Jeff Daniels
Known for
Chameleonic and ever reliable, Jeff Daniels has known how to move with equal ease between zany comedy and prestige drama. Born in Athens, Georgia, and raised in Michigan, where he founded his own theater company, he rose to fame with Woody Allen in 'The Purple Rose of Cairo' (1985), a film that gave its name to his theater. The general public associated him with the goofy humor of 'Dumb and Dumber', but his talent shone equally in dramas like 'The Royal Tenenbaums' and 'The Squid and the Whale'. On television he reached new heights playing the anchor Will McAvoy in 'The Newsroom', confirming a performer of enormous range and a disarming naturalness.
Jeff Daniels
62 Movies
17 Series
Chameleonic and ever reliable, Jeff Daniels has known how to move with equal ease between zany comedy and prestige drama. Born in Athens, Georgia, and raised in Michigan, where he founded his own theater company, he rose to fame with Woody Allen in 'The Purple Rose of Cairo' (1985), a film that gave its name to his theater. The general public associated him with the goofy humor of 'Dumb and Dumber', but his talent shone equally in dramas like 'The Royal Tenenbaums' and 'The Squid and the Whale'. On television he reached new heights playing the anchor Will McAvoy in 'The Newsroom', confirming a performer of enormous range and a disarming naturalness.
Movies
Plays Theodore "Teddy" Sanders
The Martian
2015
Plays Harry Dunne
Dumb and Dumber
1994
Plays David
Allegiant
2016
Plays Roger
101 Dalmatians
1996
Plays Abe
Looper
2012
Plays Ronald Reagan
The Brink of War
2026
Plays Harry Dunne
Dumb and Dumber To
2014
Plays Harry
Speed
1994
Plays Louis Waters
The Hours
2002
Plays Zartog (voice)
Space Chimps
2008
Plays Cochran
The House on Carroll Street
1988
Plays George Fergus
State of Play
2009
Plays John Sculley
Steve Jobs
2015
Plays Sig Mickelson
Good Night, and Good Luck.
2005
Plays Carter
Traitor
2008
Plays Travis Gornicke
RV
2006
Plays Flap Horton
Terms of Endearment
1983
Plays Mr. Johnson
Pleasantville
1998
Plays Tim O'Hara
My Favorite Martian
1999
Plays Alvin Dewey
Infamous
2006
Plays Thomas Alden
Fly Away Home
1996
Plays Bernard Berkman
The Squid and the Whale
2005
Plays Richard
Heartburn
1986
Plays Tom Baxter / Gil Shepherd
The Purple Rose of Cairo
1985
Plays Ross Jennings
Arachnophobia
1990
Plays Col. Joshua Chamberlain
Gettysburg
1993
Plays Jasper 'Buddy' Noone
Blood Work
2002
Plays Bill Donovan
The Catcher Was a Spy
2018
Plays Charles Driggs
Something Wild
1986
Plays Lewis
The Lookout
2007
Plays P.C. O'Donnell
Ragtime
1981
Plays Preacher
Because of Winn-Dixie
2005
Plays Alvin Strayer
2 Days in the Valley
1996
Plays Dr. Alex Tremor
The Butcher's Wife
1991
Plays Lt. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
Gods and Generals
2003
Plays Mert Rosenbloom
Mama's Boy
2007
Plays Ben Wilson
Timescape
1992
Plays Biff Baxter
Radio Days
1987
Plays Richard Dunn
Paper Man
2009
Plays Jerry Farlander
Away We Go
2009
Plays Professor David Kirk
Howl
2010
Plays Denton Webb
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
1990
Plays James Rhodes
I Witness
2003
Plays Mickey
Adam
2020
Director
Plays Fred Barlow
Super Sucker
2002
Plays Sam Manners
Sweet Hearts Dance
1988
Plays Arlen Faber
The Answer Man
2009
Plays Willis Embry
There Goes the Neighborhood
1992
Plays Charles Tuttle
Trial and Error
1997
Plays Eddie Sisk
Marie: A True Story
1985
TV Shows
Plays Will McAvoy
The Newsroom
2012
Producer
Plays Det. Del Harris
American Rust
2021
Plays John O'Neill
The Looming Tower
2018
Plays Frank Griffin
Godless
2017
Plays Charlie Croker
A Man in Full
2024
Plays Teddy Sanders
ARES: live
2015
Plays Thomas Jefferson (voice)
The American Revolution
2025
Plays Randy
Shrinking
2023
Plays James Comey
The Comey Rule
2020
Plays (voice)
The American Buffalo
2023
Plays Chaplain
A Rumor of War
1980
Plays Neal Forrester
Hawaii Five-O
1969
Plays Doug (voice)
Frasier
1993
Plays Lyman Fellers
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Plays Jeff Daniels (voice)
Family Guy
1999
Plays Jed Jenkins
American Playhouse
1982
Plays Lukas
The Morning Show
2019
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Brink of War
Full Filmography
The Brink of War
Ronald Reagan
2026
Film
The American Revolution
Thomas Jefferson (voice) · 4 episodes
2025–
TV
A Man in Full
Charlie Croker · 6 episodes
2024–
TV
The American Buffalo
(voice) · 2 episodes
2023–
TV
Shrinking
Randy · 3 episodes
2023–
TV
American Rust
Det. Del Harris · 19 episodes
2021–
TV
The Comey Rule
James Comey · 2 episodes
2020–
TV
Adam
Mickey
2020
Film
The Morning Show
Lukas
2019–
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Jeff Daniels and where are they from?
Jeff Daniels is 71 years old, born on February 19, 1955 in Athens, Georgia, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Jeff Daniels?
Jeff Daniels is best known for roles in The Martian, Looper, Allegiant.
How many movies has Jeff Daniels been in?
Over a 45-year career (since 1981), Jeff Daniels has appeared in 59 movies and 15 TV shows.
What was Jeff Daniels's first movie?
The career of Jeff Daniels began with Ragtime (1981).
What is Jeff Daniels's most recent movie or series?
Jeff Daniels's most recent release is The Brink of War, which premiered on August 13, 2026.
What TV shows has Jeff Daniels appeared in?
On television, Jeff Daniels has appeared in Family Guy, The Morning Show, Frasier, The Newsroom.
Does Jeff Daniels have any upcoming projects?
Yes, Jeff Daniels's upcoming work includes: Starman (2027).
Jeff Daniels
1955-02-19 · Athens, Georgia, USA
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).