Skip to content
MovieCove
Steve Zahn

Steve Zahn

Actor, also writer · Born November 13, 1967 (58) · Marshall, Minnesota, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee · Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Steven James Zahn (born November 13, 1967) is an American actor and comedian. His films include Reality Bites (1994), That Thing You Do! (1996), Out of Sight (1998), Happy, Texas (1999), Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), Shattered Glass (2003), Sahara (2005), Rescue Dawn (2007), the first three Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies, Dallas Buyers Club (2013), and War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). Zahn has done voice acting in Chicken Little (2005), Escape from Planet Earth (2013), and The Good Dinosaur (2015). He has also worked regularly in television, including the recurring role of Davis McAlary on HBO's Treme (2010 to 2013). Description above from the Wikipedia article Steve Zahn, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 13, 1967 (58)
From
Marshall, Minnesota, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer
Titles
87 on MovieCove · 98 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 26Down 28% in 30 days

What are Steve Zahn's films like?

Across their 71 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy28 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Animation5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th 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
32%
Self
29%
Morality
14%
Survival
8%
Society
8%
Power
6%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds17 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship16 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love13 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose13 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity13 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth11 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition12 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity10 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 62 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 42 · Serious 7 · Dark 13

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 34 · Stylized 22 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 22 · Charged 29 · Intense 11

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

A split, not a type: Steady 30 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 9

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

Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 25 · Funny 24

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

Slow burn 21 · Even-paced 34 · Relentless 7

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

Casual 41 · Engaged 19 · Full focus 2

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

Resolved 53 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

46 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 46 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 46
Ally
10 of 46
Trickster
9 of 46
Shadow
6 of 46
Mentor
4 of 46
Herald
3 of 46
Threshold guardian
2 of 46
Show the 46 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
28
Joyful
22
Warm
23
Hopeful
21
Melancholic
20
Other
81

How their films linger

Feel-good37 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful25 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy33
  • Bittersweet26
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous8
  • Cyclical1
  • 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 Steve Zahn's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 73 of their 87 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Steve Zahn'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

98 credits, 87 with a MovieCove page; 13 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Nevatars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • She Dances(2025)

    Producer · Writer · as Jason

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Anaconda(2025)

    as Kenny Trent

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Chad Powers(2025)

    Show 12 episodes · as Coach Jake Hudson

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Eenie Meanie(2025)

    as Dad Meaney

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Wildcat(2023)

    as Tom T. Shiftlet

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • LaRoy, Texas(2023)

    as Skip Roche

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Silo(2023)

    Show 12 episodes · as Solo

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Gringa(2023)

    as Jackson

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Your Place or Mine(2023)

    as Zen

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again(2022)

    as Jedediah (voice)

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • George & Tammy(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · as George Richey

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Last Movie Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 2 episodes · as Donald 'Duck' Dobbins (voice) · as Self

  • Tall Girl 2(2022)

    as Richie Kreyman

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • 8-Bit Christmas(2021)

    as John Doyle

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The White Lotus(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Mark Mossbacher

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Uncle Frank(2020)

    as Mike

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Good Lord Bird(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · as Chase

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Cowboys(2020)

    as Troy

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Healing Powers of Dude(2020)

    Show as Dude

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all shows

  • Tall Girl(2019)

    as Richie Kreyman

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Righteous Gemstones(2019)

    Show 7 episodes · as Peter Montgomery

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Where'd You Go, Bernadette(2019)

    as David Walker

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Valley of the Boom(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · as Micheal Fayne

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Blaze(2018)

    as Oilman 2

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Lean on Pete(2017)

    as Silver

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Crossing(2018)

    Show 11 episodes · as Jude Ellis

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • War for the Planet of the Apes(2017)

    as Bad Ape

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Captain Fantastic(2016)

    as Dave

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Ridiculous 6(2015)

    as Clem

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Good Dinosaur(2015)

    as Thunderclap (voice)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Mad Dogs(2015)

    Show 10 episodes · as Cobi

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Mind Games(2014)

    Show 13 episodes · as Clark Edwards

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • Knights of Badassdom(2013)

    as Eric

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Dallas Buyers Club(2013)

    as Tucker

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Escape from Planet Earth(2013)

    as Hawk (voice)

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Class Clown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Frank Heffley (voice) (archive sound)

  • Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Terry McFist (voice)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days(2012)

    as Frank Heffley

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules(2011)

    as Frank Heffley

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Treme(2010)

    Show 36 episodes · as Davis McAlary

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid(2010)

    as Frank Heffley

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • WWII in HD(2009)

    Show 10 episodes · as Nolen Marbrey (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Calvin Marshall(2009)

    as Coach Little

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Modern Family(2009)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ronnie LaFontaine

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • A Perfect Getaway(2009)

    as Cliff

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Night Train(2009)

    as Pete

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Management(2008)

    as Mike

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs & a Baby(2008)

    as Sandy Pig (voice)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Strange Wilderness(2008)

    as Peter

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Sunshine Cleaning(2008)

    as Mac

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Great Buck Howard(2008)

    as Kenny

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Comanche Moon(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Gus McCrae

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Phineas and Ferb(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Swampy (voice)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Rescue Dawn(2006)

    as Duane

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Bandidas(2006)

    as Quentin

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Chicken Little(2005)

    as Runt of the Litter (voice)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Sahara(2005)

    as Al Giordino

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Speak(2004)

    as Mr. Freeman

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Employee of the Month(2004)

    as Jack

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Shattered Glass(2003)

    as Adam Penenberg

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Daddy Day Care(2003)

    as Marvin

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • National Security(2003)

    as Hank Rafferty

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Stuart Little 2(2002)

    as Monty (voice)

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Monk(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Jack Monk, Jr.

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Riding in Cars with Boys(2001)

    as Ray Hasek

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Joy Ride(2001)

    as Fuller

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Chelsea Walls(2001)

    as Ross

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Wolf Lake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Fletch (uncredited)

  • Dr. Dolittle 2(2001)

    as Archie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Chain of Fools(2000)

    as Kresk

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Saving Silverman(2001)

    as Wayne Lefessier

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Hamlet(2000)

    as Rosencrantz

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Stuart Little(1999)

    as Monty (voice)

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Happy, Texas(1999)

    as Wayne Wayne Wayne Jr.

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Freak Talks About Sex(1999)

    as Freak

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Forces of Nature(1999)

    as Alan

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • You've Got Mail(1998)

    as George Pappas

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Safe Men(1998)

    as Eddie

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Out of Sight(1998)

    as Glenn Michaels

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Object of My Affection(1998)

    as Frank Hanson

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • From the Earth to the Moon(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Elliot See

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Liberty! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 6 episodes · as American Sergeant

  • SubwayStories: Tales from the Underground(1997)

    as Tucker (segment "The 5:24")

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • SubUrbia(1996)

    as Buff

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • That Thing You Do!(1996)

    as Lenny Haise

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Race the Sun(1996)

    as Hans Kooiman

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Picture Windows: Armed Response (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Crook

  • Crimson Tide(1995)

    as Seaman William Barnes

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Friends(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Duncan

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Reality Bites(1994)

    as Sammy Gray

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Normandy: The Great Crusade(1994)

    as Bill Preston (voice)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Rain Without Thunder(1992)

    as Jeremy Tanner

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • First Love, Fatal Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Actor

  • Hello & Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Sentinel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Time Out (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 97 titles, 94 of them dated from 1991 to 2026; peak year 2002.

Biggest box office

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

$491M worldwide

Highest rated

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

You've Got Mail (1998)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19912026

Peak 2002 · steadily prominent in film for years. 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.

Show 2 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting97 of 97: 96 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score59thWriting1 of 97: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 97: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1990s22 · acting2000s31 · acting2010s22 · acting2020s19 · 19 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 11% of 62 roles
949904091419

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 major awards from 6 major nominations, 1999–2022.

WinNomination
  1. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
  2. 2017
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  3. 2014
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  4. 2008
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Male
  5. 2000
    • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Supporting Male
  6. 1999
    • Sundance award, won · Dramatic

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 Steve Zahn's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 67; across their 62 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 45th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 62

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 62

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 62

Midcredits score across 87 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up22
  • 50th to 74th27
  • 25th to 49th28
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

34 of their 87 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser34
  • Broadly Agreed13
  • Mixed26

Most divisive · actor

Normandy: The Great Crusade (1994)

92nd percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 58 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 43. 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 Steve Zahn's work okay for kids?

Across up to 47 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore37 titles10–75 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity47 titles14–59 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity40 titles25–78 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs36 titles13–57 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense36 titles10–72 · median 37 · 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 Steve Zahn work with?

People who share at least 2 of Steve Zahn's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ethan Hawke shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles