Max Thieriot’s best movies and TV shows prove that the star of Fire Country, SEAL Team, and Bates Motel was a great actor from a young age. Born in California in 1988, Max Thieriot began his career as a kid in family films in the early 2000s but quickly made a name for himself playing emotionally complex characters. From psychological thrillers to action thrillers, he’s one of those actors who seems to elevate every project he’s in. He found success as a teenager in films like The Pacifier and Nancy Drew, but his career took off with darker, more mature roles as an adult.
What makes Max Thieriot so compelling to watch is the emotional depth and quiet intensity he brings to every performance. Whether he’s playing a firefighter with a troubled past, a war-hardened SEAL, or Norman Bates’ estranged brother, there’s always something simmering beneath the surface. He’s become a staple on network television and continues to develop his talents behind the camera. For fans of smart drama and thoughtful acting, the best Max Thieriot movies and TV shows provide a must-watch resource.
Chloe (2009)
Max Thieriot as Michael Stewart
Directed by Atom Egoyan, Chloe is a gripping psychological thriller about infidelity, manipulation, and fractured relationships. The story revolves around Catherine (played by Julianne Moore), a woman who hires a prostitute, Chloe (Amanda Seyfried), to test her husband’s loyalty, but things spiral dangerously out of control. Max Thieriot plays Michael Stewart, Catherine’s teenage son, who is caught in the middle of the emotional storm.
Despite being a supporting role, Thieriot brings a raw vulnerability to Michael that stands out. His scenes deepen Chloe’s emotional depth, providing a glimpse into the damage caused by adult betrayal. He is particularly compelling opposite Julianne Moore, with Thieriot’s performance giving Michael a confused yet sympathetic presence that shows a more nuanced side to his acting range. While not his most prominent role, Thieriot’s emotional honesty earns Chloe a place among Max Thieriot’s best films and TV shows.
Jumper (2008)
Max Thieriot as 15-year-old David Rice
Before Hayden Christensen’s adult David Rice teleported across continents in Doug Liman’s Jumper, Max Thieriot laid the emotional groundwork as young David discovered his abilities. In this sci-fi adventure about people who can “jump” from place to place in the blink of an eye, Thieriot’s screen time is brief, but his performance is crucial. He plays a bullied teenager who first discovers his powers, setting in motion the chain of events that propels the entire film. Thieriot captures the sense of wonder, fear, and rebellion that comes with discovering unimaginable abilities. His version of David is a repressed frustration and despair, making the character’s leap – literally and figuratively – all the more thrilling.
The transition from Thieriot’s performance to Christensen’s adult David is seamless, thanks to the emotional foundation Thieriot sets from the start. With Liman’s deft direction and a fast-paced, globe-trotting plot, Jumper is a popcorn movie with a unique premise. Samuel L. Jackson and Rachel Bilson round out the cast, but it’s Thierot’s brief but memorable introduction that gives the story its human edge. For fans who’ve been following his early roles, this remains a defining moment in Max Thieriot’s best films and TV shows.
Disconnect (2012)
Max Thieriot as Kyle
In Henry Alex Rubin’s thought-provoking 2012 drama Disconnect, Max Thierot plays Kyle, a troubled teenager drawn into the dark side of internet culture. Disconnect weaves together several related stories, exploring how technology can alienate and destroy lives. Thierot stars alongside Jason Bateman, Andrea Riseborough, and Alexander Skarsgård in a film that is both touching and socially relevant. Kyle is a runaway who is lured into an adult webcam operation, and Thieriot plays him with haunting sincerity.
Kyle in Disconnect has always been a risky role for Max Thieriot, and he delivers, portraying the pain, confusion, and despair that comes with
er is one of the 2005 movie’s secret weapons. Directed by Adam Shankman and starring Vin Diesel as a Navy SEAL-turned-nanny, The Pacifier sees Diesel protecting a scientist’s children, including Thierot’s rebel Seth. Seth is moody, artistic, and constantly butting heads with Diesel’s hard-nosed protector.
Max Thieriot infuses Seth with just the right mix of teenage defiance and emotional vulnerability. He brings heart to a character that could’ve easily been one-note, and by the end, Seth’s emotional arc feels earned and sincere. The Pacifier might not have won any awards, but it was a box office success and a key stepping stone for Thierot’s career. It introduced him to a broad audience and showed that even in a comedy-heavy ensemble, he had the chops to make an impression. It may not be the most intense entry among the best Max Thieriot movies and TV shows, but it’s definitely one of the most fun.
Nancy Drew (2007)
Max Thieriot Plays Ned Nickerson
In Andrew Fleming’s modern take on Nancy Drew, Max Thierot steps into the role of Ned Nickerson – Nancy’s loyal (and smitten) best friend who gets caught up in her latest sleuthing adventure. Starring Emma Roberts as the iconic teen detective, this family-friendly mystery follows Nancy as she moves to L.A. and uncovers a decades-old Hollywood murder case. While Roberts leads the cast, Max Thieriot brings his signature likability and warmth to Ned, who’s both skeptical and protective as Nancy dives into dangerous territory.
Max Thieriot has a naturally easy chemistry with Roberts, and their scenes together give Nancy Drew a sweet, grounded energy. Thieriot balances his role between comic relief and steady emotional support, which helps keep the story relatable even when it veers into camp. What makes Nancy Drew a worthy addition to the best Max Thieriot movies and TV shows is how it showcases his early leading man potential. He holds his own in a cast that includes Rachael Leigh Cook and Tate Donovan, and his performance as Ned showed audiences he was ready to break out of supporting roles and into bigger things.
House At The End Of The Street (2012)
Max Thieriot Plays Ryan Jacobson
Directed by Mark Tonderai, House at the End of the Street is a psychological horror thriller with a seriously creepy edge – and Max Thieriot delivers a chillingly effective performance as Ryan Jacobson, the mysterious boy next door. When mother Sarah and daughter Elissa (played by Elisabeth Shue and Jennifer Lawrence) move to a new town, they discover that the house next door holds dark secrets, and Thieriot’s Ryan is at the center of it all. Ryan seems like a quiet, misunderstood loner – but as the layers peel back, Thierot dives deep into the character’s darkness.
Max Thieriot delivers a slow-burn performance that’s equal parts hazardous and menacing, keeping the audience guessing until the final act. His ability to moderately shift from sympathetic to sinister is what elevates the 2012 thriller from a standard horror flick into something truly tense. With its twist-heavy script and eerie atmosphere, House at the End of the Street became a cult hit among horror fans. Jennifer Lawrence may have been the breakout star, but Thieriot’s nuanced portrayal is what gives the film its lasting creep factor. It’s one of the best Max Thieriot movies and TV shows for anyone who likes their thrills laced with psychological depth.
Texas Rising (2015)
Max Thieriot Plays John Coffee Hays
In the sweeping History Channel miniseries Texas Rising, Max Thieriot steps into the boots of legendary Texas Ranger John Coffee Hays – a real-life figure who became one of the most respected lawmen in the American West. The gritty 2015 show chronicles the Texas Revolution and the birth of the Rangers following the Battle of the Alamo. Thieriot’s Hays is young, driven, and already proving himself as a fearless fighter and a natural leader. He brings a grounded authenticity to the role, portraying Hays with a blend of youthful energy and steely resolution.
While many of the older characters in Texas Rising are seasoned warriors, Thieriot’s arc focuses on a man who’s quickly learning what it takes to survive and command in brutal conditions. Texas Rising received multiple Emmy nominations and stood out for its sweeping cinematography, ambitious storytelling, and powerful ensemble. Thieriot holds his own among the all-star cast, delivering a performance that blends historical gravitas with emotional depth. It’s one of the best Max Thieriot movies and TV shows for fans of epic storytelling and frontier grit.
SEAL Team (2017-2022)
Max Thieriot Plays Clay Spenser
As Navy SEAL Clay Spenser on CBS’s SEAL Team, Max Thieriot proved he could lead in a high-stakes, emotionally driven military drama. Created by Benjamin Cavell, SEAL Team dives into the lives of the elite Bravo Team, balancing adrenaline-fueled missions with the personal struggles of soldiers trying to maintain normal lives. Thieriot joined the show in.
