Stephen Tyrone Colbert (born May 13, 1964) is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits. Colbert originally studied to be an actor, but became interested in improvisational theatre when he met famed Second City director Del Close while attending Northwestern University. He first performed professionally as an understudy for Steve Carell at Second City Chicago; among his troupe mates were comedians Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris, with whom he developed the critically acclaimed sketch comedy series Exit 57. Colbert also wrote and performed on the short-lived Dana Carvey Show before collaborating with Sedaris and Dinello again on the cult television series Strangers with Candy. He gained considerable attention for his role on the latter as closeted gay history teacher Chuck Noblet. It was his work as a correspondent on Comedy Central's news-parody series The Daily Show, however, that first introduced him to a wide audience. In 2005, he left The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to host a spin-off series, The Colbert Report. Following The Daily Show's news-parody concept, The Colbert Report is a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows such as The O'Reilly Factor. Since its debut, the series has established itself as one of Comedy Central's highest-rated series, earning Colbert three Emmy Award nominations and an invitation to perform as featured entertainer at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2006. Colbert was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2006. His book I Am America (And So Can You!) was No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Biography from TMDB.
- May 13, 1964 (62)
- Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Actor, producer and writer
- 40 on MovieCove · 62 credits in all
What are Stephen Colbert's films like?
Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.
Genres
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
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 3 · Wry 2 · Earnest 14
Light 16 · Serious 1 · Dark 2
A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 5
A split, not a type: Gentle 11 · Charged 5 · Intense 3
Steady 12 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 2
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 8
Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 1
Casual 14 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 14 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 3
Resolved 16 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2
Roles they play
- Mentoras Chuck Noblet in Strangers with Candy (1999)
- Threshold guardianas Phil Ken Sebben in Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (2000)
- Tricksteras President Hathaway in Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)
Moods and endings
- Happy11
- Bittersweet6
- Ambiguous6
- 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 Stephen Colbert's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 32 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.
Subscription and free streaming for Stephen Colbert'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
62 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page; 74 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
The Moment(2026)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows
Despicable Me 4(2024)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Elsbeth(2024)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows
After Midnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows
Pickled(2022)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Fairview(2022)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows
Teenage Euthanasia(2021)
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows
Girls5eva(2021)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Tooning Out the News (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Our Cartoon President (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
At Home with Amy Sedaris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows
BoJack Horseman(2014)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
Mr. Peabody & Sherman(2014)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Rick and Morty(2013)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
The Mindy Project(2012)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows
Company (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Monsters vs. Aliens(2009)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
The Love Guru(2008)
Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
The Best of The Colbert Report (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Strangers with Candy(2005)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
The Colbert Report (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Bewitched(2005)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
The Great New Wonderful(2005)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
The Office(2005)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
American Dad!(2005)
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
Nobody Knows Anything!(2003)
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
The Venture Bros.(2003)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
The Wrong Coast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
ChalkZone(1998)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
Curb Your Enthusiasm(2000)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Let It Snow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Random Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Strangers with Candy(1999)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
Janeane Garofalo: HBO Comedy Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Shock Asylum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
The Ambiguously Gay Duo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Spin City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
The Daily Show(1996)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
The Dana Carvey Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Exit 57 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
The Simpsons(1989)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
Saturday Night Live(1975)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
Meet the Press (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)
Saturday TV Funhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 59 titles, 57 of them dated from 1947 to 2026; peak year 2005.
Biggest box office
Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)
Highest rated
Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself (2020)
Most popular right now
Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)
Film career
Peak 2005 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. 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.
- 1975Screen debut· Saturday Night Live
- 2005First film· Bewitched
- 2014Career best· Mr. Peabody & Sherman
Billing
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.
Awards
11 Primetime Emmys and 16 other major awards from 87 major nominations, 2004–2026.
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+2 other major bodies · 2 wins
- Writers Guild Award, won
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Talk Series
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Series – Talk or Sketch
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Talk Series
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Talk Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Talk Series
- Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Talk Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Talk Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
+2 other major bodies · 1 win and 2 nominations
- Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety Specials
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Talk Series
- Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Talk Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Interactive Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Talk Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Talk Series
- Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
Show 15 earlier yearsShow fewer
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Talk Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Special
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Talk Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Special
+2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety - Talk Series
- Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Talk Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
- Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+3 other major bodies · 3 wins
- Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
- Grammy Award, won · Best Spoken Word Album
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
+2 other major bodies · 2 wins
- Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series
+2 other major bodies · 2 wins
- Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
+3 other major bodies · 2 wins and 1 nomination
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television
- Grammy Award, won · Best Comedy Album
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series
+3 other major bodies · 1 win and 2 nominations
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Spoken Word Album
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
+2 other major bodies · 2 wins
- Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
- Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
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 Stephen Colbert's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of the 16 of 17 with a score; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 72nd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up16
- 50th to 74th10
- 25th to 49th6
- Below 25th7
Shape of the crowd
14 of their 39 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved9
- Universally Panned1
- Divisive2
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser14
- Mixed12
Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 77, 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 Stephen Colbert's work okay for kids?
Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.
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 Stephen Colbert work with?
People who share at least 2 of Stephen Colbert's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Chris Licht shares the most, 3.
Writers
- Robert SmigelShared titles: Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of the Dana Carvey Show (2017), SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas (2009)See all 2 shared titles with Robert Smigel
- Eric DrysdaleShared titles: SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas (2009), A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! (2008)See all 2 shared titles with Eric Drysdale
Actors
- Oprah WinfreyShared titles: Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World (2026), Becoming (2020)See all 2 shared titles with Oprah Winfrey
- Trevor NoahShared titles: American Symphony (2023), Citizen Rose (2018)See all 2 shared titles with Trevor Noah
- Reese WitherspoonShared titles: Becoming (2020), Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)See all 2 shared titles with Reese Witherspoon
- Hugh LaurieShared titles: Monsters vs. Aliens (2009), SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas (2009)See all 2 shared titles with Hugh Laurie
Composers
- Steven M. GoldShared titles: SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas (2009), A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! (2008)See all 2 shared titles with Steven M. Gold
Producers
- Chris LichtShared titles: Fairview (2022), Tha God's Honest Truth with Charlamagne Tha God (2021), Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself (2020)See all 3 shared titles with Chris Licht
- Tom PurcellShared titles: Pickled (2022), Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself (2020), A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! (2008)See all 3 shared titles with Tom Purcell
- Gideon C. KennedyShared titles: Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World (2026), Becoming (2020)See all 2 shared titles with Gideon C. Kennedy
- Alice WebbShared titles: Toby Keith: American Icon (2024), American Symphony (2023)See all 2 shared titles with Alice Webb
Mixed roles
- Allison SilvermanShared titles: The Last Laugh: Stephen Colbert (2026), A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! (2008)See all 2 shared titles with Allison Silverman
- Rich DahmShared titles: The Last Laugh: Stephen Colbert (2026), A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! (2008)See all 2 shared titles with Rich Dahm
- J.J. SedelmaierShared titles: Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of the Dana Carvey Show (2017), Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (2000)See all 2 shared titles with J.J. Sedelmaier
