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Shea Whigham

Shea Whigham

Actor, also producer · Born January 5, 1969 (57) · Tallahassee, Florida, USA

3 Screen Actors Guild Awards · 1 other major award body

Shea Whigham (born January 5, 1969) is an American actor best known for portraying Elias "Eli" Thompson in the drama series Boardwalk Empire. He also appeared in the first season of True Detective and the third season of Fargo and in numerous films, including Wristcutters: A Love Story, Take Shelter, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, The Wolf of Wall Street, Kong: Skull Island, First Man, Vice, Joker, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. He has appeared as Agent Michael Stasiak in Fast & Furious, Fast & Furious 6, and F9. Description above from the Wikipedia article about Shea Whigham, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 5, 1969 (57)
From
Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
86 on MovieCove · 99 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 29% in 30 days

What are Shea Whigham's films like?

Across their 48 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Biography 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
28%
Bonds
22%
Survival
19%
Self
14%
Power
11%
Society
3%
Ideas
3%
Survival16 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds13 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 39 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 3 · Serious 14 · Dark 22

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 23 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 12 · Intense 25

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 22 · Whiplash 10

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

Straight-faced 25 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 3

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

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 19 · Relentless 10

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 24 · Full focus 11

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

Easy watch 4 · Affecting 18 · Heavy 17

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

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 18 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

24 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 6 of 24 analyzed roles.

Ally
6 of 24
Shadow
5 of 24
Threshold guardian
4 of 24
Mentor
3 of 24
Herald
2 of 24
Hero
2 of 24
Shapeshifter
1 of 24
Trickster
1 of 24
Show the 24 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
40
Dread
21
Melancholic
21
Thrilling
11
Contemplative
10
Other
31

How their films linger

Bittersweet22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 15 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet26
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous12

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 Shea Whigham's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 69 of their 86 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Shea Whigham'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

99 credits, 86 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse(2027)

    as George Stacy (voice)

  • Ghost Soldier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Death by Lightning(2025)

    Show 4 episodes · as Roscoe Conkling

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • F1: The Movie(2025)

    as Chip Hart

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning(2025)

    as Briggs

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Bad Thoughts(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as PQ

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • American Primeval(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · as Jim Bridger

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Lake George(2024)

    as Don

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • It's Florida, Man(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Walt

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Fancy Dance(2023)

    as Frank

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Sugar(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · as Tom Flybjerg

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Eileen(2023)

    as Jim Dunlop

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Lawmen: Bass Reeves(2023)

    Show 2 episodes · as George Reeves

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One(2023)

    as Briggs

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse(2023)

    as George Stacy (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Waco: The Aftermath(2023)

    Show 5 episodes · as Mitch Decker

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • The Gray Man(2022)

    as Six's Father

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Gaslit(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as G. Gordon Liddy

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • South of Heaven(2021)

    as Schmidt

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Small Engine Repair(2021)

    as Patrick 'Packie' Hanrahan

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Gateway(2021)

    as Parker

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • F9: The Fast Saga(2021)

    as Michael Stasiak

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Vampires vs. the Bronx(2020)

    as Frank Polidori

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Perry Mason(2020)

    Show 15 episodes · as Pete Strickland

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • The Quarry(2020)

    Producer · as The Man

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Modern Love(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Low Tide(2019)

    as Sergeant Kent

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Joker(2019)

    as Detective Burke

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Righteous Gemstones(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dusty 'The Slick Bandit' Daniels

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • To the Stars(2019)

    as Hank Deerborne

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Vice(2018)

    as Wayne Vincent

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Dirty John(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as William Meehan

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Homecoming(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · as Thomas Carrasco

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • First Man(2018)

    as Gus Grissom

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Bad Times at the El Royale(2018)

    as Dr. Woodbury Laurence

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • City of Lies(2018)

    as Frank Lyga

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Sicario: Day of the Soldado(2018)

    as Andy Wheeldon

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Catcher Was a Spy(2018)

    as Joe Cronin

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Beirut(2018)

    as Gary Ruzak

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Waco(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · as Mitch Decker

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Wheelman(2017)

    as Motherfucker

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Death Note(2017)

    as James Turner

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Legend of Master Legend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Peanut Head

  • Kong: Skull Island(2017)

    as Earl Cole

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Vice Principals(2016)

    Show 18 episodes · as Ray Liptrapp

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek Beyond(2016)

    as Teenaxi Leader (voice)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Term Life(2016)

    as Matty Miller

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • A Country Called Home(2015)

    as Cole Edwards

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Knight of Cups(2015)

    as Jim

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Lila & Eve(2015)

    as Holliston

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Cop Car(2015)

    as Man

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Agent Carter(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Roger Dooley

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Fargo(2014)

    Show 10 episodes · as Moe Dammick

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Non-Stop(2014)

    as Agent Marenick

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • True Detective(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Joel Theriot

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Wolf of Wall Street(2013)

    as Captain Ted Beecham

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • American Hustle(2013)

    as Carl Elway

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Fast & Furious 6(2013)

    as Michael Stasiak

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Silver Linings Playbook(2012)

    as Jake Solatano

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Savages(2012)

    as Chad

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Big Miracle(2012)

    as SAR Pilot Conrad

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Catch .44(2011)

    as Billy

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Take Shelter(2011)

    as Dewart

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • This Must Be the Place(2011)

    as Ernie Ray

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Conspirator(2010)

    as Capt. Cottingham

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Lincoln Lawyer(2011)

    as DJ Corliss

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Boardwalk Empire(2010)

    Show 56 episodes · as Elias 'Eli' Thompson

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Machete(2010)

    as Sniper

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Barry Munday(2010)

    as Donald

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Radio Free Albemuth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Phil

  • Blood Creek(2009)

    as Luke Benny

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans(2009)

    as Justin

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Fast & Furious(2009)

    as Michael Stasiak

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Lie to Me(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Jered Blunt

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

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

    as Stan Manfretti

  • The Killing Room(2009)

    as Tony Mazzolla

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Splinter(2008)

    as Dennis Farell

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • South of Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Mad Dog Mantee

  • Pride and Glory(2008)

    as Kenny Dugan

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Wristcutters: A Love Story(2006)

    as Eugene

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • First Snow(2006)

    as Vincent McClure

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Lords of Dogtown(2005)

    as Drake Landon

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Faith of My Fathers(2005)

    as Norris Overly

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Man of the House(2005)

    as Ranger Holt

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Numb3rs(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Kardum

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Medium(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Patrick Wilkes

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Water(2004)

    as Daniel West

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Medical Investigation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Barrett Fidler

  • Out of This World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Russell Reade

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

    as Jeremiah Alcott

  • All the Real Girls(2003)

    as Tip

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Bad Company(2002)

    as Agent Wells (Uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Submerged (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Capt. Oliver Naquin

  • Tigerland(2000)

    as Pvt. Wilson

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • ER(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Bobby Kenyon

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Fight for '84 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • How the Cookie Crumbles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Thomas

  • The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 8 episodes · as Alex Hunter

  • The Stalemate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 99 titles, 93 of them dated from 1994 to 2025; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Joker (2019)

$1.1B worldwide

Highest rated

Joker (2019)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Boardwalk Empire (2010)

Film career

MilestoneAward win
19942025

Peak 2018 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 18 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
Acting99 of 99: 99 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65th

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s24 · acting2010s45 · acting2020s23 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 7% of 59 roles
00101520

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

3 Screen Actors Guild Awards from 8 major nominations, 2011–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
  2. 2019
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
  3. 2015
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  4. 2014
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  5. 2013
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  6. 2012
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  7. 2011
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

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 Shea Whigham's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of the 62 of 63 with a score; across their 39 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Reach · how many have seen their films

90thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Midcredits score across 85 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up32
  • 50th to 74th31
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

47 of their 85 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser47
  • Broadly Agreed10
  • Mixed15

Most divisive · actor

Water (2004)

99th percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 38 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 54. 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 Shea Whigham's work okay for kids?

Across up to 39 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore33 titles40–90 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity39 titles14–60 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity34 titles44–92 · median 71 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs31 titles26–69 · median 53 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense31 titles36–87 · median 63 · intenseheavier 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 Shea Whigham work with?

People who share at least 2 of Shea Whigham's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Shannon shares the most, 7.

Directors

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles