---
name: "Scoot McNairy"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/scoot-mcnairy"
fi1m_id: "scoot-mcnairy"
imdb_id: "nm1058940"
tmdb_id: 59233
wikidata_id: "Q566037"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "11 November 1977"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 18
average_fi1m_score: 72
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 18
updated: "2026-10-03T02:36:49.406750+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."
---

# Scoot McNairy

## Identity

Scoot McNairy

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/scoot-mcnairy
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** scoot-mcnairy
- **IMDb ID:** nm1058940
- **TMDB ID:** 59233
- **Wikidata ID:** Q566037
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoot_McNairy, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q566037, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1058940/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59233

Actor. Born 11 November 1977 in Dallas, Texas, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 11 November 1977, Dallas, Texas, USA
- **Active:** 2010–present
- **Also known as:** John Marcus Scoot McNairy, John Marcus Mcnairy, John 'Scoot' McNairy, John McNairy, Scooter, 스쿳 맥네이리, Скут МакНэйри, Скут Макнейрі, 史考特·麥奈利, اسکات مک‌نِیری, اسکات مک نیری
- **Frequently works with:** [Brad Pitt](https://film.one/person/brad-pitt.md), [Amy Adams](https://film.one/person/amy-adams.md), [Andrew Dominik](https://film.one/person/andrew-dominik.md), [Ben Affleck](https://film.one/person/ben-affleck.md), [Chris Terrio](https://film.one/person/chris-terrio.md), [Dede Gardner](https://film.one/person/dede-gardner.md), [Mackenzie Davis](https://film.one/person/mackenzie-davis.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 72, as actor, over 18 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2010s 76 (10), 2020s 67 (8)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 72 across 18 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 10 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 4 of 15 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 13, Thriller 7, Horror 3, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Mystery 2
- **Screen time:** 27 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2,622m across 12 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoot_McNairy, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q566037, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1058940/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59233

## Coming up

- *Family Movie* (2027-04-23)

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Monsters*](https://film.one/film/monsters.md) (78), [*INVINCIBLE*](https://film.one/tv/invincible-2021.md) (74), [*Killing Them Softly*](https://film.one/film/killing-them-softly.md) (68)
- **Apple TV:** [*Argo*](https://film.one/film/argo.md) (79), [*A Quiet Place Part II*](https://film.one/film/a-quiet-place-part-ii.md) (76)
- **Disney+:** [*Furious*](https://film.one/tv/furious.md) (75), [*Nightbitch*](https://film.one/film/nightbitch.md) (56)
- **Netflix:** [*Godless*](https://film.one/tv/godless.md) (74), [*Blonde*](https://film.one/film/blonde.md) (40)
- **AMC+:** [*Halt and Catch Fire*](https://film.one/tv/halt-and-catch-fire.md) (84)
- **HBO Max:** [*Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice*](https://film.one/film/batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice.md) (44)

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

## Fi1m on Scoot McNairy

> Scoot McNairy makes tired, hesitant men worth watching, with a stoop or a small movement of the hand doing the work. We rate his quiet precision, though films sometimes use it to make weak men too easy to forgive.

In *A Complete Unknown* (2024), Scoot McNairy answers a song with a flat hand on a blanket. As Woody Guthrie in James Mangold’s film, he must respond without speech. Chalamet sings towards the bed; McNairy makes the response matter without competing for our attention. We were moved by that small movement of his hand, more than we expected from a film whose drama so often waits for the next song.

He had an early leading part in *In Search of a Midnight Kiss* (2007), which he also produced, and his breakthrough came with *Monsters* (2010). *Argo* (2012) and *Killing Them Softly* (2012) put him in supporting roles; television offered a sustained lead as computer engineer Gordon Clark in *Halt and Catch Fire* (2014–2017). The smaller parts suit an actor who can establish a man’s temperament before he has explained himself.

In James Watkins’s *Speak No Evil* (2024), his Ben Dalton has an apologetic stoop and seems to find agreement less tiring than objection. Mackenzie Davis gives Louise the instincts Ben would rather ignore, and McNairy makes his passivity frustratingly credible. He helps explain why these guests remain at a table they ought to leave. The film becomes more ordinary when it turns to overt violence, but his contribution to its uncomfortable politeness is precise.

That skill has a limit in Marielle Heller’s *Nightbitch* (2024). Opposite Amy Adams, he plays the travelling Husband as a man who means well and comes home tired, leaving her with the work of being Mother. Making him recognisable is useful; making him so easy to excuse weakens a film already reluctant to pursue its nastier possibilities. McNairy is persuasive, but we wanted the film to press harder on the man he gives it.

*Furious* (2026) puts that familiar tired decency to better use in Danny Kelly, part of a supporting cast that steadies an overlong revenge thriller. It is a recognisable McNairy part, and he does not coast through it. We would welcome more roles that ask something less reassuring of him. Start with *A Complete Unknown* for how much he can do with so little, but do not expect the rest of the film to match that encounter.

## Biography

Scoot McNairy is an American actor and film producer. Born in Dallas, Texas, he began appearing in films in the early 2000s with small roles in titles such as *Wonderland* (2003) and *Herbie: Fully Loaded* (2005). He made his debut as a producer with *In Search of a Midnight Kiss* (2007), in which he also starred.

McNairy is known for supporting roles in films including *Monsters* (2010), *Argo* (2012), *Killing Them Softly* (2012), *12 Years a Slave* (2013), *Gone Girl* (2014), *Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice* (2016), *Speak No Evil* (2024) as Ben Dalton, *Nightbitch* (2024) as Husband, and *A Complete Unknown* (2024) as Woody Guthrie. On television he has appeared in *Halt and Catch Fire* (2014–2017), *Godless* (2017), *Narcos: Mexico* (2018–2021), *True Detective* (2019) as Tom Purcell, and *Furious* (2026) as Danny Kelly. His awards include an Independent Spirit Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

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

## On Fi1m (18)

- *Furious* (2026), Fi1m 75, as Danny Kelly — [page](https://film.one/tv/furious.md)
- *A Complete Unknown* (2024), Fi1m 68, as Woody Guthrie — [page](https://film.one/film/a-complete-unknown.md)
- *Nightbitch* (2024), Fi1m 56, as Husband — [page](https://film.one/film/nightbitch.md)
- *Speak No Evil* (2024), Fi1m 66, as Ben Dalton — [page](https://film.one/film/speak-no-evil.md)
- *Blonde* (2022), Fi1m 40, as Tommy Ewell / Richard Sherman — [page](https://film.one/film/blonde.md)
- *A Quiet Place Part II* (2021), Fi1m 76, as Marina Man — [page](https://film.one/film/a-quiet-place-part-ii.md)
- *C'mon C'mon* (2021), Fi1m 80, as Paul — [page](https://film.one/film/cmon-cmon.md)
- *INVINCIBLE* (2021), Fi1m 74, as King Lizard (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/invincible-2021.md)
- *Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood* (2019), Fi1m 77, as 'Lancer' - 'Business Bob' Gilbert — [page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood.md)
- *Godless* (2017), Fi1m 74, as Bill McNue — [page](https://film.one/tv/godless.md)
- *Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice* (2016), Fi1m 44, as Wallace Keefe — [page](https://film.one/film/batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice.md)
- *Gone Girl* (2014), Fi1m 84, as Tommy O'Hara — [page](https://film.one/film/gone-girl.md)
- *Halt and Catch Fire* (2014), Fi1m 84, as Gordon Clark — [page](https://film.one/tv/halt-and-catch-fire.md)
- *True Detective* (2014), Fi1m 80, as Tom Purcell — [page](https://film.one/tv/true-detective.md)
- *12 Years a Slave* (2013), Fi1m 91, as Brown — [page](https://film.one/film/12-years-a-slave.md)
- *Argo* (2012), Fi1m 79, as Joe Stafford — [page](https://film.one/film/argo.md)
- *Killing Them Softly* (2012), Fi1m 68, as Frankie — [page](https://film.one/film/killing-them-softly.md)
- *Monsters* (2010), Fi1m 78, as Andrew Kaulder — [page](https://film.one/film/monsters.md)

