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Simon Baker

Simon Baker

Actor, also director, producer and writer · Born July 30, 1969 (57) · Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

Primetime Emmy nominee · Golden Globe nominee · Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 1 other major award body

Simon Baker (born July 30, 1969) is an Australian actor and director. In his television acting career, he is best known for his lead role in the CBS television series The Mentalist as Patrick Jane and as Nicholas Fallin in The Guardian. In his film acting career, he is best known for the lead role of Riley Denbo in Land of the Dead and Christian Thompson in the film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada, based on the 2003 novel of the same name. Simon Baker was born to a high school English teacher, Elizabeth Labberton, and a groundskeeper/mechanic, Barry Baker, on 30 July 1969, in Launceston, Tasmania. He was raised as a Roman Catholic. His parents divorced while he was still young. His mother later married Tom Denny, a butcher. Simon Baker also has a sister, currently a doctor in Australia, and three younger half brothers. By 1972, the family had moved from Launceston to Ballina, New South Wales, where Baker's parents hoped to secure better paying jobs. In 1986, he graduated from Ballina High School as Simon Baker-Denny, after completing his primary school education at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School, also in Ballina.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 30, 1969 (57)
From
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Works as
Actor, also director, producer and writer
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 40 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 21% in 30 days

What are Simon Baker's films like?

Across their 24 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Action 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
Morality
27%
Survival
21%
Bonds
21%
Self
19%
Power
5%
Society
4%
Ideas
3%
Deception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 20 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 3 · Dark 13

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

Grounded 9 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 2

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 7 · Intense 10

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

Steady 5 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 13 · 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 3 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 5

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 8 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Shapeshifter: 5 of 21 analyzed roles.

Shapeshifter
5 of 21
Hero
5 of 21
Ally
3 of 21
Mentor
3 of 21
Shadow
3 of 21
Trickster
1 of 21
Herald
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Melancholic
10
Dread
7
Contemplative
6
Absurd
5
Other
22

How their films linger

Hopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6

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 Simon Baker's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Simon Baker'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

40 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 10 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Scarpetta(2026)

    Show 8 episodes · as Benton Wesley

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • The Narrow Road to the Deep North(2025)

    Show 5 episodes · as Keith Mulvaney

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Boy Swallows Universe(2024)

    Show 5 episodes · as Robert Bell

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Limbo(2023)

    Producer · as Travis Hurley

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Blaze(2022)

    Executive Producer · as Luke

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Roar(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Adam

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • High Ground(2020)

    as Travis

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Here and Now(2018)

    as Nick

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Breath(2017)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Sando

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • I Give It a Year(2013)

    as Guy

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Margin Call(2011)

    as Jared Cohen

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Going Vertical: The Short Board Revolution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Narrator

  • The Killer Inside Me(2010)

    as Howard Hendricks

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Women in Trouble(2009)

    as Travis McPherson

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Not Forgotten(2009)

    as Jack Bishop

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Lodger(2009)

    as Malcolm

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Mentalist(2008)

    Show 151 episodes · Director · Producer · as Patrick Jane

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Sex and Death 101(2007)

    as Roderick Blank

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

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

    Show 7 episodes · as Jeff Breen

  • The Devil Wears Prada(2006)

    as Christian Thompson

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Something New(2006)

    as Brian Kelly

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Land of the Dead(2005)

    as Riley

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Ring Two(2005)

    as Max Rourke

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Book of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as David Walker

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

    Cinematographer

  • The Affair of the Necklace(2001)

    as Rétaux de Vilette

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Guardian(2001)

    Show 67 episodes · Director · as Nick Fallin

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Red Planet(2000)

    as Chip Pettengill

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Sunset Strip(2000)

    as Michael Scott

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Ride with the Devil(1999)

    as George Clyde

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Restaurant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Kenny

  • Secret Men's Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Andy Greville

  • Love from Ground Zero(1998)

    as Eric

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Judas Kiss(1998)

    as Junior Armstrong

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Most Wanted(1997)

    as Stephen Barnes

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • L.A. Confidential(1997)

    as Matt Reynolds

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Steadman

  • Which Way to the War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Private Stan Hawke

  • Heartbreak High(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Decoy

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • E Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 112 episodes · as Sam Farrell

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 40 titles from 1989 to 2026; peak year 2006.

Biggest box office

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

$327M worldwide

Highest rated

The Mentalist (2008)

Midcredits 96th

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward winNomination
19892026

Peak 2006 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 12 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
Acting39 of 40: 35 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score49thDirecting3 of 40: 0 only directing, 3 with another roleWriting1 of 40: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing3 of 40: 0 only producing, 3 with another roleCinematography1 of 40: 1 only cinematography, 0 with another role

40 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s10 · acting2000s16 · 15 acting · 3 crew2010s6 · 6 acting · 1 crew2020s7 · 7 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 25% of 24 roles
97020712

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, 2002–2012.

WinNomination
  1. 2012
    • Independent Spirit Award, won
  2. 2010
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
  3. 2009
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
  4. 2002
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama

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 Simon Baker's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Love from Ground Zero (1998)

84th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 19 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 46. 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 Simon Baker's work okay for kids?

Across up to 19 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 & Gore13 titles7–86 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity19 titles24–68 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles36–82 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles30–75 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles14–84 · median 58 · 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 Simon Baker work with?

People who share at least 2 of Simon Baker's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Stanley Tucci shares the most, 2.

Actors

Editors

Producers