---
name: "Brent Briscoe"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/brent-briscoe"
fi1m_id: "brent-briscoe"
imdb_id: "nm0109785"
tmdb_id: 15011
wikidata_id: "Q909704"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "21 May 1961"
died: "18 October 2017"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-05T04:58:49.313397+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Brent Briscoe

## Identity

Brent Briscoe

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/brent-briscoe
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** brent-briscoe
- **IMDb ID:** nm0109785
- **TMDB ID:** 15011
- **Wikidata ID:** Q909704
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Briscoe, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q909704, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0109785/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15011

Actor. Born 21 May 1961 in Moberly, Missouri, USA. Died 18 October 2017.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 21 May 1961, Moberly, Missouri, USA
- **Died:** 18 October 2017
- **Active:** 1996–2012
- **Frequently works with:** [Billy Bob Thornton](https://film.one/person/billy-bob-thornton.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 73, as actor, over 9 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 81 (3), 2000s 71 (4), 2010s 63 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 64 across 9 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 4 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 6, Action 3, Crime 3, Thriller 3, Adventure 2, Mystery 2
- **Screen time:** 19 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2,910m across 8 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Briscoe, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q909704, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0109785/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15011

## Fi1m on Brent Briscoe

> Brent Briscoe was good at making a supporting character matter to the people around him. His volatile Lou Chambers in *A Simple Plan* is the clearest reason to value an actor too easily filed under dependable.

In *A Simple Plan* (1998), Brent Briscoe’s Lou Chambers is one of three men who discover a fortune, and his volatility makes the company uncomfortable. Briscoe gives Sam Raimi’s crime story a source of friction among its men; he matters to how they behave together. Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton give the sharply judged performances around which the film turns, but Lou helps make this an ensemble rather than a pair of star parts. We found the film painful because the greed hurts people these performances have made us care about. Its plotting can be predictable without making their predicament feel remote.

*Sling Blade* (1996) had given him his breakthrough as Scooter Hodges, following his work with Thornton on the short *Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade* (1994). The association matters: Briscoe belongs comfortably in Thornton’s patient, darkly funny drama, where the people around the lead are worth spending time with. Some scenes linger too long, even when we like the people in them. We rate the film highly without needing to pretend that Scooter is its main attraction. *A Simple Plan* gives us the stronger case for what Briscoe could contribute.

His later work took him to Frank Darabont and David Lynch. He played Bill Dodge in Darabont’s *The Green Mile* (1999), then Detective Domgaard in Lynch’s *Mulholland Drive* (2001). That was his first Lynch collaboration; he worked with the director again as Detective Dave Macklay in *Twin Peaks* (2017). Small-town men, working men and law-enforcement figures recur across his work. The repetition is worth noticing, though remaining a supporting actor is hardly a failing in itself.

Calling him dependable is fair, but it undersells the disruption Lou brings to *A Simple Plan*. Raimi’s patience gives that volatile supporting presence room to matter without asking Briscoe to take over the film. Start there, especially if familiar crime plotting would otherwise put us off: the performances make its consequences hurt.

## Biography

Brent Briscoe (1961–2017) was an American actor and screenwriter. Born in Moberly, Missouri, he graduated from the University of Missouri and began his career in theatre, including an apprenticeship at the Burt Reynolds Jupiter Theatre.

He moved to Los Angeles after appearing as Scooter Hodges in *Sling Blade* (1996) and collaborated frequently with Billy Bob Thornton on subsequent projects. Briscoe also worked regularly with his college roommate Mark Fauser; the pair co-wrote the screenplay for *Waking Up in Reno* (2002). His other film roles include Lou Chambers in *A Simple Plan* (1998) and appearances in *The Green Mile* (1999), *Mulholland Drive* (2001) and *Spider-Man 2* (2004). On television he played JJ in *Parks and Recreation* (2011–2015).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, deadline.com.*

## On Fi1m (9)

- *The Dark Knight Rises* (2012), Fi1m 74, as Veteran Cop — [page](https://film.one/film/the-dark-knight-rises.md)
- *Hell on Wheels* (2011), Fi1m 52, as Jimmy Two Squaws — [page](https://film.one/tv/hell-on-wheels.md)
- *Yes Man* (2008), Fi1m 56, as Homeless Guy — [page](https://film.one/film/yes-man.md)
- *National Treasure: Book of Secrets* (2007), Fi1m 52, as Michael O'Laughlen — [page](https://film.one/film/national-treasure-book-of-secrets.md)
- *Spider-Man 2* (2004), Fi1m 85, as Garbage Man — [page](https://film.one/film/spider-man-2.md)
- *Mulholland Drive* (2001), Fi1m 92, as Detective Domgaard — [page](https://film.one/film/mulholland-drive.md)
- *The Green Mile* (1999), Fi1m 73, as Bill Dodge — [page](https://film.one/film/the-green-mile.md)
- *A Simple Plan* (1998), Fi1m 86, as Lou Chambers — [page](https://film.one/film/a-simple-plan.md)
- *Sling Blade* (1996), Fi1m 83, as Scooter Hodges — [page](https://film.one/film/sling-blade.md)

