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Josh Radnor

Josh Radnor

Actor, also director, writer and producer · Born July 29, 1974 (52) · Columbus, Ohio, USA

Sundance award winner

Joshua Thomas Radnor (born July 29, 1974) is an American actor, filmmaker, author, and musician. He is best known for portraying Ted Mosby on the Emmy Award–winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014). He made his writing and directorial debut with the 2010 comedy-drama film Happythankyoumoreplease, for which he won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. In 2012, he wrote, directed and starred in his second film, Liberal Arts, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. In 2014, Radnor portrayed Isaac in the Broadway play Disgraced, which was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. He then starred as Dr. Jedediah Foster on the PBS American Civil War drama series Mercy Street, Lou Mazzuchelli in the musical series Rise, and as Lonny Flash in Hunters. In 2024, he returned to the theatre, appearing in the Itamar Moses play The Ally at The Public Theatre. Description above from the Wikipedia article Josh Radnor, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 29, 1974 (52)
From
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Works as
Actor, also director, writer and producer
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 26 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 30% in 30 days

What are Josh Radnor's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
39%
Self
38%
Morality
10%
Society
7%
Survival
5%
Power
2%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 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 4 · Serious 3 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 7 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 4 · Intense 0

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 1 · 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 5 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 9 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 9
Ally
3 of 9
Shapeshifter
2 of 9
Trickster
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
8
Tense
6
Contemplative
5
Hopeful
5
Bittersweet
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Hopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous4

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 Josh Radnor's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Josh Radnor'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

26 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 12 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Sacrifice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Ramona at Midlife(2025)

    as Jayson

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • All Happy Families(2023)

    as Graham Landry

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Three Birthdays(2023)

    as Rob

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Fleishman Is in Trouble(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Adam Epstein

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Centaurworld(2021)

    Show 18 episodes · as Durpleton (voice)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Hunters(2020)

    Show 18 episodes · as Lonny Flash

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Social Animals(2018)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

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

    Show 10 episodes · as Lou Mazzuchelli

  • The Seeker(2016)

    Producer · as Father

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Mercy Street(2016)

    Show 12 episodes · as Dr. Jed Foster

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden(2013)

    as John Garth (voice)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Afternoon Delight(2013)

    as Jeff

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Liberal Arts(2012)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Jesse Fisher

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Happythankyoumoreplease(2010)

    Director · Screenplay · as Sam

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • How I Met Your Mother(2005)

    Show 208 episodes · as Ted Mosby

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Jon

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Miss Match (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Andrew Gilbert

  • The Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • Not Another Teen Movie(2001)

    as Tour Guide

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Six Feet Under(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Will Jaffe

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Welcome to New York (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Doug

  • Judging Amy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Justin Barr

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Ted Mosby (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • ER(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Keith

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Kitson

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 25 titles from 1990 to 2025; peak year 2012.

Biggest box office

Liberal Arts (2012)

$1.2M worldwide

Highest rated

How I Met Your Mother (2005)

Midcredits 94th

Film career

MilestoneAward win
19902025

Peak 2012 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 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
Acting25 of 25: 23 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stDirecting2 of 25: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting2 of 25: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing1 of 25: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1990s4 · acting2000s7 · acting2010s8 · 8 acting · 2 crew2020s6 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 33% of 6 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.

Awards

1 major award from 2 major nominations, 2010.

WinNomination
  1. 2010
    • Sundance award, won · Dramatic
    • Sundance award, nominated · Dramatic

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 Josh Radnor's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 39th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Ramona at Midlife (2025)

96th percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

How I Met Your Mother (2005)

Midcredits 94th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 41. 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 Josh Radnor's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and alcohol & drugs run heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles12–68 · median 18 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles25–66 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles17–75 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles18–60 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles9–73 · median 25 · mildlighter 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 Josh Radnor work with?

People who share at least 2 of Josh Radnor's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Richard Jenkins shares the most, 2.

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers