---
name: "Chris O'Donnell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/chris-odonnell"
fi1m_id: "chris-odonnell"
imdb_id: "nm0000563"
tmdb_id: 5577
wikidata_id: "Q107069"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "26 June 1970"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_fi1m_score: 62
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-05T02:05:19.041129+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."
---

# Chris O'Donnell

## Identity

Chris O'Donnell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/chris-odonnell
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** chris-odonnell
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000563
- **TMDB ID:** 5577
- **Wikidata ID:** Q107069
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_O%27Donnell, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107069, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000563/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5577

Actor. Born 26 June 1970 in Winnetka, Illinois, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 26 June 1970, Winnetka, Illinois, USA
- **Active:** 1991–2010
- **Also known as:** 克里斯·奥唐纳, کریس او دانل, کریس اودانل, Christopher Eugene O'Donnell
- **Frequently works with:** [Akiva Goldsman](https://film.one/person/akiva-goldsman.md), [Joel Schumacher](https://film.one/person/joel-schumacher.md), [Peter Macgregor-Scott](https://film.one/person/peter-macgregor-scott.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 62, as actor, over 9 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 62 (5), 2000s 60 (3), 2010s 65 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 61 to 57 across 7 titles
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 4 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 4 of 6 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Action 3, Adventure 2, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Action & Adventure 1
- **Screen time:** 13 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,089m across 6 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_O%27Donnell, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107069, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000563/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5577

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Batman Forever*](https://film.one/film/batman-forever.md) (56), [*Batman & Robin*](https://film.one/film/batman-and-robin.md) (35)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Vertical Limit*](https://film.one/film/vertical-limit.md) (58)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Chris O'Donnell

> Chris O'Donnell is good at staying believable beside actors who make rather more noise. His patient work in *Scent of a Woman* is the clearest reason to value a steadiness that can be easy to overlook.

Beside Al Pacino's abrasive Frank Slade in *Scent of a Woman* (1992), Chris O'Donnell makes Charlie Simms's patience worth watching. He gives Pacino someone believable to play against, and their relationship justifies much of the time Martin Brest takes over this overlong drama. We were moved by Charlie's patience with Frank, because O'Donnell makes the effort of keeping such difficult company feel worthwhile. His steadiness allows Pacino's abrasiveness to work without making the whole encounter exhausting. We rate him here, even when we wish Brest would get on with it.

His early film work placed him in ensembles, with Buddy Threadgoode in *Fried Green Tomatoes* (1991) and a supporting part in *School Ties* (1992). Jon Avnet's *Fried Green Tomatoes* earns its warmth chiefly through the women at its centre, particularly Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy. O'Donnell belongs to the supporting cast, and we would not claim that he is what makes the sentiment work. Charlie is the better introduction to O'Donnell because the relationship depends on his being as persuasive as his much louder partner.

His clean-cut earnestness then found a more conspicuous use as Robin in *Batman Forever* (1995) and *Batman & Robin* (1997). Those films received largely negative reviews, but we would not use their reception to dismiss the actor who plays Charlie. Later films included *Vertical Limit* (2000) and *Kinsey* (2004). We would trust him in a cast without choosing every film on his name alone.

Television gave that reliability a sustained use: he led *NCIS: Los Angeles* (2009–2023) as G. Callen for fourteen seasons. A procedural lead needs to be someone worth returning to, and the length of that run suggests how well his unassuming manner suited the job. It need not make the earlier film work look like an apprenticeship. Start with *Scent of a Woman*, where he has a forceful partner and enough to do.

## Biography

Chris O'Donnell is an American actor. Born on 26 June 1970 in Winnetka, Illinois, he is the youngest of seven children. He began modelling at the age of thirteen and appeared in commercials before making his film debut in *Men Don't Leave* (1990).

O'Donnell gained notice for supporting roles in *Fried Green Tomatoes* (1991) and *School Ties* (1992). His performance as Charlie Simms opposite Al Pacino in *Scent of a Woman* (1992) earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He later played Dick Grayson / Robin in *Batman Forever* (1995) and *Batman & Robin* (1997), and starred as G. Callen in the television series *NCIS: Los Angeles* (2009–2023).

He graduated from Boston College with a degree in marketing and has appeared in films including *The Three Musketeers* (1993), *Vertical Limit* (2000) and *Kinsey* (2004).

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

## On Fi1m (9)

- *Hawaii Five-0* (2010), Fi1m 65, as G. Callen — [page](https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0.md)
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), Fi1m 68, as Finn Dandridge — [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Two and a Half Men* (2003), Fi1m 55, as Bill — [page](https://film.one/tv/two-and-a-half-men.md)
- *Vertical Limit* (2000), Fi1m 58, as Peter Garrett — [page](https://film.one/film/vertical-limit.md)
- *Batman & Robin* (1997), Fi1m 35, as Robin / Dick Grayson — [page](https://film.one/film/batman-and-robin.md)
- *Batman Forever* (1995), Fi1m 56, as Robin / Dick Grayson — [page](https://film.one/film/batman-forever.md)
- *Circle of Friends* (1995), Fi1m 68, as Jack Foley — [page](https://film.one/film/circle-of-friends.md)
- *Scent of a Woman* (1992), Fi1m 75, as Charlie Simms — [page](https://film.one/film/scent-of-a-woman.md)
- *Fried Green Tomatoes* (1991), Fi1m 75, as Buddy Threadgoode — [page](https://film.one/film/fried-green-tomatoes.md)

## Complete filmography (40)

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

- *9-1-1: Nashville* (2025), series, as Captain Don Hart · Executive Producer
- *Bupkis* (2023), series, as Pete's Agent (uncredited)
- *NCIS: Hawaiʻi* (2021), series, as G. Callen
- *WWII in HD: The Air War* (2010), as John Gibbons (voice)
- *Hawaii Five-0* (2010), series, as G. Callen — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0.md)
- *Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore* (2010), as Shane
- *A Little Help* (2010), as Bob
- *NCIS: Los Angeles* (2009), series, as G. Callen
- *Max Payne* (2008), as Jason Colvin
- *My Best Friend's Girl* (2008), Thanks
- *Kit Kittredge: An American Girl* (2008), as Mr. Kittredge
- *The Company* (2007), series, as Jack McAuliffe
- *Head Cases* (2005), series, as Jason Payne
- *The Sisters* (2005), as David Turzin
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Finn Dandridge — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *American Dad!* (2005), series, as G. Callen (voice)
- *Kinsey* (2004), as Wardell Pomeroy
- *NCIS* (2003), series, as G. Callen — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md)
- *Two and a Half Men* (2003), series, as Bill — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/tv/two-and-a-half-men.md)
- *29 Palms* (2002), as The Hitman
- *Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes* (2001), as Robin (archive footage)
- *The Triangle* (2001), Executive Producer
- *Vertical Limit* (2000), as Peter Garrett — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/vertical-limit.md)
- *The Bachelor* (1999), as Jimmie · Executive Producer
- *Y2K* (1999), Producer
- *Cookie's Fortune* (1999), as Jason Brown
- *Batman & Robin* (1997), as Robin / Dick Grayson — Fi1m 35, [page](https://film.one/film/batman-and-robin.md)
- *The Practice* (1997), series, as Brad Stanfield
- *In Love and War* (1996), as Ernest 'Ernie' Hemingway
- *The Chamber* (1996), as Adam Hall
- *Batman Forever* (1995), as Robin / Dick Grayson — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/batman-forever.md)
- *Mad Love* (1995), as Matt Leland
- *Circle of Friends* (1995), as Jack Foley — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/circle-of-friends.md)
- *Blue Sky* (1994), as Glenn Johnson
- *The Three Musketeers* (1993), as D'Artagnan
- *Scent of a Woman* (1992), as Charlie Simms — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/scent-of-a-woman.md)
- *School Ties* (1992), as Chris Reece
- *Fried Green Tomatoes* (1991), as Buddy Threadgoode — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/fried-green-tomatoes.md)
- *Men Don't Leave* (1990), as Chris Macauley
- *Jack and Mike* (1986), series, as Evan

## Gallery

- ![Chris O'Donnell](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-cb8817580ac1.jpg) Chris O'Donnell — Toglenn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Chris_ODonnell_Max_Payne_2008.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Actors Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, and Scott Caan of "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "Hawaii Five-0" act out a scene during a recent episode of the CBS hit show "Hawaii](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-2833ab05a43e.jpg) Actors Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, and Scott Caan of "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "Hawaii Five-0" act out a scene during a recent episode of the CBS hit show "Hawaii — Tech. Sgt. Michael Holzworth, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/%27Hawaii_Five-0%27_films_on_Joint_Base_Pearl_Harbor-Hickam_120326-F-MQ656-294.jpg/1280px-%27Hawaii_Five-0%27_films_on_Joint_Base_Pearl_Harbor-Hickam_120326-F-MQ656-294.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-b3fa252ac4a3.jpg) The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. (2017) — Presidio of Monterey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/2017_AT%26T_Pebble_Beach_Weekend_-_Chris_O%27Donnell_%2832232790334%29.jpg/1280px-2017_AT%26T_Pebble_Beach_Weekend_-_Chris_O%27Donnell_%2832232790334%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-4788f4e2f5ca.jpg) The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. (2017) — Presidio of Monterey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/2017_AT%26T_Pebble_Beach_Weekend_-_Chris_O%27Donnell_%2832262825823%29.jpg/1280px-2017_AT%26T_Pebble_Beach_Weekend_-_Chris_O%27Donnell_%2832262825823%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chris O'Donnell](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-f3f461ef1195.jpg) Chris O'Donnell — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris O'Donnell](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-5e430528f803.jpg) Chris O'Donnell — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris O'Donnell](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-93cbfe74ade1.jpg) Chris O'Donnell — Image via TMDB
- ![The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-dbc774847891.jpg) The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. (2017) — Presidio of Monterey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/2017_AT%26T_Pebble_Beach_Weekend_-_Chris_O%27Donnell_and_Adam_Hadwin_%2832232793994%29.jpg/1280px-2017_AT%26T_Pebble_Beach_Weekend_-_Chris_O%27Donnell_and_Adam_Hadwin_%2832232793994%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![NCIS Filming (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-f30c9875b68e.jpg) NCIS Filming (2009) — Bill Wheatley from Los Angeles, CA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Mark_Harmon_and_Chris_ODonnell_%288_March_2009%29.jpg/1280px-Mark_Harmon_and_Chris_ODonnell_%288_March_2009%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chris O'Donnell](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-2887d01c538b.jpg) Chris O'Donnell — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris O'Donnell](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-c4879cbe0108.jpg) Chris O'Donnell — Image via TMDB
- ![Chris O'Donnell](https://film.one/media/person/79724/gallery-32e741f2513d.jpg) Chris O'Donnell — Image via TMDB

---
© 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/chris-odonnell