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Sam Lerner

Sam Lerner

Actor, also producer · Born September 27, 1992 (34) · Los Angeles, California, USA

Sam Lerner is an American actor born on September 27, 1992, in Los Angeles, California. He is best known for his long-running television role as Geoff Schwartz on the ABC comedy series The Goldbergs and for voicing Chowder in the Academy Award-nominated animated film Monster House (2006). Lerner comes from an acting family; he is the son of character actor Ken Lerner and the nephew of Academy Award-nominated actor Michael Lerner. Over his career, he has appeared in numerous films and television series, including Project Almanac (2015), Truth or Dare (2018), and recurring roles on shows like Suburgatory. In 2025, he also transitioned into producing, serving as an executive producer on the thriller film Drop.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 27, 1992 (34)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 33 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 26Up 23% in 30 days

What are Sam Lerner's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 6th percentile
: browse their Comedy 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
38%
Self
30%
Power
13%
Survival
9%
Morality
4%
Society
4%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 4 · Intense 1

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

Steady 1 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 4

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

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 4 · 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 4 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 3 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 3
Hero
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Absurd
4
Joyful
3
Thrilling
2
Warm
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous3

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 Sam Lerner's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Peacock (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sam Lerner'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

33 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page.

  • How to Rob a Bank (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Wei Baba (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Paul

  • Drop(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • TrollsTopia(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as King Gristle (voice)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Susie Searches (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Jesse Wilcox

  • GigiBoy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Donny

  • Purity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Karl

  • Truth or Dare(2018)

    as Ronnie

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Fun Mom Dinner(2017)

    as Alex

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Walk of Fame(2017)

    as Rowe

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Mono (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Ivan Gregory

  • Lethal Seduction(2015)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Ballers(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Dan

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Project Almanac(2015)

    as Quinn Goldberg

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Goldbergs(2013)

    Show 175 episodes · as Geoff Schwartz

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Nobody Walks(2012)

    as Avi

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Suburgatory(2011)

    Show 13 episodes · as Evan

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Workaholics(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Harry's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Zach Elwood

  • Rizzoli & Isles(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Quinn

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Sonny with a Chance(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Dinka

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • The Secret Saturdays(2008)

    Show 49 episodes · as Zak Saturday (voice)

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Monster House(2006)

    as Chowder (voice)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Envy(2004)

    as Michael Dingman

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Nathan Tobias

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Las Vegas(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Hershel Lipshutz

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Two and a Half Men(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Andrew

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Oliver Beene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as The Kid

  • Malcolm in the Middle(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Patrick

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • The King of Queens(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Donny

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Just for Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Liked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Binger

  • Sorry I Missed This (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 33 titles, 29 of them dated from 1998 to 2026; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

Monster House (2006)

$142M worldwide

Highest rated

The Goldbergs (2013)

Midcredits 87th

Film career

19982026

Peak 2016 · at the high point of their film career. 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.

  • 2004Screen debut· Envy

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting32 of 33: 32 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thProducing1 of 33: 1 only producing, 0 with another role

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s9 · acting2010s14 · acting2020s5 · 4 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 9 roles

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.

How do Sam Lerner's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 18th percentile, the median of all 9; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 21st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

21stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

18thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 22 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Walk of Fame (2017)

60th percentile spread · 74% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Goldbergs (2013)

Midcredits 87th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 36. 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 Sam Lerner's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, 4 of the 5 categories sit near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles18–58 · median 47 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles23–35 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles31–51 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles21–41 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 43 · moderateMedian 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 Sam Lerner work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sam Lerner's MovieCove titles; Brad Fuller shares the most, 2.