---
name: "Eric Stoltz"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/eric-stoltz"
fi1m_id: "eric-stoltz"
imdb_id: "nm0000655"
tmdb_id: 7036
wikidata_id: "Q318267"
roles: ["Director","Actor"]
born: "30 September 1961"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 15
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_as: "director"
average_over: 8
updated: "2026-10-07T14:32:39.162991+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."
---

# Eric Stoltz

## Identity

Eric Stoltz

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/eric-stoltz
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** eric-stoltz
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000655
- **TMDB ID:** 7036
- **Wikidata ID:** Q318267
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Stoltz, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q318267, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000655/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7036

Director and actor. Born 30 September 1961 in Whittier, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Director, Actor
- **Born:** 30 September 1961, Whittier, California, USA
- **Active:** 1982–2014
- **Also known as:** Eric Hamilton Stoltz, اریک استولتز
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 15: 6 acting, 8 directing, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Bill D'Elia](https://film.one/person/bill-delia.md), [Arlene Sanford](https://film.one/person/arlene-sanford.md), [Bethany Rooney](https://film.one/person/bethany-rooney.md), [Elodie Keene](https://film.one/person/elodie-keene.md), [Michael Pressman](https://film.one/person/michael-pressman.md), [Paul McCrane](https://film.one/person/paul-mccrane.md), [Ron Underwood](https://film.one/person/ron-underwood.md), [Stephen Cragg](https://film.one/person/stephen-cragg.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 68, as director, over 8 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 81 (4), 1990s 77 (4), 2000s 69 (5), 2010s 62 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 65 to 65 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 8, Comedy 3, Crime 1, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 1
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Stoltz, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q318267, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000655/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7036

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Boston Legal*](https://film.one/tv/boston-legal.md) (76), [*Nip/Tuck*](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md) (70), [*Glee*](https://film.one/tv/glee.md) (68), [*Grey's Anatomy*](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md) (68)
- **Hulu:** [*Law & Order*](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md) (72), [*Californication*](https://film.one/tv/californication.md) (63)
- **Apple TV:** [*Pulp Fiction*](https://film.one/film/pulp-fiction.md) (82)
- **Pluto TV:** [*Nashville*](https://film.one/tv/nashville-2012.md) (74)
- **Tubi:** [*Believe*](https://film.one/tv/believe.md) (49)

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

## Fi1m on Eric Stoltz

> An actor of the 1980s and 1990s who has spent two decades directing other people's television. On screen he brought a watchful edge to small parts; behind the camera he is the kind of director you are not meant to notice, and mostly do not.

He is best known for a room he plainly wants everyone out of. In *Pulp Fiction* (1994) Eric Stoltz plays Lance, Vincent's dealer, whose living room becomes the setting for a syringe, a medical book and the film's most alarming few minutes. Stoltz does not play the scene for laughs. Lance is the one person present who understands how badly this can go, and he is angry about being asked to deal with it, which is exactly why it is funny. We watched it through our fingers and heard ourselves laughing at the same time, and a fair share of that laughter was his.

The part is typical. Stoltz has spent most of his acting life in supporting roles and brought more edge to them than the parts asked for. He began on television in the late 1970s, had a small role in *Fast Times at Ridgemont High* (1982) and then a lead in *Mask* (1985) as Rocky Dennis, and in the same year was taken off *Back to the Future* after five weeks because his serious reading of the part did not suit the comedy. That story has followed him, and it tells you something useful: he plays things straight even when the film around him is not. The 1990s were spent largely in independent films, *The Waterdance* (1992) among them, some of which he helped produce, and in five collaborations with Cameron Crowe. He never became the leading man the mid-1980s seemed to promise.

Around 2002 he changed jobs. Since then he has directed a great deal of other people's television: *Grey's Anatomy*, *Boston Legal*, *Nip/Tuck* (2003), a dozen episodes of *Glee* (2009), and *Madam Secretary* (2014), where he was producing director, directed more than ten episodes and acted as well. His own account of the method is an actor's. He storyboards every scene and sends out shot lists, and then, in his words, "I try to have fun and play with the actors and try to make discoveries without hiding behind video monitors." The preparation is for the camera; the openness is for the people in front of it.

Whether it works is hard to judge from the sofa, which is rather the point. Our review of *Nip/Tuck*, which we scored 70 and thought sharp for two seasons before it lost its nerve, does not mention its directors at all, and a director on a long-running series has done the job when nobody notices the joins. That is honourable work. It also leaves almost nothing you can point to and call his.

So the thing to point to is still Lance. Put *Pulp Fiction* on for the dinner date and what follows it, and watch the man in the living room who would rather none of this were happening. It is the clearest statement of what Stoltz does: he takes a scene seriously while the film is enjoying itself, and the scene is better for it.

## Biography

Eric Stoltz is an American actor and director. He was born on 30 September 1961 in Whittier, California, and trained at the University of Southern California before studying acting in New York with Stella Adler and Peggy Feury.

He first appeared on screen in *Fast Times at Ridgemont High* (1982). Stoltz played Lance in *Pulp Fiction* (1994) and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for the role. Other film credits include *Mask* (1985), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination, *Some Kind of Wonderful* (1987), *The Waterdance* (1992), *Killing Zoe* (1994), *Jerry Maguire* (1996) and *The Butterfly Effect* (2004). He was originally cast as Marty McFly in *Back to the Future* (1985) before being replaced.

Stoltz has directed episodes of television series including *Grey's Anatomy*, *How to Get Away with Murder* and *Madam Secretary*.

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

## On Fi1m (15)

### Performed in (6)

- *Jerry Maguire* (1996), Fi1m 81, as Ethan Valhere — [page](https://film.one/film/jerry-maguire.md)
- *Pulp Fiction* (1994), Fi1m 82, as Lance — [page](https://film.one/film/pulp-fiction.md)
- *Singles* (1992), Fi1m 74, as The Mime — [page](https://film.one/film/singles.md)
- *Say Anything...* (1989), Fi1m 81, as Vahlere — [page](https://film.one/film/say-anything.md)
- *Mask* (1985), Fi1m 81, as Rocky Dennis — [page](https://film.one/film/mask.md)
- *Fast Times at Ridgemont High* (1982), Fi1m 70, as Stoner Bud — [page](https://film.one/film/fast-times-at-ridgemont-high.md)

### Directed (8) — the average rests on these

- *Believe* (2014), Fi1m 49, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/believe.md)
- *Nashville* (2012), Fi1m 74, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/nashville-2012.md)
- *Glee* (2009), Fi1m 68, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/glee.md)
- *Californication* (2007), Fi1m 63, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/californication.md)
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), Fi1m 68, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Boston Legal* (2004), Fi1m 76, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/boston-legal.md)
- *Nip/Tuck* (2003), Fi1m 70, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md)
- *Law & Order* (1990), Fi1m 72, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Back to the Future* (1985), Fi1m 92, as Marty McFly (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/back-to-the-future.md)

## Complete filmography (130)

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

- *Original Sound* (2026), as Jake Colburn
- *Countdown* (2025), series, Director
- *Flying Lessons* (2023), Executive Producer
- *Cinema Toast* (2021), series, as Presenter
- *Lucky Day* (2019), as Voice of Authority (voice)
- *Her Smell* (2019), as Howard Goodman
- *Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk* (2017), Director
- *Class Rank* (2017), as Brilliant Young Nerd's Father · Director
- *The Good Fight* (2017), series, as Judge Meachem
- *Bull* (2016), series, Director
- *Back in Time* (2015), as Original Marty McFly / Bill Conrad (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant* (2015), as Russ Peterson
- *How to Get Away with Murder* (2014), series, Director
- *Madam Secretary* (2014), series, as Will Adams · Director, Co-Executive Producer, Executive Producer
- *5 to 7* (2014), as Jonathan Galassi
- *Believe* (2014), series, Director — Fi1m 49, [page](https://film.one/tv/believe.md)
- *Hello* (2014), as Max
- *Fort McCoy* (2014), as Frank Stirn · Producer
- *Maron* (2013), series, as Danny
- *Nashville* (2012), series, Director — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/nashville-2012.md)
- *Modern Love* (2012), as Simon Russo
- *Blue* (2012), series, as Arthur
- *Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer* (2011), as Guy in Zombie Movie
- *Caprica* (2010), series, as Daniel Greystone · Director
- *White Collar* (2009), series, Director
- *Glee* (2009), series, Director — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/glee.md)
- *Sparks* (2009), as Joseph
- *Blank Slate* (2008), as Sean Sullivan
- *Quarterlife* (2008), series, Director
- *Private Practice* (2007), series, Director
- *Californication* (2007), series, Director — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/californication.md)
- *Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil & The Presidency* (2007), as Christian Missionary (voice)
- *The Lather Effect* (2006), as Mickey
- *The Triangle* (2005), series, as Howard Thomas
- *Close to Home* (2005), series, as Chris Veeder
- *The Honeymooners* (2005), as William Davis
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as William Dunn · Director — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Medium* (2005), series, as Sonny Troyer
- *Boston Legal* (2004), series, Director — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/boston-legal.md)
- *Childstar* (2004), as Fresno Burnbaum
- *The Butterfly Effect* (2004), as George Miller
- *When Zachary Beaver Came to Town* (2003), Actor
- *Nip/Tuck* (2003), series, Director — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md)
- *Out of Order* (2003), series, as Mark Colm
- *Happy Hour* (2003), as Levine
- *The Rules of Attraction* (2002), as Mr. Lawson
- *Highball* (2002), as Darien
- *The Simian Line* (2001), as Sam Donovan
- *Things Behind the Sun* (2001), as Dan
- *Harvard Man* (2001), as Teddy Carter
- *My Horrible Year!* (2001), as Uncle Charlie · Director
- *The Last Dance* (2000), as Todd Cope
- *The House of Mirth* (2000), as Lawrence Selden
- *One Kill* (2000), as Capt. Wallker Randall
- *Common Ground* (2000), as Johnny Burroughs
- *Reliving Our Fast Times at Ridgemont High* (1999), Actor
- *Once and Again* (1999), series, Director
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Michael Sweeney
- *The Lot* (1999), series, as Weller
- *Hercules: Zero to Hero* (1999), as Theseus (voice) (archive sound)
- *A Murder of Crows* (1999), as Thurman Parks III
- *Our Guys: Outrage at Glen Ridge* (1999), as Prosecutor Robert Laurino
- *The Passion of Ayn Rand* (1999), as Nathaniel Branden
- *Hi-Life* (1998), as Jimmy
- *Will & Grace* (1998), series, as Tom Cassidy
- *Mr. Jealousy* (1998), as Lester Grimm, aka Vince · Executive Producer
- *Blackout Effect* (1998), as John Dantley
- *Anaconda* (1997), as Dr. Steven Cale
- *Keys to Tulsa* (1997), as Richter Boudreau
- *The Rocking Horse Winner* (1997), as Uncle Joe
- *Jerry Maguire* (1996), as Ethan Valhere — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/jerry-maguire.md)
- *Grace of My Heart* (1996), as Howard Cazsatt
- *2 Days in the Valley* (1996), as Wes Taylor
- *Inside* (1996), as Marty
- *Don't Look Back* (1996), as Jesse
- *Kicking and Screaming* (1995), as Chet
- *Partners* (1995), series, Actor
- *The Prophecy* (1995), as Simon
- *Fluke* (1995), as Jeff Newman
- *Rob Roy* (1995), as Alan MacDonald
- *Little Women* (1994), as John Brooke
- *Sleep with Me* (1994), as Joseph · Producer
- *Chicago Hope* (1994), series, as Robert Yeats
- *Pulp Fiction* (1994), as Lance — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/pulp-fiction.md)
- *Roommates* (1994), as Bill Thomas
- *Naked in New York* (1993), as Jake Briggs
- *Killing Zoe* (1993), as Zed
- *Frasier* (1993), series, as Don (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md)
- *Fallen Angels* (1993), series, as Nick Ballestier — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/fallen-angels-1993.md)
- *Bodies, Rest & Motion* (1993), as Sid · Producer
- *Foreign Affairs* (1993), as Fred Turner
- *Homicide: Life on the Street* (1993), series, as Drew Kellerman — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/tv/homicide-life-on-the-street.md)
- *The Heart of Justice* (1992), as David Leader
- *Mad About You* (1992), series, as Alan Tofsky
- *Singles* (1992), as The Mime — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/singles.md)
- *The Waterdance* (1992), as Joel Garcia
- *A Woman at War* (1991), as Franz Bueller
- *Money* (1991), as Franck Cimballi
- *Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers* (1991), as Reader
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Evan Stoltz · Director — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Memphis Belle* (1990), as Danny Daly
- *Sensibility and Sense* (1990), as Younger Edward
- *The Rachel Papers* (1989), as Cafe Patron (uncredited)
- *Say Anything...* (1989), as Vahlere — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/say-anything.md)
- *Our Town* (1989), as George Gibbs
- *The Fly II* (1989), as Martin Brundle
- *Haunted Summer* (1988), as Percy Shelley
- *Manifesto* (1988), as Christopher
- *Greasy Lake* (1988), as T.C.
- *Sister, Sister* (1987), as Matt Rutledge
- *Lionheart* (1987), as Robert Nerra
- *Some Kind of Wonderful* (1987), as Keith Nelson
- *Code Name: Emerald* (1985), as Andy Wheeler
- *Back to the Future* (1985), as Marty McFly (uncredited) — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/back-to-the-future.md)
- *Mask* (1985), as Rocky Dennis — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/mask.md)
- *The New Kids* (1985), as Mark Warfield
- *The Wild Life* (1984), as Bill Conrad
- *Things Are Looking Up* (1984), as Neil 'Trout' Troutman
- *Running Hot* (1984), as Danny Hicks
- *Surf 2* (1984), as Chuck
- *Killing Time* (1984), as Stop N Start Manager
- *A Killer in the Family* (1983), as Ricky Tison
- *St. Elsewhere* (1982), series, as Eddie Carson — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md)
- *Fast Times at Ridgemont High* (1982), as Stoner Bud — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/fast-times-at-ridgemont-high.md)
- *Paper Dolls* (1982), as Steve
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Young Edward
- *The Violation of Sarah McDavid* (1981), as Pete Brady
- *Knots Landing* (1979), series, as Luke
- *The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank* (1978), as Steve Benson
- *The Autopsy of Albert Kemper*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Actors Grace Park, Eric Stoltz and Esai Morales at the 2009 Paleyfest, taking part of the Battlestar Galactica/Caprica panel.](https://film.one/media/person/9159/gallery-afbf6a579fb7.jpg) Actors Grace Park, Eric Stoltz and Esai Morales at the 2009 Paleyfest, taking part of the Battlestar Galactica/Caprica panel. — oscalito, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Eric_Stoltz-2009.jpg/1280px-Eric_Stoltz-2009.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Eric Stoltz](https://film.one/media/person/9159/gallery-cf9020f9f4ad.jpg) Eric Stoltz — oscalito, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Eric_Stoltz-2009_cropped.jpg/1280px-Eric_Stoltz-2009_cropped.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Star of Mask, Some Kind of Wonderful, Memphis Belle, 2 Days in the Valley, The Fly II, and Anaconda. NYC April '19. (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/9159/gallery-111bbc3e30fe.jpg) Star of Mask, Some Kind of Wonderful, Memphis Belle, 2 Days in the Valley, The Fly II, and Anaconda. NYC April '19. (2019) — Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Eric_Stoltz_%2847645926471%29.jpg/1280px-Eric_Stoltz_%2847645926471%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![In Conversation With Eric Stoltz (2018)](https://film.one/media/person/9159/gallery-6ab405754624.jpg) In Conversation With Eric Stoltz (2018) — Trey Jones from Austin, US, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/In_Conversation_With_Eric_Stoltz_%2840589750005%29.jpg/1280px-In_Conversation_With_Eric_Stoltz_%2840589750005%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Eric Stoltz](https://film.one/media/person/9159/gallery-ba7f2ed2414d.jpg) Eric Stoltz — Image via TMDB
- ![Eric Stoltz](https://film.one/media/person/9159/gallery-1da3b0758390.jpg) Eric Stoltz — Image via TMDB
- ![Eric Stoltz](https://film.one/media/person/9159/gallery-28394ba6d464.jpg) Eric Stoltz — Image via TMDB
- ![In Conversation With Eric Stoltz (2018)](https://film.one/media/person/9159/gallery-5fef9f7fa2ed.jpg) In Conversation With Eric Stoltz (2018) — Trey Jones from Austin, US, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/In_Conversation_With_Eric_Stoltz_%2840589750005%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won, 1 nominated

- Theatre World Award 1989: Theatre World Award (won)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 1989: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (nominated)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© 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/eric-stoltz