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Sting

Sting

Actor and composer, also producer · Born October 2, 1951 (75) · Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK

Primetime Emmy winner · Golden Globe winner · Oscar nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (born 2 October 1951), known as Sting, is an English singer-songwriter, musician, activist, and actor. He was the frontman, principal songwriter and bassist for new wave band the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a solo career in 1985 and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music. Sting has sold a combined total of more than 100 million records as a solo artist and as a member of the Police. He has received three Brit Awards, including Best British Male Artist in 1994 and Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2002; a Golden Globe; an Emmy; and four Academy Award nominations. As a solo musician and as a member of the Police, Sting has received 17 Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Police in 2003. Sting has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors; a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II for services to music; Kennedy Center Honors; and the Polar Music Prize. In May 2023, he was made an Ivor Novello Fellow. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner was born at Sir G B Hunter Memorial Hospital in Wallsend, Northumberland, England, on 2 October 1951, the eldest of four children of Audrey (née Cowell), a hairdresser, and Ernest Matthew Sumner, a milkman and former fitter at an engineering works. He grew up near Wallsend's shipyards, which made an impression on him. As a child, he was inspired by the Queen Mother waving at him from a Rolls-Royce to divert from the shipyard prospect towards a more glamorous life. He helped his father deliver milk and by ten was "obsessed" with an old Spanish guitar left by an emigrating friend of his father. Sting attended St Cuthbert's Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne. He visited nightclubs such as Club A'Gogo to see Cream and Manfred Mann, who influenced his music. He learned to sing and play simultaneously by listening to records at 78 rpm. After leaving school in 1969, he enrolled at the University of Warwick in Coventry, but left after a term. After working as a bus conductor, building labourer, and tax officer, he attended the Northern Counties College of Education (now Northumbria University) from 1971 to 1974 and qualified as a teacher.[20] He taught at St Paul's First School in Cramlington for two years. Sting performed jazz in the evenings, at weekends, and during breaks from college and teaching, playing with the Phoenix Jazzmen, Newcastle Big Band and Last Exit. He gained his nickname after his habit of wearing a black and yellow jumper with hooped stripes with the Phoenix Jazzmen. Bandleader Gordon Solomon thought he looked like a bee (or according to Sting himself, "they thought I looked like a wasp"), which prompted the name "Sting". In the 1985 documentary Bring On the Night a journalist called him Gordon, to which he replied, "My children call me Sting, my mother calls me Sting, who is this Gordon character?" In 2011, he told Time "I was never called Gordon. You could shout 'Gordon' in the street and I would just move out of your way". Despite this, he chose not to legally change his name to "Sting". ... Source: Article "Sting (musician)" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 2, 1951 (75)
From
Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK
Works as
Actor and composer, also producer
Titles
32 on MovieCove · 61 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 7% in 30 days

What are Sting's films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Genres

Documentary18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Crime 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
30%
Society
30%
Ideas
15%
Bonds
10%
Survival
6%
Morality
4%
Power
4%
Community9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame9 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 28 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 20 · Serious 4 · Dark 4

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

Grounded 21 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 4

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 15 · Charged 11 · Intense 2

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

Steady 23 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 18 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 16 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Herald: 2 of 5 analyzed roles.

Herald
2 of 5
Trickster
1 of 5
Shadow
1 of 5
Mentor
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
17
Melancholic
13
Contemplative
13
Joyful
8
Hopeful
10
Other
22

How their films linger

Hopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6
  • 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 Sting's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sting'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

61 credits, 32 with a MovieCove page; 232 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Kaamelott: The Second Chapter (Part II) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Horsa

  • Sting - Sounds Like Art Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Author · Compositor · Actor

  • Nino: Un film su Nino Rota(2026)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Lubach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Message in a Bottle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Composer · Lyricist · as Self - Lead Vocals

  • Dolly Parton Rockstar Global First Listen Event (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Composer

  • The Book of Solutions(2023)

    as Sting

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Sting : My Songs au château de Chambord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Author · Songs · as Self

  • Sting, Daniel Hope & Freunde in Berlin Mit Golda Schultz, Bruce Liu u.v.m. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Author · Actor

  • Only Murders in the Building(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sting

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Footsteps on the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Composer

  • Kaamelott: First Installment(2021)

    as Horsa

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Dark Side of the Sun(2017)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Catherine et Liliane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Sting

  • Zoolander 2(2016)

    as Sting

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Jim: The James Foley Story(2016)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Michael J. Fox Show(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Sting

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Life's Too Short(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Sting

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Sting: Live In Berlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Composer · as Self - Performer

  • Twin Spirits: Sting performs Schumann (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Robert Schumann

  • Bee Movie(2007)

    as Sting (voice)

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Police - Greatest Video Hits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · as Self (archive footage)

  • The Trial of Tony Blair(2007)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints(2006)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Blood Gets in Your Eyes(2005)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Cold Mountain(2003)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Kate & Leopold(2001)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Emperor's New Groove(2000)

    Composer · Lyricist · Songs

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels(1998)

    as JD

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Mighty(1998)

    as The Balladeer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Billy Idol

  • Ally McBeal(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Sting

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Leaving Las Vegas(1995)

    Songs · Thanks · Vocals

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Grotesque (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Fledge

  • The Living Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Composer

  • To Milon tis Eridos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Guest

  • Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Larry Sanders Show(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Sting

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Lethal Weapon 3(1992)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Captain Planet and the Planeteers(1990)

    Show 4 episodes · as Zarm (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Resident Alien (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Singer

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Sting (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Dance of Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • The Adventures of Baron Munchausen(1988)

    as Heroic Officer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Stormy Monday(1988)

    as Finney

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Julia and Julia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Daniel Hosler

  • Someone to Watch Over Me(1987)

    Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Plenty(1985)

    as Mick

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Bride(1985)

    as Frankenstein

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Ligmalion: Or How to Help Yourself in Self-Help Britain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Machiavelli

  • Dune(1984)

    as Feyd Rautha

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Brimstone & Treacle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Composer · as Martin Taylor

  • Artemis '81 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Helith

  • Radio On(1979)

    as Just Like Eddie

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Quadrophenia(1979)

    as Ace Face

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Talking Pictures: Quadrophenia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Interviewee

  • CBS News Sunday Morning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show Actor

  • The Kenny Everett Video Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rockpalast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • World in Action (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Free Spirits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Guía

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 61 titles, 59 of them dated from 1963 to 2026; peak year 1984.

Biggest box office

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

$170M worldwide

Highest rated

Jaco (2015)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutNomination
19632026

Peak 1984 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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
Acting44 of 61: 41 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thDirecting1 of 61: 1 only directing, 0 with another roleWriting5 of 61: 0 only writing, 5 with another roleProducing1 of 61: 1 only producing, 0 with another roleMusic6 of 61: 4 only music, 2 with another roleOther crew11 of 61: 8 only other crew, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score68th

61 titles, 6 with more than one role — acting and other crew overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s6 · acting1980s12 · 11 acting · 2 crew1990s14 · 11 acting · 3 crew2000s9 · 2 acting · 7 crew2010s7 · 5 acting · 2 crew2020s10 · 6 acting · 6 crew

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 14% of 14 roles
7994

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 Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe and 17 other major awards from 55 major nominations, 1981–2019.

WinNomination
  1. 2019
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Reggae Album
  2. 2017
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
  3. 2007
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
  4. 2005
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  5. 2004
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, won · Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
  6. 2003
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
  7. 2002
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Song
  8. 2001
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Grammy Award, won · Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Song
Show 16 earlier years
  1. 2000
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Pop Album
  2. 1999
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Song - Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
  3. 1998
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
  4. 1997
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Album
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
  5. 1996
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
  6. 1995
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Music Video - Long Form
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Vocal Collaboration
  7. 1994
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Music Video, Long Form
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Album of the Year
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Record of the Year
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Song of the Year
  8. 1993
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television
  9. 1992
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Rock Song
  10. 1989
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Album of the Year
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Song of the Year
  11. 1988
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
  12. 1987
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Music Video, Long Form
  13. 1986
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Album of the Year
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Music Video, Long Form
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Song of the Year
  14. 1984
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Rock Instrumental Performance
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
    • Grammy Award, won · Song of the Year
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Album of the Year
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Record of the Year
  15. 1982
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Rock Instrumental Performance
  16. 1981
    • Grammy Award, won · Best Rock Instrumental Performance

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 Sting's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 25; across their 28 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 82nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Approval · how many liked their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Reach · how many have seen their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 32 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

The Dark Side of the Sun (2017)

60th percentile spread · 15% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 30. 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 Sting's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 51 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Sting work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sting's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Stewart Copeland shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Producers

Mixed roles