Joel David Moore | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Moore in 2016 | |
| Born | (1977-09-25)September 25, 1977 (age 48) |
| Education | Mt. Hood Community College Southern Oregon University (BFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Children | 2[2] |
Joel David Moore (born September 25, 1977) is an American character actor and director. Born and raised inPortland, Oregon, Moore studied acting in college before relocating toLos Angeles to pursue a film career. His first major role was as Owen Dittman in the 2004 comedyDodgeball: A True Underdog Story, followed by roles in the comedyGrandma's Boy (2006),Terry Zwigoff'sArt School Confidential (2006), and the independentslasher filmHatchet (2006).
In 2008, he was cast in the role ofColin Fisher on theFox seriesBones, a guest role he portrayed in sixteen episodes until the series' conclusion in 2017. In 2009, he was cast as Dr. Norm Spellman inJames Cameron'sAvatar (2009), a role he reprised for the film's sequels,Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) andAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025).
Moore has also starred in several music videos, and directed films: His directorial debut was the psychological thrillerSpiral (2007), followed by the dramaYouth in Oregon (2016). Moore also directed the filmKilling Winston Jones which was shot in 2012 but never released.
Moore was born on September 25, 1977, inPortland, Oregon,[3][4] the son of Missy (née Irvine) and John Moore.[5] Moore was raised in Portland, where his family resided in theMount Tabor neighborhood.[5] He graduated fromBenson Polytechnic High School in 1995.[3][4][5]
After high school, Moore attendedMt. Hood Community College inGresham, Oregon, for two years. In 1998, he transferred toSouthern Oregon University inAshland, Oregon, where he earned hisBachelor of Fine Arts degree[5] in 2001[3] and performed for two summers at theOregon Shakespeare Festival.[4]
Before relocating to Hollywood, Moore starred with Gretchen Stouts and Nina Smidt in Tom Monson'sDrug Wars, The High Times (1999), a video about underage binge drinking.[6]
In 2000, he moved toLos Angeles,California, and appeared in several television commercials, including ones foreBay,Cingular Wireless, andBest Buy.[7] Moore shot an international campaign for a branch ofSiemens cell phones, XELIBRI, which won a Lion Award. Moore made an appearance in the music video for the song "Youth of the Nation" by rap rock bandP.O.D.
Moore's first major film role was in 2004'sDodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Between 2004 and 2005, he appeared in a recurring guest role on theNBC seriesLAX.[8] This was followed by roles in the filmsGrandma's Boy, and as a jaded art student[9] inTerry Zwigoff'sArt School Confidential (both 2006).[10][11] The same year, he also had a lead role in the independentslasher filmHatchet,[11] a bit part inThe Shaggy Dog, and a supporting role inEl Muerto, based on theeponymous comic book series. Also in 2007, Moore made directorial debut with the psychological thrillerSpiral, which he filmed in his hometown of Portland, and co-starred in withAmber Tamblyn.[11]
In 2008, he was cast in the supporting role of Dr. Norm Spellman inJames Cameron'sAvatar (2009).[11] The same year, he was cast as internColin Fisher on theFox seriesBones,[12] a guest role he would portray across 16 episodes until the series' conclusion in 2017. During the fifth season episode "The Gamer in the Grease", his character invites two other characters, Dr.Jack Hodgins (portrayed byT. J. Thyne) and Dr.Lance Sweets (portrayed byJohn Francis Daley) to attend theAvatar premiere, in which Moore was also cast. Moore also had a supporting role inBeyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009), a remake of the1956 film of the same name.[13] He also starred alongsideKaty Perry in her 2009 music video for "Waking Up in Vegas".[14]
Other film roles included a supporting part in 2012'sSavages, directed byOliver Stone,[15] and in the crime-thrillerGone (2012), oppositeAmanda Seyfried.[15] Moore directedKilling Winston Jones in fall 2012 inSavannah, Georgia, which starredDanny Glover,Jon Heder andRichard Dreyfuss.[16] The film was never released.[17]
He would also reprise his role with acameo appearance inHatchet III (2013).[18] During 2014–2015, he had a supporting role in the seriesForever, and also in the thrillerThe Guest (2014),[19] andJoey Ramone in the 2013 historical filmCBGB.[20]
In 2016, he directed his second feature,Youth in Oregon, starringFrank Langella,Christina Applegate andBilly Crudup.[11][21] In 2017, it was reported that Moore had signed on to appear in theAvatar sequels,Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) andAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025).[22]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Foxfire | First Geek | |
| 2000 | Drug Wars, The High Times | Jake | |
| 2004 | Raising Genius | Rolf | |
| Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story | Owen Dittman | ||
| 2005 | Reel Guerrillas | Nick Walker | The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning |
| 2006 | Grandma's Boy | J.P. | |
| The Shaggy Dog | Pound employee | ||
| Art School Confidential | Bardo | ||
| Miles from Home | Miles | Short film | |
| The Elder Son | Kenny | ||
| Hatchet | Ben | ||
| 2007 | American Hustle | 3rd Spartan | |
| El Muerto | Issac "Zak" Silver | ||
| Spiral | Mason | Also co-director and co-screenwriter | |
| Shanghai Kiss | Joe Silverman | ||
| 2008 | The Hottie and the Nottie | Nate Cooper | Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Couple(withParis Hilton) |
| Wieners | Greg King | ||
| The Tiffany Problem | Sam Hane | Short film | |
| Fairy Tale Police | Big Bad Wolf | ||
| 2009 | Beyond a Reasonable Doubt | Corey Finley | |
| Bed Ridden | Jay | Short film | |
| Stuntmen | Troy Lebowski | ||
| Avatar | Dr. Norm Spellman | ||
| 2010 | The Third Rule | Peter | Short film |
| Janie Jones | Dave | ||
| 2011 | Chillerama | Adolf Hitler | Segment: "The Diary of Anne Frankenstein" |
| Grassroots | Grant Cogswell | ||
| Julia X 3D | Sam | ||
| Shark Night | Gordon Guthrie | ||
| 2012 | Gone | Nick Massey | |
| Jewtopia | Adam Lipschitz | ||
| Savages | Craig | ||
| 2013 | Hatchet III | Ben | Cameo |
| CBGB | Joey Ramone | ||
| 2014 | The Guest | Craig | |
| #Stuck | Guy | ||
| Grace: The Possession | Luke | ||
| 2015 | Divine Access | Nigel | |
| 2017 | Drone | Gary | |
| 2020 | Cut Throat City | Peter Felton | |
| The Morning After | Guy | ||
| 2022 | The Immaculate Room | Jason Wright | |
| Daniel's Gotta Die | Daniel Powell | ||
| The Baker | Peter | ||
| Avatar: The Way of Water | Dr. Norm Spellman | ||
| 2023 | The Retirement Plan | Fitzsimmons | |
| 2025 | Kinda Pregnant | Mark | |
| Avatar: Fire and Ash† | Dr. Norm Spellman | Post-production |
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | City Guys | Hoover | 1 episode |
| 2001–2002 | Boston Public | Hartzell | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Deep Cover | Pete Steinem | |
| Boomtown | Usher #2 | Episode: "Insured by Smith & Wesson" | |
| Providence | Howard | Episode: "The Eleventh Hour" | |
| 2003 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Pete | Episode: "Romance Looming" |
| Angel | Karl Vamp | Episode: "Salvage" | |
| Six Feet Under | Video Clerk | Episode: "The Opening" | |
| Strong Medicine | Dan | Episode: "Bad Liver" | |
| 2004 | The Amazing Westermans | Television film | |
| The Guardian | Malcolm Reeves | Episode: "Sparkle" | |
| 2004–2005 | LAX | Eddie Carson | Recurring role, 9 episodes |
| 2005 | Cooked | Mike | Television film |
| The Inside | Brian Pines | Episode: "Declawed" | |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Guy in the Yellow Hat | Episode: "Dog Eat Dog" | |
| 2005–2006 | E-Ring | Greg – NSA Liaison | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2007 | The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning | Cooter Davenport | Television film |
| House M.D. | Eddie | Episodes: "One Day, One Room", "Act Your Age" | |
| 2008 | My Name Is Earl | Clyde | Episode: "Quit Your Snitchin'" |
| 2008–2017 | Bones | Colin Fisher | Recurring role, 16 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Medium | Keith Bruning | 4 episodes |
| 2010 | Chuck | Mackintosh | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Couch Lock" |
| 2011 | Hawaii Five-0 | Sheldon Tunney | Episode: "Kai e'e" |
| Last Man Standing | Bruce | Episodes: "Pilot", "Grandparents Day" | |
| 2014–2015 | Forever | Lucas Wahl | Main role |
| 2017 | Budding Prospects | Phil | Television film |
| American Housewife | Captain Beauregard | Episode: "Gala Auction" | |
| 2018 | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Noah | Episode: "All the Comforts of Home" |
| Year | Song | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Youth of the Nation" | P.O.D. | |
| 2008 | "Beat It" | Fall Out Boy | |
| 2009 | "Waking Up in Vegas" | Katy Perry | |
| 2010 | "It's Not Christmas Without You" | Katharine McPhee | |
| 2025 | "The Great Unknown" | Ice Nine Kills |
Feature Film
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Spiral | Yes[a] | Executive | Yes | |
| 2012 | Killing Winston Jones | Yes | Executive | No | Cancelled film release |
| 2016 | Youth in Oregon | Yes | No | No | |
| 2021 | Hide and Seek | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2023 | Some Other Woman | Yes | Yes | No |
As producer
| As executive producer
|
Short Film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Miles from Home | Yes | Yes |
| 2009 | Found[b] | Yes | No |
| 2010 | Hours Before | Yes | Yes |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
