Jeff Daniels
Acting
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan. He has performed in a number of stage productions, both on and off Broadway. He has been nominated for the Tony Award as Best Actor for the Broadway play God of Carnage (2009), along with his other three cast-mates. He has had a thriving film career, from his debut in 1981 in Ragtime, through State of Play in 2009. For his film work, he has received three Golden Globe Award nominations, including as Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical for Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) (hence the name of his theatre company). He has also received nominations by the Screen Actors Guild, Satellite Awards, and several for his work in The Squid and the Whale (London Critics Circle Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Chlotrudis Awards and Gotham Awards).
Known for
Acting142
movieThe Brink of War
2026
Ronald Reagan
tvThe American Revolution
2025
Thomas Jefferson (voice)
tvA Man in Full
2024
Charlie Croker
tvThe American Buffalo
2023
(voice)
movieThe Saint of Second Chances
2023
Narrator (voice)
tvShrinking
2023
Randy
tvAmerican Rust
2021
Det. Del Harris
movie9/11: Inside the President's War Room
2021
Self - Narrator (voice)
tvHemingway
2021
Ernest Hemingway (voice)
tvThe Comey Rule
2020
James Comey
movieAdam
2020
Mickey
tvWashington
2020
Self - Narrator
movieGuest Artist
2019
Joseph Harris
movieThe Emperor's Newest Clothes
2018
The Emperor
movieThe Catcher Was a Spy
2018
Bill Donovan
tvThe Looming Tower
2018
John O'Neill
tvGodless
2017
Frank Griffin
movieAllegiant
2016
David
movieSteve Jobs
2015
John Sculley
movieThe Martian
2015
Theodore "Teddy" Sanders
tvThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
Self / Casting Reject
tvARES: live
2015
Teddy Sanders
movieOf Miracles and Men
2015
Self - Narrator
movieDumb and Dumber To
2014
Harry Dunne
tvThe Newsroom
2012
Will McAvoy
movieHowl
2010
Professor David Kirk
moviePaper Man
2009
Richard Dunn
movieAway We Go
2009
Jerry Farlander
movieState of Play
2009
George Fergus
movieThe Answer Man
2009
Arlen Faber
movieTraitor
2008
Carter
movieSpace Chimps
2008
Zartog (voice)
movieA Plumm Summer
2008
Narrator
movieSweet Nothing in My Ear
2008
Dan Miller
movieMama's Boy
2007
Mert Rosenbloom
movieThe Lookout
2007
Lewis
movieInfamous
2006
Alvin Dewey
movieRV
2006
Travis Gornicke
movieThe Squid and the Whale
2005
Bernard Berkman
movieGood Night, and Good Luck.
2005
Sig Mickelson
movieBecause of Winn-Dixie
2005
Preacher
movieRemembering Ragtime
2004
P. C. O'Donnell (archive footage)
movieImaginary Heroes
2004
Ben Travis
movieThe Goodbye Girl
2004
Elliot Garfield
movieSaturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Farley
2003
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieI Witness
2003
James Rhodes
movieGods and Generals
2003
Lt. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
tvJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
Self / Self - Guest
movieThe Hours
2002
Louis Waters
movieBlood Work
2002
Jasper 'Buddy' Noone
movieSuper Sucker
2002
Fred Barlow
movieChasing Sleep
2001
Ed Saxon
movieEscanaba in da Moonlight
2001
Rueben Soady
movieCheaters
2000
Dr. Gerard Plecki
movieThe Crossing
2000
Gen. George Washington
movieAll the Rage
1999
Warren Harding
movieMy Favorite Martian
1999
Tim O'Hara
tvFamily Guy
1999
Jeff Daniels (voice)
moviePleasantville
1998
Mr. Johnson
tvThe View
1997
Self
movieTrial and Error
1997
Charles Tuttle
movieFly Away Home
1996
Thomas Alden
movie2 Days in the Valley
1996
Alvin Strayer
movieRedwood Curtain
1995
Lyman Fellers
movieDumb and Dumber
1994
Harry Dunne
movieSpeed
1994
Harry
movieGettysburg
1993
Col. Joshua Chamberlain
tvFrasier
1993
Doug (voice)
tvLate Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
Self - Guest
tvLate Show with David Letterman
1993
Self - Guest
movieRain Without Thunder
1993
Jonathan Garson
movieThere Goes the Neighborhood
1992
Willis Embry
movieTimescape
1992
Ben Wilson
movieThe Butcher's Wife
1991
Dr. Alex Tremor
movieWelcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
1990
Denton Webb
movieArachnophobia
1990
Ross Jennings
movieLove Hurts
1990
Paul Weaver
movieNo Place Like Home
1989
Mike Cooper
movieChecking Out
1988
Ray Macklin
movieSweet Hearts Dance
1988
Sam Manners
movieThe Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
1988
Lt. Steve Maryk
movieRadio Days
1987
Biff Baxter
movieSomething Wild
1986
Charles Driggs
movieHeartburn
1986
Richard
movieMarie: A True Story
1985
Eddie Sisk
movieThe Purple Rose of Cairo
1985
Tom Baxter / Gil Shepherd
tvMTV Video Music Awards
1984
Self - Presenter
movieTerms of Endearment
1983
Flap Horton
movieAn Invasion of Privacy
1983
Francis Ryan
movieFifth of July
1982
Jed Jenkins
tvAmerican Playhouse
1982
Jed Jenkins
movieRagtime
1981
P.C. O'Donnell
tvA Rumor of War
1980
Chaplain
tvSaturday Night Live
1975
Self - Host / Self - Cameo (uncredited)
tvHawaii Five-O
1968
Neal Forrester
tvHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Lyman Fellers
movieBlind Logic: The Ralph R. Teetor Story
Ralph Teetor (voice)
Starman
Ed Watkins
Directing2
movieSuper Sucker
2002
Director
Production2
tvAmerican Rust
2021
Executive Producer
movieGuest Artist
2019
Producer
Writing2
movieGuest Artist
2019
Writer
movieSuper Sucker
2002
Writer
Creator1
tvHunting Hitler
2015
Creator
