Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Billy Magnussen

Highest Rated: 91% Bridge of Spies (2015)

Lowest Rated: 3% Twelve (2010)

Birthday: Apr 20, 1985

Birthplace: Woodhaven, New York, USA

Tony-nominated actor Billy Magnussen found success on both stage and screen, winning critical praise for Christopher Durang's comedy "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" and in film and television projects as "Into the Woods" (2014), "Bridge of Spies" (2015) and "American Crime Story: The People Vs. O.J. Simpson" (FX, 2016). Born William Gregory Magnussen on April 20, 1985 in the Woodhaven neighborhood of Queens, New York, he came from athletic parents: his father, Greg, was a professional bodybuilder, while his mother, Daina, was an aerobics instructor. When Magnussen was 10 years old, his family relocated to Cumming, Georgia, where he became involved in the wrestling program at South Forsyth High School. But he was forced to give it up after suffering an injury, and turned his interests to acting, which he pursued as a major at the North Carolina School of the Arts. He performed in several New York productions until earning his Broadway debut in a 2007 revival of Terrence McNally's comedy "The Ritz," which was soon followed by bit roles in features like "Happy Tears" (2009) with Demi Moore and Parker Posey. From 2008 to 2010, he played troubled teen Casey Hayes on the daytime soap "As the World Turns" (CBS, 1956-2010), before finding steady work as a guest player and supporting actor on episodic series like "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" (NBC, 2001-2011) and in independent features like Whit Stillman's "Damsels in Distress" (2011). His breakout role came the following year in Christopher Durang's "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," playing Sigourney Weaver's slow-witted boyfriend Spike, who was prone to stripping down and displaying his toned body at the slightest provocation. For his performance, Magnussen netted a 2013 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play, which gave a considerable boost to his profile. Guest appearances on series like "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO, 2010-14) and "The Leftovers" (HBO, 2014- ) preceded his turn as Rapunzel's prince in Rob Marshall's screen version of "Into the Woods." From there, Magnussen was in demand as a supporting player, playing young, self-assured professionals like his junior lawyer in Steven Spielberg's "Bridge of Spies" and a mortgage broker in Adam McKay's Oscar-nominated "The Big Short" (2015). In 2016, Magnussen was cast as Kato Kaelin in the first season of Ryan Murphy's "American Crime Story" series, "The People vs. O.J. Simpson." Co-starring roles in dysfunctional-family comedy-drama "The Meddler" (2016), Bruce Lee biopic "Birth of the Dragon" (2016) and Aubrey Plaza drama "Ingrid Goes West" (2017) followed.

Show Less Show More

Highest rated movies

91% 87% Bridge of Spies Watchlist 89% 88% The Big Short Watchlist 86% 78% The Survivor Watchlist 85% 78% Game Night Watchlist 84% 71% Ingrid Goes West Watchlist 83% 88% No Time to Die Watchlist 80% 88% Coup! Watchlist
77% 64% The East
Watchlist
75% 85% Family Squares Watchlist
75% 39% Damsels in Distress
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lilo & Stitch Pleakley (Character) - 2025
40% 60% Reunion Unknown (Character),
Executive Producer
- 2024
60% 52% Road House Unknown (Character) - 2024
30% 33% Lift Magnus (Character) - 2024
No Score Yet 40% Road House Ben Brandt (Character) - 2024
80% 88% Coup! Unknown (Character) - 2023
56% 42% Spy Kids: Armageddon Rey "The King" Kingston (Character) - 2023
75% 85% Family Squares Robert (Character) - 2022
86% 78% The Survivor Unknown (Character) - 2021
83% 88% No Time to Die Logan Ash (Character) $160.8M 2021
72% 59% The Many Saints of Newark Paulie Walnuts (Character) $8.2M 2021
57% 94% Aladdin Prince Anders (Character) $355.6M 2019
61% 36% Velvet Buzzsaw Bryson (Character) - 2019
63% 40% The Oath Mason (Character) $387.4K 2018
85% 78% Game Night Ryan (Character) $69.0M 2018
84% 71% Ingrid Goes West Nicky Sloane (Character) $3.0M 2017
25% 68% Birth of the Dragon Steve McKee (Character) $6.9M 2016
65% 68% The Great Gilly Hopkins Ellis (Character) - 2016
89% 88% The Big Short Mortgage Broker (Character) $70.2M 2015
91% 87% Bridge of Spies Doug Forrester (Character) $72.3M 2015
70% 49% Into the Woods Rapunzel's Prince (Character) $128.0M 2014
77% 64% The East Porty (Character) $2.3M 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet 2nd Serve Lingo (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Surviving Family Alex D'Amico (Character) - 2012
29% 51% The Brass Teapot Arnie (Character) $6.6K 2012
No Score Yet 77% The Lost Valentine Neil Thomas (Character) - 2011
75% 39% Damsels in Distress Thor (Character) $1.0M 2011
40% 17% Choose Paul (Character) - 2010
3% 32% Twelve Claude (Character) $181.6K 2010
No Score Yet 18% Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet Eric (Character) - 2009
29% 22% Happy Tears Ray (Character) $22.4K 2009

TV

Credit
74% 64% The Franchise Adam (Character) 2024
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2024
97% 82% Made for Love Byron Gogol (Character) 2021-2022
No Score Yet 69% Tell Me a Story Nick (Character) 2018-2019
89% 82% The Bold Type Unknown (Guest Star) 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rachael Ray Guest 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet TRL Guest 2018
93% 90% The Good Wife Chris Fife (Guest Star) 2015
91% 90% The Leftovers Marcus (Guest Star) 2014
92% 95% Boardwalk Empire Roger McAllister (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 80% CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Unknown (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 81% Blue Bloods Rand Hilbert (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 72% Law & Order: Criminal Intent Unknown (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet In Plain Sight Jonathan Collins / Yonni Peterschwim (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet 63% NCIS: Los Angeles Unknown (Guest Star) 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet As the World Turns Casey Hughes (Character) 2008-2010
25% No Score Yet The Beautiful Life: TBL Unknown (Guest Star) 2009
72% 100% The Unusuals Bo Keebler (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 83% Law & Order Unknown (Guest Star) 2008