## Complete filmography (76)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *5th of July* (2019), as Dakota
- *Goliath* (2016), series, as Beach Bum
- *Term Life* (2016), as Murphy
- *Zombeavers* (2014), as Winston Gregorson
- *Atlas Shrugged: Part III* (2014), as Dispatcher
- *Beneath* (2013), as Mundy
- *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* (2013), series, as Matthew Langdon — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md)
- *Ambush at Dark Canyon* (2012), as Morgan Heinz
- *The Dark Knight Rises* (2012), as Veteran Cop — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/the-dark-knight-rises.md)
- *Perception* (2012), series, as Nightcrawler
- *Scandal* (2012), series, as Reverend Dale
- *Hell on Wheels* (2011), series, as Jimmy Two Squaws — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/tv/hell-on-wheels.md)
- *Hail Mary* (2011), as Legget
- *The Smell of Success* (2011), as Shotgun Farmer
- *Friends with Benefits* (2011), series, as Vernon
- *The Defenders* (2010), series, as Tyler Ralston
- *Dirty Girl* (2010), as Officer Perry
- *Small Town Saturday Night* (2010), as Travis Perkins
- *Justified* (2010), series, as Luther Kent — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/tv/justified.md)
- *The Killer Inside Me* (2010), as Bum
- *Bloodworth* (2010), as Coble
- *NCIS: Los Angeles* (2009), series, as Motel Manager
- *Extract* (2009), as Phil
- *Parks and Recreation* (2009), series, as JJ — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/parks-and-recreation.md)
- *Yes Man* (2008), as Homeless Guy — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/yes-man.md)
- *Crazy* (2008), as Doug
- *National Treasure: Book of Secrets* (2007), as Michael O'Laughlen — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/national-treasure-book-of-secrets.md)
- *Randy & the Mob* (2007), as Griff Postell
- *Home of the Giants* (2007), as Prock
- *In the Valley of Elah* (2007), as Detective Hodge
- *Mr. Woodcock* (2007), as Barber #2
- *The Messengers* (2007), as Plume
- *Bachelor Party Vegas* (2006), as Big Gut Mel
- *Thief* (2006), series, as Father Berault
- *Bones* (2005), series, as Larry Stansfield — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/bones.md)
- *Madison* (2005), as Tony Steinhardt
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Henry Lamott — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Numb3rs* (2005), series, as Guard (uncredited)
- *Medium* (2005), series, as Trent
- *House* (2004), series, as Farmer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *Desperate Housewives* (2004), series, as Jimbo Rooney — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/desperate-housewives.md)
- *Spider-Man 2* (2004), as Garbage Man — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/spider-man-2.md)
- *Deadwood* (2004), series, as Prosecutor — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/deadwood.md)
- *The Handler* (2003), series, Actor
- *NCIS* (2003), series, as Buzz — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md)
- *The Big Empty* (2003), as Dan
- *Waking Up in Reno* (2002), as Russell Whitehead · Writer
- *The Majestic* (2001), as Sheriff Cecil Coleman
- *24* (2001), series, as Doug — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/24.md)
- *Mulholland Drive* (2001), as Detective Domgaard — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/mulholland-drive.md)
- *Driven* (2001), as Crusher
- *Say It Isn't So* (2001), as Detective Vic Vetter
- *Double Take* (2001), as Junior Barnes
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Roger Durbin, Travis
- *Beautiful* (2000), as Lurdy
- *Man on the Moon* (1999), as Heavyset Technician
- *The Green Mile* (1999), as Bill Dodge — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/the-green-mile.md)
- *The Minus Man* (1999), as Chief of Police
- *The Thirteenth Year* (1999), as Big John
- *The Jack Bull* (1999), as Sheriff Felton
- *Another Day in Paradise* (1998), as Clem
- *A Simple Plan* (1998), as Lou Chambers — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/a-simple-plan.md)
- *Modern Vampires* (1998), as George, Nico's Stepfather
- *Legalese* (1998), as Cashen Depps
- *Break Up* (1998), as County Sheriff #2
- *Maximum Bob* (1998), series, as Elvin Crowe
- *U Turn* (1997), as Boyd
- *Sling Blade* (1996), as Scooter Hodges — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/sling-blade.md)
- *The Right to Remain Silent* (1996), Theatre Play, Screenplay
- *ER* (1994), series, as Eli Ebee — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade* (1994), Actor
- *Grey Knight* (1993), as Raider #2
- *Hearts Afire* (1992), series, as Curtis May
- *Evening Shade* (1990), series, Writer
- *Twin Peaks* (1990), series, as Dave Macklay — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/twin-peaks.md)
- *Knots Landing* (1979), series, as Pizza Delivery Guy

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/brent-briscoe