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Seth Barrish

Seth Barrish

Actor and director, also writer and producer · Born September 8, 1959 (67) · San Francisco, California, USA

Seth Barrish is an actor, director, writer, professional acting coach, and musician. He regularly appears in film and television and is author of the book, "An Actor's Companion-Tools for the Working Actor" As a director he is best known for his award-winning work with comedian Mike Birbiglia and playwright Martin Moran. He is Co-Artistic Director of The Barrow Group, an award-winning theater company based in New York City.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 8, 1959 (67)
From
San Francisco, California, USA
Works as
Actor and director, also writer and producer
Titles
47 on MovieCove · 53 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 24% in 30 days

What are Seth Barrish's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th 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
26%
Morality
17%
Survival
11%
Society
8%
Ideas
6%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 8 · Serious 5 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 11 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 8 · Charged 6 · Intense 1

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

A split, not a type: Steady 9 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 3

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 8

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 10 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
10
Warm
9
Contemplative
8
Melancholic
8
Tense
4
Other
11

How their films linger

Hopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet8
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical1

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 Seth Barrish's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 37 of their 47 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Seth Barrish'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

53 credits, 47 with a MovieCove page.

  • Jeff Ross: Take a Banana for the Ride(2026)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • 31 Candles(2025)

    as Mark

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Relay(2024)

    as Morel

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Adults(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Howard Powell

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life(2025)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Friend(2024)

    as Harry

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special(2024)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool(2023)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Somewhere in Queens(2022)

    as Dr. Scarpulla

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Spoiler Alert(2022)

    as Dr. Barnes

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Fleishman Is in Trouble(2022)

    Show 2 episodes · as Toby's Father

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • WeCrashed(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Ron

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Sunlit Night(2019)

    as Critic #1

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Plot Against America(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Tommy(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Shine

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Mike Birbiglia: The New One(2019)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Emergence(2019)

    Show 3 episodes · as Alan Wilkis

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Isn't It Romantic(2019)

    as Haggard Doctor

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Post(2017)

    as Layout Editor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Trapeze, U.S.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Agency Man

  • Going in Style(2017)

    as Dr. Helton

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Mike Birbiglia: Thank God for Jokes(2017)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Wolves(2016)

    as Mr. Wilson

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Bull(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Grant

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Don't Think Twice(2016)

    Producer · as Timothy

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Board (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Father

  • Billions(2016)

    Show 7 episodes · as Dr. Gilbert

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Mistress America(2015)

    as Brooke's Dad (voice)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • How He Fell in Love(2015)

    as Steve

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • True Story(2015)

    as Blaise

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Madam Secretary(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Marc Nichols

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Mozart in the Jungle(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Roger Colson

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • True Detective(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Priest

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • This American Life: One Night Only at BAM(2014)

    as Dr. Snyder, Rabbi

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend(2013)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Sleepwalk with Me(2012)

    Co-Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Veep(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ben Haim

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Two Days in New York(2012)

    as Mingus' boss

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Happy New Year (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Dr. Keith

  • Blue Bloods(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Alex Lawlor

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Past Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Bell

  • Lipstick Jungle(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Bruno Garr

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Margot at the Wedding(2007)

    as Toby

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Damages(2007)

    Show 5 episodes · as Robert Owen

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Conviction(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Max Levitt

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Bouchon · as Will Barton

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Third Watch(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Defence Attorney Kaydar

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • The Astronaut's Wife(1999)

    as Yuppie Shark

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Sopranos(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Doctor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Sex and the City(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Mortgage Guy

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Victor's Big Score (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Victor

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Harvey Bauer · as Ralph Staggs · as Stuart Hendricks

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Home Remedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 52 titles from 1987 to 2026; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

Relay (2024)

$4.7M worldwide

Highest rated

Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend (2013)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Adults (2025)

Film career

19872026

Peak 2016 · steadily prominent in film for years. 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 52: 44 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndDirecting8 of 52: 7 only directing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score87thWriting1 of 52: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s6 · acting2000s5 · acting2010s25 · 21 acting · 4 crew2020s15 · 11 acting · 4 crew

Billing

usually 19th · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
9919

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 Seth Barrish's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 26; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 76th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 47 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

24 of their 47 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser24
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

This American Life: One Night Only at BAM (2014)

98th percentile spread · 39% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend (2013)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 77, 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 Seth Barrish's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 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 Seth Barrish work with?

People who share at least 2 of Seth Barrish's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mike Birbiglia shares the most, 8.

Directors

  • Mike Birbiglia8 titles · 3 as director    See all 8 shared titles with Mike Birbiglia

Writers

Cinematographers and editors

Producers