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Fran Kranz

Fran Kranz

Actor, also director, producer and writer · Born July 13, 1981 (45) · Los Angeles, California, USA

Francis Elliott "Fran" Kranz (born July 13, 1981, height 5' 10" (1,78 m)) is an American actor. He is best-known for his role as Topher Brink in Joss Whedon's sci-fi drama Dollhouse. He previously starred in the television comedy, Welcome to the Captain. Description above from the Wikipedia article Fran Kranz, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 13, 1981 (45)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also director, producer and writer
Titles
49 on MovieCove · 64 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 7% in 30 days

What are Fran Kranz's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure 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
35%
Bonds
29%
Morality
21%
Survival
8%
Power
3%
Ideas
3%
Society
1%
Identity11 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose10 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

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

A split, not a type: Light 15 · Serious 5 · Dark 8

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 10 · Charged 11 · Intense 7

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

Steady 10 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 4

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 10 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 12

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

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 19 · Relentless 2

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

A split, not a type: Casual 14 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 14 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 6

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

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

18 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 18 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 18
Trickster
5 of 18
Ally
4 of 18
Herald
1 of 18
Mentor
1 of 18
Shapeshifter
1 of 18
Show the 18 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Joyful
10
Absurd
13
Melancholic
7
Dread
6
Other
32

How their films linger

Thought-provoking15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet11
  • Ambiguous7

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 Fran Kranz's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 41 of their 49 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Fran Kranz'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

64 credits, 49 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Good Night, and Good Luck(2025)

    as Palmer Williams

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Half Lives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Luke

  • They Whisper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Silas/The Whisperer

  • Julia(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · as Russ

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Invasion(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Carmichael

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Mass(2021)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Jungleland(2019)

    as Buck

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Loudest Voice(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Gabe Sherman

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • You Might Be the Killer(2018)

    as Sam

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Long Lost(2018)

    as Mystery Man

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Fanboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Jeremiah Brennan

  • Homecoming(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ron

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • The Truth About Lies(2018)

    as Gilby Smalls

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Dark Tower(2017)

    as Pimli Prentiss

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream(2017)

    Producer · as Bottom

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • A Happening of Monumental Proportions(2017)

    as Mr. Rolf

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Seven Lovers(2014)

    as Brian

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Rebirth(2016)

    as Kyle

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Mojave(2015)

    as Bob

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Bloodsucking Bastards(2015)

    as Evan

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Ballers(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Yanni

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Before I Disappear(2014)

    as Darren

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Last Weekend(2014)

    as Sean Oakes

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Living(2014)

    as Teddy

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Murder of a Cat(2014)

    as Clinton Moisey

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Lord of Catan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Penis

  • Lust for Love(2014)

    as Astor

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Seasick Sailor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Wormy Guy

  • Much Ado About Nothing(2012)

    as Claudio

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • It's Not You, It's Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Jack

  • Putzel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Salmon Guy

  • Elementary(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Brendan Farley

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Cabin in the Woods(2011)

    as Marty Mikalski

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Goodnight Burbank (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

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

    as Bill

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Five Stages of Grief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Daniel

  • JourneyQuest(2010)

    Show 20 episodes · as Silver Tom

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Don't Fade Away(2011)

    as Ben Fishman

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Eugene

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Homeland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Arne

  • Party Down(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Miles

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Dollhouse(2009)

    Show 25 episodes · as Topher Brink

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Shades of Ray(2008)

    as Sal Garfinkle

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Wieners(2008)

    as Joel

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Welcome to the Captain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 5 episodes · as Josh Flug

  • Private Practice(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Brian

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Careless(2007)

    as Mitch

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Rise: Blood Hunter(2007)

    as Alex

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The TV Set(2006)

    as Zach Harper

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas(2006)

    as Ralph

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

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

    as Freddie

  • The Night of the White Pants(2006)

    as Millian Hagan

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as College Student

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Hitch(2005)

    as Coca Cola Guy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Admissions(2004)

    as James Parks

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Village(2004)

    as Christop Crane

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Swordswallowers and Thin Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Adrian

  • Matchstick Men(2003)

    as Slacker Boyfriend

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Orange County(2002)

    as Shane Brainard

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Training Day(2001)

    as College Driver

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Donnie Darko(2001)

    as Passenger

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Aaron

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Bloodloss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Walter

  • Silk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Sol

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 64 titles, 62 of them dated from 1993 to 2025; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

The Dark Tower (2017)

$113M worldwide

Highest rated

Mass (2021)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Matchstick Men (2003)

Film career

19932025

Peak 2015 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 11 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting63 of 64: 63 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score56thDirecting1 of 64: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting1 of 64: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 64: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s23 · acting2010s31 · acting2020s7 · 6 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 26% of 23 roles
011116

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 Fran Kranz's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 36; across their 28 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 37th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

37thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Approval · how many liked their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Reach · how many have seen their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Midcredits score across 49 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up21
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 49 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

Seven Lovers (2014)

96th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Donnie Darko (2001)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 27 reviewed titles; fans 81, 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 Fran Kranz's work okay for kids?

Across up to 14 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles33–82 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity14 titles12–54 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles29–77 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles3–59 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles37–73 · median 57 · 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 Fran Kranz work with?

People who share at least 2 of Fran Kranz's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Amy Acker shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers