 36 · Stylized 13 · Heightened 4

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

Gentle 16 · Charged 24 · Intense 13

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

A split, not a type: Steady 25 · Shifting 19 · Whiplash 9

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 27 · Funny 10

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

Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 29 · Relentless 5

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

Casual 29 · Engaged 20 · Full focus 4

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 27 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 9

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

Resolved 39 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

27 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 8 of 27 analyzed roles.

Ally
8 of 27
Shadow
8 of 27
Trickster
4 of 27
Hero
3 of 27
Shapeshifter
2 of 27
Threshold guardian
1 of 27
Mentor
1 of 27
Show the 27 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
30
Warm
20
Absurd
19
Melancholic
18
Hopeful
14
Other
52

How their films linger

Feel-good17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy18
  • Bittersweet26
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous12

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 Michael Rapaport's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 60 of their 89 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (26).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Michael Rapaport'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

120 credits, 89 with a MovieCove page; 27 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Matchmaking 3(2026)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Stealing Jokes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Louie

  • I'll Be Right There(2023)

    as Marshall

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Fallout(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Knight Titus

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Carol & the End of the World(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Glisten and the Merry Mission(2023)

    as Grizz (voice)

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Life & Beth(2022)

    Show 10 episodes · as Leonard

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • The Supporters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Executive Producer

  • Only Murders in the Building(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · as Detective Kreps

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Conflicted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Mike

  • Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story(2020)

    as Bill Fitch

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Five Golden Rings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • The Masked Singer(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Pickle

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • White Famous(2017)

    Show 8 episodes · as Teddy Snow

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • Atypical(2017)

    Show 38 episodes · as Doug Gardner

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • The Guest Book(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Adam

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Chuck(2016)

    as John Wepner

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The New Edition Story(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Gary Evans

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life(2016)

    as Animation Voice (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Crisis in Six Scenes(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · as Trooper

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Sully(2016)

    as Bartender - Pete

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Hard Lovin' Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • A Stand Up Guy(2016)

    as Colin

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Living the Fantasy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Narrator

  • Public Morals(2015)

    Show 10 episodes · as Charlie Bullman

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Little Boy(2015)

    as James Busbee

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • When the Garden Was Eden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Producer

  • Black-ish(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Jay Simmons

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • My Man Is a Loser(2014)

    as Marty

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • NB90s (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • The Heat(2013)

    as Jason Mullins

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Once Upon a Time in Queens(2013)

    as Bobby DiBianco

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Alekesam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Producer

  • Kiss of the Damned(2012)

    as Ben Rider

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Mob Doctor(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Moretti

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • The Baytown Outlaws(2012)

    as Lucky

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Should've Been Romeo(2012)

    as Danny

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Inside Out(2011)

    as Jack Small

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest(2011)

    Director · Additional Camera · as Self

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Pound Puppies(2010)

    Show 65 episodes · as Squirt (voice)

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Raising Hope(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Justified(2010)

    Show 13 episodes · as Daryl Crowe Jr.

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • 30 for 30(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Accidentally on Purpose(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sully

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • A Day in the Life(2009)

    as Detective Grant

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Big Fan(2009)

    as Philadelphia Phil

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Miley and Mandy Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Assassination of a High School President(2008)

    as Coach Z

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Big Bang Theory(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Kenny Fitzgerald

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Fugly(2007)

    as Jack

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Special(2006)

    as Les Franken

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Talkshow with Spike Feresten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as DJ (voice)

  • Grilled(2006)

    as Bobby

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Push (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Tommy G

  • It Ain't Easy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Live Free or Die(2006)

    as Putney

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • America Brown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Daniel Brown

  • My Name Is Earl(2005)

    Show 6 episodes · as Frank Stump

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • The War at Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 44 episodes · as Dave Gold

  • Prison Break(2005)

    Show 22 episodes · as Donald Self

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Too Late with Adam Carolla (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hitch(2005)

    as Ben

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • This Girl's Life(2003)

    as Terry

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Eretz Nehederet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Dumbledore · as Oscar Host

  • A Good Night to Die(2003)

    as August

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Comic Book Villains(2002)

    as Norman Link

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • 29 Palms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Executive Producer · as The Cop

  • Triggermen(2002)

    as Tommy O'Brian

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Paper Soldiers(2002)

    as Mike E.

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Harlow Winton (segment "Darkness")

  • Dinner for Five (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Dr. Dolittle 2(2001)

    as Joey the Raccoon (Voice)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Chain of Fools(2000)

    as Hitman

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The 6th Day(2000)

    as Hank Morgan

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Lucky Numbers(2000)

    as Dale

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Boston Public (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 59 episodes · Director · as Danny Hanson

  • King of the Jungle(2000)

    as Francis

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Bamboozled(2000)

    as Thomas Dunwitty

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Men of Honor(2000)

    as GM1 Snowhill

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Small Time Crooks(2000)

    as Denny

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Next Friday(2000)

    as Mailman with Tax Notice (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Kiss Toledo Goodbye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Kevin Gower

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Richie Caskey

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Deep Blue Sea(1999)

    as Tom Scoggins

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Naked Man(1999)

    as Edward Bliss Jr.

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Rude Awakening (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny

  • Some Girl(1998)

    as Neal

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Palmetto(1998)

    as Donnelly

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Families(1998)

    as Szarany

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Kicked in the Head(1997)

    as Stretch

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • EP Daily (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cop Land(1997)

    as Murray "Superboy" Babitch

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • SubwayStories: Tales from the Underground(1997)

    as Jake (segment "The Listeners")

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • A Brother's Kiss(1997)

    as Stingy

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Metro(1997)

    as Kevin McCall

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Illtown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Dante

  • The Pallbearer(1996)

    as Brad Schorr

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Beautiful Girls(1996)

    as Paul Kirkwood

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Mad TV(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Abraham Lincoln

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Mighty Aphrodite(1995)

    as Kevin

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Kiss of Death(1995)

    as Ronnie Gannon

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Basketball Diaries(1995)

    as Skinhead

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Higher Learning(1995)

    as Remy

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Hand Gun(1994)

    as Lenny

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • The Scout(1994)

    as Tommy Lacy

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Friends(1994)

    Show 4 episodes · as Gary

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • ER(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Canterna

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Foot Shooting Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Lizard

  • Money for Nothing(1993)

    as Kenny Kozlowski

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • True Romance(1993)

    as Dick Ritchie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Poetic Justice(1993)

    as Dockworker

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Point of No Return(1993)

    as Big Stan

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

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

    as Zack

  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Mike

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mike Wegman (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • China Beach(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Last Shot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Trophy King (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Greg Geary

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 120 titles, 117 of them dated from 1988 to 2026; peak year 2001.

Biggest box office

Hitch (2005)

$372M worldwide

Highest rated

The New Edition Story (2017)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Pound Puppies (2010)

Film career

19882026

Peak 2001 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 8 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
Acting114 of 120: 112 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thDirecting5 of 120: 1 only directing, 4 with another roleProducing5 of 120: 2 only producing, 3 with another roleOther crew1 of 120: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

120 titles, 5 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · acting1990s33 · acting2000s40 · 39 acting · 3 crew2010s30 · 26 acting · 4 crew2020s12 · 11 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 3% of 40 roles
9398030813

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 Michael Rapaport's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 61; across their 53 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 53

Midcredits score across 89 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up26
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th27
  • Below 25th19

Shape of the crowd

26 of their 89 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved18
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive4
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser24
  • Broadly Agreed10
  • Mixed26

Most divisive · actor

Fugly (2007)

98th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The New Edition Story (2017)

Midcredits 98th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 47 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 42. 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 Michael Rapaport's work okay for kids?

Across up to 21 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 & Gore15 titles17–84 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity21 titles27–65 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity16 titles52–95 · median 78 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles28–78 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense12 titles11–68 · median 52 · 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 Michael Rapaport work with?

People who share at least 2 of Michael Rapaport's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bob Weinstein shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles