--- name: "John Gallagher Jr." canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-gallagher-jr" fi1m_id: "john-gallagher-jr" imdb_id: "nm0302330" tmdb_id: 17487 wikidata_id: "Q2914570" roles: ["Actor"] born: "17 June 1984" reviewed_on_fi1m: 4 average_fi1m_score: 77 average_as: "actor" average_over: 4 updated: "2026-10-22T02:47:44.369561+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." --- # John Gallagher Jr. ## Identity John Gallagher Jr. - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-gallagher-jr - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** john-gallagher-jr - **IMDb ID:** nm0302330 - **TMDB ID:** 17487 - **Wikidata ID:** Q2914570 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gallagher_Jr., https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2914570, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0302330/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17487 Actor. Born 17 June 1984 in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 17 June 1984, Wilmington, Delaware, USA - **Active:** 2011–present - **Also known as:** John Howard Gallagher Jr., John Gallagher, Johnny Gallagher - **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as actor, over 4 titles - **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 71 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 1 of 4 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 3, Comedy 1 - **Screen time:** 4 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $2m across 2 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gallagher_Jr., https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2914570, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0302330/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17487 ## Coming up - *The Exorcist: Martyrs* (2027-03-10) ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Short Term 12*](https://film.one/film/short-term-12.md) (86), [*Modern Love*](https://film.one/tv/modern-love.md) (61) - **HBO Max:** [*Olive Kitteridge*](https://film.one/tv/olive-kitteridge.md) (84) - **Disney+:** [*Margaret*](https://film.one/film/margaret.md) (78) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on John Gallagher Jr. > John Gallagher Jr. gives supportive characters enough vulnerability to make their kindness interesting. We value his warmth and restraint, especially in *Short Term 12*, where he helps an ensemble keep its humour without diminishing the hurt. In *Short Term 12* (2013), John Gallagher Jr.’s Mason has enough presence to keep Brie Larson’s Grace from dominating every encounter. He belongs to an ensemble that gives her people to respond to besides people in pain. We laughed at Destin Daniel Cretton’s banter because the humour belongs to the staff and the young people in the home, without making their suffering the joke. Gallagher’s warmth fits a film in which doing difficult work need not mean being solemn all day. Earlier supporting parts included *Pieces of April* (2003) and *Whatever Works* (2009), before *The Newsroom* (2012–2014) brought him wider notice. Aaron Sorkin’s series gave him Jim Harper, an affable character whose inner conflict Gallagher could suggest beneath the agreeable manner. There is a danger of underestimating acting this unshowy, especially when the character’s job is often to provide emotional stability. Gallagher makes that stability seem like something a vulnerable person can offer, which gives the familiar nice-man part some interest. *Short Term 12* remains the clearest reason for our enthusiasm, although its writing sometimes arranges suffering too neatly. Alongside Kaitlyn Dever and LaKeith Stanfield, Gallagher helps keep the other characters from existing only for Grace’s benefit. Cretton’s ensemble gives Larson something substantial to work with, and Mason’s supportive place in it is worth taking seriously. The risk with this kind of casting is that the actor gets thanked for being likeable and asked to do little else. What we respond to in Gallagher is the vulnerability that keeps the likeability from becoming bland. The genre roles offer a change of direction: Emmett in *10 Cloverfield Lane* (2016) and the antagonist in Mike Flanagan’s *Hush* (2016). The latter puts the familiar expectation of a helpful man aside. Those parts are a reason to be curious about what else he might be asked to do, though our firmest recommendation rests elsewhere. Start with *Short Term 12*, despite the script’s occasional tidiness. ## Biography John Gallagher Jr. is an American actor. He was born on 17 June 1984 in Wilmington, Delaware. He originated the role of Moritz Stiefel in the Broadway musical *Spring Awakening* (2006), for which he received the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. His film credits include Mason in *Short Term 12* (2013), Emmett in *10 Cloverfield Lane* (2016), and roles in *Whatever Works* (2009) and *Underwater* (2020). On television he has appeared as Jim Harper in *The Newsroom* (2012–2014) and in *Westworld* (2016). *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (4) - *Modern Love* (2019), Fi1m 61, as Rob — [page](https://film.one/tv/modern-love.md) - *Olive Kitteridge* (2014), Fi1m 84, as Christopher Kitteridge — [page](https://film.one/tv/olive-kitteridge.md) - *Short Term 12* (2013), Fi1m 86, as Mason — [page](https://film.one/film/short-term-12.md) - *Margaret* (2011), Fi1m 78, as Darren — [page](https://film.one/film/margaret.md) ## Complete filmography (40) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Exorcist: Martyrs* (2027), Actor - *Eleven Days* (2026), Actor - *I.S.S.* (2024), as Christian Campbell - *Which Brings Me to You* (2023), as Wallace - *The Same Storm* (2022), as Dale Salt - *Gone in the Night* (2022), as Max - *Abandoned* (2022), as Alex - *Come Play* (2020), as Marty - *Love Life* (2020), series, as Luke Ducharme - *Underwater* (2020), as Liam Smith - *Modern Love* (2019), series, as Rob — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/tv/modern-love.md) - *American Woman* (2019), as Juan - *The Best of Enemies* (2019), as Lee Trombley - *Sadie* (2018), as Cyrus - *Peppermint* (2018), as Detective Stan Carmichael - *The Miseducation of Cameron Post* (2018), as Reverend Rick - *The Belko Experiment* (2017), as Mike Milch - *Westworld* (2016), series, as Liam Dempsey — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/westworld-2016.md) - *Easy* (2016), series, as Lucas - *Hush* (2016), as The Man - *10 Cloverfield Lane* (2016), as Emmett - *Olive Kitteridge* (2014), series, as Christopher Kitteridge — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/olive-kitteridge.md) - *The Heart Machine* (2014), as Cody - *Short Term 12* (2013), as Mason — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/short-term-12.md) - *The Newsroom* (2012), series, as James Harper - *Margaret* (2011), as Darren — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/margaret.md) - *Jonah Hex* (2010), as Second Lt. Evan - *Whatever Works* (2009), as Perry - *Love Monkey* (2006), series, as Paul - *The Good Student* (2006), as Brett Mullen - *Pieces of April* (2003), as Timmy Burns - *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Gary - *The Flamingo Rising* (2001), as Gary - *Ed* (2000), series, as Eric - *The West Wing* (1999), series, as Tyler — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md) - *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Jeff Lynwood - *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Terrence Holt — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md) - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Gary - *Swim Fishy*, as Abel - *20/20*, Actor ## Gallery - ![Star of The Newsroom and 10 Cloverfield Lane. 3/7/2016.](https://film.one/media/person/120971/gallery-92217597ee00.jpg) Star of The Newsroom and 10 Cloverfield Lane. 3/7/2016. — Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/John_Gallagher%2C_Jr._%2825221329853%29.jpg/1280px-John_Gallagher%2C_Jr._%2825221329853%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![John Gallagher Jr.](https://film.one/media/person/120971/gallery-158e7118d466.jpg) John Gallagher Jr. — iDominick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/John_Gallagher%2C_Jr._at_PaleyFest_2013.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![John Gallagher, Jr. at the PaleyFest 2013 panel on the TV show "The Newsroom"](https://film.one/media/person/120971/gallery-f33cd4321bc9.jpg) John Gallagher, Jr. at the PaleyFest 2013 panel on the TV show "The Newsroom" — iDominick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/John_Gallagher%2C_Jr._at_PaleyFest_2013_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![John Gallagher Jr.](https://film.one/media/person/120971/gallery-59dede753071.jpg) John Gallagher Jr. — Image via TMDB - ![John Gallagher Jr.](https://film.one/media/person/120971/gallery-f1995683785e.jpg) John Gallagher Jr. — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Other awards — 1 won - Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical 2007: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (won) *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/john-gallagher-jr