
Chris Messina
ActingAbout Chris Messina
Christopher Messina (born August 11, 1974) is an American actor, director, writer, and producer. He is best known for starring as Danny Castellano in the series The Mindy Project (2012–2017), which earned him two nominations for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. He has appeared in films such as Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Julie & Julia (2009), Devil (2010), Argo (2012), Ruby Sparks (2012), Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012), Cake (2014), Birds of Prey (2020), I Care a Lot (2020), Call Jane (2022), Air (2023) and The Boogeyman (2023). Messina wrote, executive produced, and starred in the comedy film Fairhaven (2012). He also directed and starred in the drama film Alex of Venice (2014). On television, Messina appeared as Ted Fairwell in the HBO drama series Six Feet Under (2005), Chris Sanchez in the Audience Network legal thriller series Damages (2011–2012), Reese Lansing in the HBO political drama series The Newsroom (2012–2014), Richard Willis in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects (2018), Nick Haas in the USA Network crime drama series The Sinner (2020), Angelo Lano in the Starz political miniseries Gaslit (2022), and as Nathan Bartlett in the Peacock comedy thriller Based on a True Story (2023). Description above from the Wikipedia article Chris Messina, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Chris Messina Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of Chris Messina reflects a career marked by diverse experimentation. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of Chris Messina's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 32% of Chris Messina's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Showing Up, which stands out as a key performance.
Best Chris Messina Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Chris Messina's career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie Chris Messina has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Juror #2 | Eric Resnick | Hit | Similar → |
| 2024 | I.S.S. | Gordon Barrett | Average | Similar → |
| 2023 | Dreamin' Wild | Matt Sullivan | Average | Similar → |
| 2023 | The Boogeyman | Will Harper | Average | Similar → |
| 2023 | Air | David Falk | Hit | Similar → |
| 2022 | Call Jane | Will | Hit | Similar → |
| 2022 | The Aviary | Seth | Flop | Similar → |
| 2021 | Love Is Love Is Love | Jack (segment "Two for Dinner") | Flop | Similar → |
| 2021 | I Care a Lot | Dean Ericson | Hit | Similar → |
| 2020 | The Secrets We Keep | Lewis | Average | Similar → |
| 2020 | She Dies Tomorrow | Jason | Flop | Similar → |
| 2020 | Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) | Victor Zsasz | Hit | Similar → |
| 2019 | The True Adventures of Wolfboy | Denny | Average | Similar → |
| 2019 | Zeroville | Brian De Palma | Flop | Similar → |
| 2018 | Blame | Jeremy Woods | Hit | Similar → |
| 2017 | The Sweet Life | Kenny | Average | Similar → |
| 2016 | Live by Night | Dion Bartolo | Average | Similar → |
| 2016 | Ordinary World | Jake | Average | Similar → |
| 2015 | Digging for Fire | Tango | Flop | Similar → |
| 2015 | Manglehorn | Jacob | Flop | Similar → |
| 2015 | Alex of Venice | George | Average | Similar → |
| 2014 | The Oven | Narrator | Average | Similar → |
| 2014 | Cake | Jason Bennett | Average | Similar → |
| 2014 | Palo Alto | Mitch | Average | Similar → |
| 2014 | Showing Up | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2013 | Fairhaven | Dave | Flop | Similar → |
| 2012 | Argo | Malinov | Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | Celeste & Jesse Forever | Paul | Average | Similar → |
| 2012 | Ruby Sparks | Harry | Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | Denise | Brad | Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | The Giant Mechanical Man | Tim | Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | 28 Hotel Rooms | Man | Average | Similar → |
| 2011 | Like Crazy | Mike Appletree | Average | Similar → |
| 2011 | The Trouble with Bliss | NJ | Flop | Similar → |
| 2010 | An Invisible Sign | Ben Smith | Flop | Similar → |
| 2010 | Devil | Detective Bowden | Average | Similar → |
| 2010 | Greenberg | Phillip Greenberg | Average | Similar → |
| 2009 | Brief Interviews with Hideous Men | Subject #19 | Flop | Similar → |
| 2009 | Julie & Julia | Eric Powell | Hit | Similar → |
| 2009 | Away We Go | Tom | Hit | Similar → |
| 2008 | Humboldt County | Max | Average | Similar → |
| 2008 | Towelhead | Barry | Average | Similar → |
| 2008 | Vicky Cristina Barcelona | Doug | Hit | Similar → |
| 2008 | Made of Honor | Dennis | Average | Similar → |
| 2006 | Ira & Abby | Ira Black | Average | Similar → |
| 2005 | Road | Larry | Flop | Similar → |
| 2000 | Turn It Up | Baz | Flop | Similar → |
| 1998 | You've Got Mail | Fox Salesperson | Hit | Similar → |
| 1998 | The Siege | Corporal | Average | Similar → |
| 1998 | Rounders | Higgins | Hit | Similar → |
Chris Messina - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Chris Messina?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Chris Messina is "Showing Up" with a rating of 9.2/10.
How many movies has Chris Messina acted in?
Chris Messina has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Chris Messina?
Other notable films include "Argo", "Air", and "Ruby Sparks".