## Complete filmography (92)

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

- *Family Movie* (2027), Actor
- *The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd* (2026), Actor
- *Company* (2026), as Emmett
- *Furious* (2026), series, as Danny Kelly — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/tv/furious.md)
- *Man on Fire* (2026), series, as Henry Tappan
- *Fairyland* (2025), as Steve Abbott
- *East of Wall* (2025), as Roy Waters
- *A Complete Unknown* (2024), as Woody Guthrie — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/a-complete-unknown.md)
- *Nightbitch* (2024), as Husband — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/nightbitch.md)
- *The Line* (2024), as Detective
- *Speak No Evil* (2024), as Ben Dalton — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/speak-no-evil.md)
- *Other Other* (2024), as Spyro
- *Blood for Dust* (2024), as Cliff
- *The Santa Stories* (2023), series, as Nate
- *Taurus* (2022), as Ray
- *Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile* (2022), as Joseph Primm
- *Luckiest Girl Alive* (2022), as Andrew Larson
- *Blonde* (2022), as Tommy Ewell / Richard Sherman — Fi1m 40, [page](https://film.one/film/blonde.md)
- *Pantheon* (2022), series, as Cody / Kurt (voice), Soldier (voice), Cody (voice)
- *C'mon C'mon* (2021), as Paul — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/cmon-cmon.md)
- *Renegades: The Bad Boys of NASCAR* (2021), as Narrator (voice)
- *A Quiet Place Part II* (2021), as Marina Man — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/a-quiet-place-part-ii.md)
- *INVINCIBLE* (2021), series, as King Lizard (voice) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/invincible-2021.md)
- *The Comey Rule* (2020), series, as Rod Rosenstein
- *Love Life* (2020), series, as Bradley Field
- *Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood* (2019), as 'Lancer' - 'Business Bob' Gilbert — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood.md)
- *Carl's Motel* (2019), as Jack
- *The Parts You Lose* (2019), as Ronnie
- *Destroyer* (2018), as Ethan
- *Narcos: Mexico* (2018), series, as Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Walt Breslin
- *The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter* (2018), as Greg
- *Godless* (2017), series, as Bill McNue — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/godless.md)
- *War Machine* (2017), as Sean Cullen
- *Aftermath* (2017), as Jacob "Jake" Bonanos
- *Sleepless* (2017), as Rob Novak
- *Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice* (2016), as Wallace Keefe — Fi1m 44, [page](https://film.one/film/batman-v-superman-dawn-of-justice.md)
- *Lamb* (2015), as Jesse
- *Our Brand Is Crisis* (2015), as Buckley
- *Frank and Cindy* (2015), Producer
- *Black Sea* (2014), as Daniels
- *Monsters: Dark Continent* (2014), Executive Producer
- *Gone Girl* (2014), as Tommy O'Hara — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/gone-girl.md)
- *The Rover* (2014), as Henry
- *Halt and Catch Fire* (2014), series, as Gordon Clark — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/halt-and-catch-fire.md)
- *Frank* (2014), as Don
- *Fargo* (2014), series, as Maurice LeFay — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/fargo-2014.md)
- *Non-Stop* (2014), as Tom Bowen
- *Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King* (2014), as Jackson Norriss
- *True Detective* (2014), series, as Tom Purcell — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/true-detective.md)
- *12 Years a Slave* (2013), as Brown — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/12-years-a-slave.md)
- *Touchy Feely* (2013), as Jesse
- *Straight A's* (2013), Producer
- *Dragon Day* (2013), as Phil
- *Argo* (2012), as Joe Stafford — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/argo.md)
- *Promised Land* (2012), as Jeff Dennon
- *Please, Alfonso* (2012), Producer
- *Killing Them Softly* (2012), as Frankie — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/killing-them-softly.md)
- *The Napkin* (2012), as Pete
- *Angry White Man* (2011), as Walt
- *A Night in the Woods* (2011), as Brody Cartwright
- *The Off Hours* (2011), as Corey
- *Wes and Ella* (2010), as Wes
- *Wreckage* (2010), as Frank Jeffries
- *Monsters* (2010), as Andrew Kaulder — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/monsters.md)
- *Everything Will Happen Before You Die* (2010), as Matt
- *Mr. Sadman* (2009), as Stevie
- *The Resurrection of Officer Rollins* (2009), as Shooter
- *Eleventh Hour* (2008), series, as Rudy Callistro
- *Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery* (2008), as Panache
- *In Search of a Midnight Kiss* (2007), as Wilson · Producer
- *Marcus* (2007), as Charles
- *Blind Man* (2007), as Sparky Collins
- *Mr. Fix It* (2006), as Dan
- *Bobby* (2006), as Beatnik
- *Art School Confidential* (2006), as Army-Jacket
- *Murder 101* (2006), as Panache (uncredited)
- *My Name Is Earl* (2005), series, as Bed Bug — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/my-name-is-earl.md)
- *Close to Home* (2005), series, as TJ
- *How I Met Your Mother* (2005), series, as Fast Food Worker — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/how-i-met-your-mother.md)
- *Bones* (2005), series, as Noel Liftin — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/bones.md)
- *Herbie Fully Loaded* (2005), as Augie
- *D.E.B.S.* (2005), as Stoner
- *Sleepover* (2004), as DJ at Club
- *White Men in Seminole Flats* (2004), as Dale
- *Wonderland* (2003), as Jack
- *Sexless* (2003), as Ryan
- *The Shield* (2002), series, as Doug Obermyer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md)
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Vitas Long
- *Wrong Numbers*, as Russell
- *Die by Night*, Actor
- *Cowgirl's Last Ride*, as Randall
- *McCarthy*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Scoot McNairy in a 2022 ad for TX Whiskey](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-06e3dab9c86b.jpg) Scoot McNairy in a 2022 ad for TX Whiskey — Nate the Director, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Scoot_McNairy_TX_Whiskey.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Scoot McNairy, actor, with his partner at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie Nightbitch.](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-46575f429bbf.jpg) Scoot McNairy, actor, with his partner at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie Nightbitch. — Sara Komatsu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Scoot_McNairy_and_his_partner_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival._03.jpg/1280px-Scoot_McNairy_and_his_partner_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival._03.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Scoot McNairy, actor, at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie Nightbitch.](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-c0dff3230bce.jpg) Scoot McNairy, actor, at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie Nightbitch. — Sara Komatsu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Scoot_McNairy_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival._02.jpg/1280px-Scoot_McNairy_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival._02.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Scoot McNairy](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-5d5ae9475458.jpg) Scoot McNairy — Sara Komatsu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Scoot_McNairy_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival._02_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Scoot_McNairy_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival._02_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Scoot McNairy](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-c3530338cc25.jpg) Scoot McNairy — Image via TMDB
- ![Scoot McNairy](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-bdf07de6fd03.jpg) Scoot McNairy — Image via TMDB
- ![Scoot McNairy](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-51775947debe.jpg) Scoot McNairy — Image via TMDB
- ![Scoot McNairy, actor, at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie Nightbitch.](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-17f352dd8324.jpg) Scoot McNairy, actor, at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie Nightbitch. — Sara Komatsu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Scoot_McNairy_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival._04.jpg/1280px-Scoot_McNairy_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival._04.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Scoot McNairy](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-848bd4fabfca.jpg) Scoot McNairy — Image via TMDB
- ![Scoot McNairy](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-bfcfc8bec5a4.jpg) Scoot McNairy — Image via TMDB
- ![Scoot McNairy](https://film.one/media/person/10018/gallery-3c9b676eeb32.jpg) Scoot McNairy — 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/scoot-mcnairy