# Chris Rock filmography

The filmography of **Chris Rock** (born 1965 in Andrews, South Carolina) spans feature films, animated movies, stand-up specials, and television, running from a one-line screen debut in *Beverly Hills Cop II* (1987) to writing and directing the A24 drama *Misty Green* (2026).<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001674/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/201856)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://a24films.com/films/misty-green)</sup> Across nearly four decades, Rock has worked as an actor, voice actor, screenwriter, producer, and director, alongside a stand-up career that produced HBO specials and Grammy-winning albums.<sup>[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/chris-rock)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and birth | Christopher Julius Rock III, born 1965, Andrews, South Carolina<sup>[6](https://cinegraph.org/people/chris-rock)</sup> |
| Screen debut | Parking valet in *Beverly Hills Cop II* (1987)<sup>[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/201856)</sup> |
| Television breakthrough | *Saturday Night Live* cast member, 1990–93; *In Living Color*, 1993–94<sup>[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/chris-rock)</sup> |
| First starring role | *Down to Earth* (2001), which he co-wrote with Louis C.K.<sup>[5](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)</sup> |
| Directorial debut | *Head of State* (2003), which he also co-wrote and co-produced<sup>[8](https://www.paramountpictures.com/movies/head-of-state)</sup> |
| Signature voice role | Marty the zebra in the *Madagascar* series (2005, 2008, 2012)<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup> |
| Major awards | Four Primetime Emmy Awards and three Grammy Awards; hosted the Academy Awards in 2005 and 2016<sup>[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/chris-rock)</sup> |
| Most recent directing work | *Misty Green* (2026), his fourth film as director and first for A24<sup>[10](https://apnews.com/article/65b104e2680b07042cd8a5651743739e)</sup> |

## Early screen work, 1987–1993

Rock's first film credit is a bit part: he played a parking valet in *Beverly Hills Cop II* (1987), followed by a role as a rib joint customer in *I'm Gonna Git You Sucka* (1988).<sup>[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/201856)</sup> While a cast member on *Saturday Night Live* from 1990 to 1993, he took his first substantial film role as the crack addict Pookie in *New Jack City* (1991), then appeared as Bony T in the [Eddie Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-murphy) comedy *Boomerang* (1992).<sup>[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/chris-rock)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/201856)</sup>

**CB4 as a starring and writing credit.** In 1993 Rock played Albert Brown, the rapper "MC Gusto," in the parody *CB4*, and the [American Film Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-film-institute) lists him as the film's screenwriter as well as its lead.<sup>[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/201856)</sup> After leaving *SNL* in 1993, he spent 1993–94 on the cast of *In Living Color*.<sup>[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/chris-rock)</sup>

One biographical reference, the EBSCO Research Starters profile, gives his birth date as 1966, in Georgetown, South Carolina;<sup>[11](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/film/chris-rock)</sup> the IMDb, Fandango, Cinegraph, and TV Insider listings give February 7, 1965, in Andrews, South Carolina.<sup>[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001674/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://cinegraph.org/people/chris-rock)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[12](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chris-rock/)</sup>

## Supporting roles and the 1990s buildup

Through the rest of the 1990s Rock accumulated supporting parts: Joey in *Beverly Hills Ninja* (1997), Rodney in *Dr. Dolittle* (1998), Detective Lee Butters in *Lethal Weapon 4* (1998), Rufus the 13th Apostle in [Kevin Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-smith)'s *Dogma* (1999), and Wesley in *Nurse Betty* (2000).<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)</sup> During the same period his stand-up career expanded into film-adjacent work: *The Chris Rock Show* ran on HBO from 1997, and he won [Grammy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/grammy-awards) for the comedy albums *Roll With the New* (1997), *Bigger and Blacker* (1999), and *Never Scared* (2004).<sup>[5](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)</sup>

## Lead roles and directing, 2001–2014

**From star to filmmaker.** Rock's first starring role was Lance Barton in *Down to Earth* (2001), a remake of the 1978 [Warren Beatty](https://www.edgepedia.org/warren-beatty) film *Heaven Can Wait*, which he co-wrote with fellow comedian [Louis C.K.](https://www.edgepedia.org/louis-c-k); the two also co-wrote the 2001 comedy *Pootie Tang*, in which Rock played multiple small parts.<sup>[5](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup> In the same year he voiced the title character in *Osmosis Jones* and appeared in *Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back*.<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup>

*Head of State* (2003), a White House comedy co-starring [Bernie Mac](https://www.edgepedia.org/bernie-mac), marked Rock's directorial debut; he also co-wrote and co-produced the film.<sup>[8](https://www.paramountpictures.com/movies/head-of-state)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)</sup> His second film as director was the romantic comedy *I Think I Love My Wife* (2007), in which he also starred as Richard Cooper and which he wrote and produced.<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/201856)</sup>

The mid-2000s made Rock a reliable commercial presence. He played Caretaker in *The Longest Yard* (2005) and Kurt McKenzie in [Adam Sandler](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-sandler)'s ensemble comedies *Grown Ups* (2010) and *Grown Ups 2* (2013).<sup>[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/chris-rock)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup> In 2009 he produced and wrote the documentary *Good Hair*, and in 2010 he wrote, produced, and acted in the remake *Death at a Funeral*.<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://www.movieinsider.com/p80/chris-rock)</sup> His third film as director was *Top Five* (2014), a semi-autobiographical romantic comedy in which he starred as comedian Andre Allen and which he wrote.<sup>[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_rock)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup>

## Voice work

Rock's most lucrative recurring screen role has been vocal. He voiced Marty the zebra in *Madagascar* (2005), *Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa* (2008), and *Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted* (2012), and Mooseblood the mosquito in [Jerry Seinfeld](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-seinfeld)'s *Bee Movie* (2007).<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)</sup> The Fandango listing also credits him as a voice in *Merry Madagascar* (2009).<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup> In later years he added more family-animation credits, voicing Kitty in *PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie* (2023) and the Older Hero Mouse in *Roald Dahl's The Witches* (2020).<sup>[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_rock)</sup>

## Television as producer and narrator

Rock's most substantial television credit is *Everybody Hates Chris* (2005–2009), the sitcom based on his Brooklyn childhood, which he developed, wrote, narrated, and executive produced, with credits on all 88 episodes.<sup>[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/chris-rock)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[15](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460637/fullcredits/)</sup> The show's success continued after its run: he narrates the animated continuation *Everybody Still Hates Chris* (2024– ), in which he also voices Adult Chris and Pookie.<sup>[16](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001674/filmotype)</sup> His stand-up specials remained a parallel filmography in themselves, including *Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger* (2008), *Chris Rock: Tamborine* (2018, which he also wrote), and *Chris Rock: Selective Outrage* (2023, which he wrote and executive produced).<sup>[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_rock)</sup>

## Recent film work, 2019–2026

In 2021 Rock led a franchise revival as Detective Zeke Banks in *Spiral: From the Book of Saw*, a spinoff of the *Saw* series, on which he also served as executive producer.<sup>[5](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_rock)</sup> Supporting roles followed in [David O. Russell](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-o-russell)'s *Amsterdam* (2022) and as civil-rights figure Roy Wilkins in the Netflix drama *Rustin* (2023), and he played Daddy Fatts in *Dolemite Is My Name* (2019).<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_rock)</sup> Documentary and self-appearance credits in this period include *Summer of Soul* (2021) and *Being Eddie* (2025).<sup>[9](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)</sup>

**Misty Green.** Rock's fourth film as director, and his first with the studio A24, is *Misty Green* (2026), written and directed by Rock from his own story, starring Rosalind Eleazar as a stalled Hollywood actress fighting for a second act, alongside [Adam Driver](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-driver), Daniel Kaluuya, Anna Kendrick, and Rock himself.<sup>[3](https://a24films.com/films/misty-green)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://apnews.com/article/65b104e2680b07042cd8a5651743739e)</sup> The film world-premiered at the [Toronto International Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-international-film-festival), and A24 scheduled its theatrical release for October 9.<sup>[10](https://apnews.com/article/65b104e2680b07042cd8a5651743739e)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[17](https://apnews.com/article/31779933082319459e3bf84492305c70)</sup> The Movie Insider credit list also shows him attached as writer or producer to projects in development, including a [Martin Luther King Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/martin-luther-king-jr) project and the comedy *High and Low*.<sup>[13](https://www.movieinsider.com/p80/chris-rock)</sup>

## By the numbers

Counting practices differ among databases, but the shape of the career is consistent. The American Film Institute's feature-film catalog lists 30 titles across cast, animation, director, producer, writer, history, and music credits.<sup>[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/201856)</sup> Cinegraph counts 94 acting credits and 29 crew credits.<sup>[6](https://cinegraph.org/people/chris-rock)</sup> Comedy dominates: in Movie Insider's partial accounting of Rock's 2003–2026 credits, comedy accounts for 22 entries, followed by drama (11), sequels (6), and family films (5).<sup>[13](https://www.movieinsider.com/p80/chris-rock)</sup> On the critical side, Rotten Tomatoes shows his highest-rated title as *The One and Only Dick Gregory* (2021) at 100 percent and his lowest as *Grown Ups 2* (2013) at 8 percent among its listed films.<sup>[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_rock)</sup>

Rock has also been a recurring awards-show presence off camera: he hosted the Academy Awards in 2005 and again in 2016, and he has won four [Primetime Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/primetime-emmy-awards) and three Grammy Awards, with [Comedy Central](https://www.edgepedia.org/comedy-central)'s poll ranking him the fifth-greatest stand-up comedian.<sup>[4](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/chris-rock)</sup>

## References

1. [Chris Rock, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001674/)
2. [Chris Rock filmography, AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/201856)
3. [Misty Green, A24 Films](https://a24films.com/films/misty-green)
4. [Chris Rock, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/chris-rock)
5. [Chris Rock: Biography, Stand-Up Comedian, Actor, Biography.com](https://www.biography.com/actors/chris-rock)
6. [Chris Rock, Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/people/chris-rock)
7. [Chris Rock, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/chris-rock)
8. [Head of State, Paramount Pictures](https://www.paramountpictures.com/movies/head-of-state)
9. [Chris Rock Filmography and Movies, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/chris-rock-569536/film-credits)
10. [Toronto International Film Festival sets lineup with films by Chris Rock, Peter Farrelly, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/65b104e2680b07042cd8a5651743739e)
11. [Chris Rock, Film, EBSCO Research Starters](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/film/chris-rock)
12. [Chris Rock, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chris-rock/)
13. [Chris Rock Film Credits, Movie Insider](https://www.movieinsider.com/p80/chris-rock)
14. [Chris Rock Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/chris_rock)
15. [Everybody Hates Chris, Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460637/fullcredits/)
16. [Chris Rock - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001674/filmotype)
17. [Rosalind Eleazar finds the role of a lifetime in Chris Rock's TIFF standout 'Misty Green', AP News](https://apnews.com/article/31779933082319459e3bf84492305c70)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Actor filmographies and performer list articles › Surnames A to F*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

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