Born Thomas Richard McMillen, to Maxine Sanders and Carlos McMillen, Thomas Haden Church would eventually change his name by adopting the names of other relatives. He began his career in the entertainment industry doing voiceover work and radio and got his first onscreen role as Dwight Jesmer in the independent film Protect and Surf, about a group of police officers who share a beach house in California as a way of escaping the hard realities of their jobs.
Since then, Church has made a name for himself in Hollywood, most notably as dimwitted mechanic Lowel Mather in the NBC sitcom Wings, Sandman in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, and Jack Cole in the critically acclaimed Sideways, for which he has received numerous accolades. Church also wrote and directed the 2003 comedy Rolling Kansas, about a road trip to find a magical forest made of cannabis, and starred in one of AMC’s highest-rated and most celebrated television series Broken Trail.
In addition to his acting career ,Church passes his time tending to the four ranches he runs with his partner. According to 2010 interview with Chron, driving cattle “defines him.” Church states, "Ranching is what I do, and every now and then, I make a movie." Church will next star in the upcoming films The Happy Worker, the atomic age thriller Deception Road, and Peacock's live-action comedy Twisted Metal. Here are nine of Thomas Haden Church’s best movies, ranked.
George of the Jungle
George of the Jungle is a goofy yet surprisingly entertaining family comedy about George (Brendan Fraser), a human baby deserted in the jungle after a plane crash, who raises himself into adulthood in the wild. When adult George rescues explorer Ursula Stanhope (Leslie Mann) from a lion, sparks fly, much to the dismay of her sleazy, scheming, obnoxious fiancé Lyle van de Groot (Thomas Haden Church). It is one of Church’s best comedic performances despite him being criminally underused.
We Bought a Zoo
We Bought a Zoo is loosely based on the memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee. It tells the story of widowed father Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) who longs for a fresh start after the death of his wife. Mee buys a run-down zoo as a restoration project for him and his family. Church stars as Duncan Mee, Benjamin’s brother and accountant who warns him against making the purchase. If you are in the mood for a feel-good family movie that teaches the lesson anything in life is possible, look no further than We Bought a Zoo.
Easy A
Easy A is a modern retelling of the Nathaniel Hawthorne literary classic The Scarlet Letter. It follows Olive Pendergast (Emma Stone), a high school student who lies about losing her virginity to help out a friend and soon finds that her carefully crafted reputation is one she can't quite escape from. It is one of Church’s best comedic roles as he shines as devoted high-school English teacher Mr. Griffith, who tries to help Olive navigate the difficult situation, while dealing with relationship issues of his own. Church told Chron, "It afforded me the opportunity to be that avuncular voice of wisdom with all the kids". There are currently talks of an Easy A sequel in the works that would see the return of some of the original characters. Here's hoping Mr. Griffith is one of them.
The Peanut Butter Falcon
The Peanut Butter Falcon is a heartwarming tale of a man with Down Syndrome, who escapes his extended care home to seek out the Salt Water Redneck wrestling school. Along the way, he crosses paths with Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) who is on the lam, and Eleanor, one of his nurses anxious to return him to the home. The three strike up an unbreakable bond over the course of their adventures. Thomas Haden Church gives a hilarious and heartfelt performance as former wrestler Salt Water Redneck, who suits up one last time to help Zack fulfill his dream.
Spider-Man 3 / Spider-Man: No Way Home
Thomas Haden Church stars as Spider-Man villain Flint Marco a.k.a Sandman in one of his most well-known roles in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. This is one of Church’s best roles as his storyline in the film allows for closure between Flint Marco and Peter Parker regarding Uncle Ben’s tragic death. In the film, audiences learn Marco’s tragic backstory and the circumstances that brought him to that fateful day. Church also lent his voice to the same character in the recent MCU blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home. Though there was speculation that Church would return, in reality, his performance was digitally created using footage from Raimi’s original film. The process the VFX team used is discussed in a January 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Killer Joe
Killer Joe is a twisted black comedy brought to us by The Exorcist director William Friedkin. It stars Matthew McConaughey as a badass cop who also moonlights as a hit-man. When a down on his luck drug dealer Chris (Emile Hirsch) hires Joe to kill his mother Adele, Joe makes a bargain for Chris’ younger sister Dottie. Things get complicated when Chris tries to unwind the deal with the calculated killer. Church outdoes himself as dim-witted co-conspirator Ansel, who adds some comic relief to the convoluted situation.
Smart People
Smart People is a dysfunctional family film centered around widowed professor Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) who has lost his lust for life. When he begins dating a former student, he realizes he must reconnect with his estranged children in order to move on with his life. Church once again provides the comic relief as the wayward Chuck, Lawrence’s unemployed adopted brother who takes up residence with the Wetherhold family in return for chauffeuring Lawrence around after he suffers a seizure. Elliot Page also stars as Wetherhold’s daughter Vanessa, in a Juno-like performance.
Whitewash
Whitewash is a Canadian film starring Thomas Haden Church as snowplow driver Bruce, who befriends a man named Paul before accidentally killing him with his snowplow one drunken night. The film is told in flashback sequences coupled with present day events. It follows Bruce as he tries to cover up his crime, while simultaneously struggling with his conscience over what he has done. Church delivers a sharp and funny performance in this surprisingly gripping tale.
Sideways
In Thomas Haden Church's best movie Sideways, he stars as Jack, an actor on the verge of getting married. For his bachelor party, Jack and his friend Miles take a week-long cross-country wine tour. The film follows the pair's misadventures on their trip wherein mild-mannered Miles hopes for relaxation while Jack mainly prioritizes getting laid. Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen also star in supporting roles. Thomas Haden Church was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in this critically acclaimed film which is worth a second watch.