The bestOliver Plattmovies and TV shows include a mix of critically acclaimed shows and award-winning big screen feature films. Platt figured out from an early age that he wanted to be an actor and studied drama at Tufts University before starting to work in theater in Boston. His big break came when he met Bill Murray, who attended one of Platt’s plays and then recommended that Jonathan Demme cast him in the movieMarried to the Mobin 1988. That was Platt’s big break and his career skyrocketed from there.
Since that big break, Platt took on a variety of roles in several genres,with appearances inWorking Girl, Beethoven, The Three Musketeers,andLake Placid. While his movie roles have been plentiful, and resulted in several award nominations, it was his entry to television that gave him a chance to become a bigger star. This started with a role in theDick Wolf series Deadline, and has since seen him take on roles in everything fromNip/TuckandThe West WingtoBearandChicago Med.
A Time to Kill
Cast
In Canton, Mississippi, a young lawyer and his assistant defend a black man accused of murdering two white men who raped his ten-year-old daughter, inciting violent retaliation and revenge from the Ku Klux Klan.
John Grisham is one of the popular courtroom fiction writers in the world and his career started with the novel about a trial in the Deep South inA Time To Kill. This was his debut and breakthrough novel, but it was thefourth movie to be based on one of Grisham’s novels.In the film, Samuel L. Jackson is on trial for the murder of the two men who raped his 10-year-old daughter when it looked like the courts would let them off of the charges.
Matthew McConaughey stars as Jake Brigance, the attorney who agrees to defend him, while Sandra Bullock is Ellen Roark, his assistant, who finds out the danger of defending a Black man in a society almost ruled by the Ku Klux Klan and other racist powers.Oliver Platt is Harry Red Vonner, an associate of Jake who helps out in the case.The story is a tough one that shows people overcoming prejudice to find justice. Jackson was nominated for a Golden Globe and the movie won the NAACP Award for Outstanding Motion Picture.
Chicago Med
Chicago Med is a medical drama series that explores the high-stakes environment of a bustling Chicago hospital. Set against the backdrop of chaotic emergency room scenarios, the series follows a team of dedicated doctors and nurses as they confront challenging cases inspired by real-world issues, while navigating complex relationships.
Chicago Medis the Dick Wolf-created series that is a medical drama and part of the One Chicago franchise, along withChicago FireandChicago P.D.In the show,Oliver Platt plays Dr. Daniel Charles, the chief of the psychiatry department. This gives his character the important role of helping other doctors deal with their own psychological problems, whether it is difficult patients or struggles in their duties, which is always full of traumatic moments.
Every One Chicago Show, Ranked
NBC has manufactured a One Chicago TV franchise, starting with Chicago Fire and followed by three spinoffs (some better than the others).
Chicago Medfollows the emergency department of the fictional Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, where doctors and nurses work to save lives while also dealing with the personal and professional struggles that come with a high-stress job. Platt has been part of the main cast since the show premiered and is one of the longest-tenured cast members, through over 10 seasons and closing in on 200 episodes. Only S. Epatyha Merkerson (Sharon) and Marlyne Barrett (Maggie) have been on the show as long as him.
Kinsey
Kinsey, directed by Bill Condon, is a biographical drama exploring the life and work of researcher Alfred Kinsey. It focuses on his groundbreaking studies into human sexuality, evolving from a scientific pursuit into a personal exploration, capturing the complexities of human behavior.
Released in 2004,Kinseyis a biopic about the real-life story of Alfred Charles Kinsey (Liam Neeson), a pioneer in the realm of sexology. In 1948, he publishedSexual Behavior in the Human Male, the first paper to address sexual behavior scientifically. This movie shows how Kinsey went from a repressed child into a renowned professor and researcher, whose subject of his work caused him to become a target during Joseph McCarthy’s witch hunts in the 1950s.
As with several other characters in the movie,Oliver Platt’s Herman Wells was based on a real-life person.Wells was the president of Indiana University Bloomington, a man who backed Kinsey when he was researching human sexuality while teaching at the school. In the movie, as in the real-life story, Platt’s Wells was one of Kinsey’s staunchest supporters, even as others turned their backs on him. The film was highly praised and Laura Linney earned an Oscar nomination for her role as Kinsey’s wife, Clara “Mac” McMillen.
Lake Placid
After a series of disturbing incidents at Black Lake, local officials call in specialists to investigate. The team uncovers evidence of a massive predatory crocodile inhabiting the lake. Uncovering a link to a mysterious local man, the team is attacked repeatedly by the killer croc. A plan is devised to capture the crocodile alive, leading to a tense and hazardous showdown.
WhileLake Placidreceived terrible reviews when it was released, it’s ahorror movie that has since gone on to achieve cult classic status. The monster in this creature feature is a giant crocodile in the fictional Lake Placid in Maine. When the crocodile begins to kill people, a United States Fish and Wildlife Service officer (Jack Wells), American Museum of Natural History paleontologist (Bridget Fonda), and a local sheriff (Brendan Gleeson) investigate the situation.
While an opposites-attract romance between Jack and Kelly emerges, and Sherif Hank Keough is there to look on in disbelief,Oliver Platt steals every scene he is in as Hector Cyr,a wealthy mythology professor and crocodile enthusiast whose arrogance makes him antagonistic but also strangely likable. Next to Betty White’s hilarious performance as Delores Bickerman, Platt remains one of the best parts of a very entertaining monster movie.
Chef
Chef is a road movie written, directed, and starring Jon Favreau, where his character Carl Casper quits his job at a prestigious restaurant and starts a food truck business with his son Percy (Emjay Anthony) and best friend Martin (John Leguizamo). He also receives help from his ex-wife Inez (Sofia Vergara) and her ex-husband Marvin (Robert Downey Jr.).
As a director, Jon Favreau is best known for his big-budget movies likeIron Man, Cowboys & Aliens,andThe Jungle Book. However, one of his best-directed films, and one of his most underrated, is the 2014 comedy-dramaChef. In this film, Favreau stars as a celebrity chef named Carl Casper, who has a public altercation with a critic and loses his job. As a result, he sets out in a food truck with his son and starts a road trip where the main topic of discussion is food.
Chefwas a small success at the box office, making over $50 million on an $11 million budget (viaBox Office Mojo), and was also praised by critics, with an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.Oliver Platt plays Ramsey Michel, the food blogger that Carl had the falling out with, which means he is the entire catalyst for driving the plot of this movie. Platt is also a perfect bookend to the story, as he was painted as an antagonistic presence who turned out to be much more sympathetic.
Frost/Nixon
Frost/Nixon is a historical drama directed by Ron Howard, focusing on the infamous interviews between British television host David Frost and former U.S. President Richard Nixon. The film explores the intense behind-the-scenes negotiations and the eventual on-air confrontation that sought to address the Watergate scandal. Michael Sheen stars as Frost, with Frank Langella portraying Nixon in a gripping tale of political accountability and journalistic integrity.
The Ron Howard movieFrost/Nixonis based on a real-life interview between British journalist David Frost and disgraced former American President Richard Nixon after the Watergate scandal. Michael Sheen plays Frost while Frank Langella plays Nixon, and the movie follows the setup for the big interview and then the interview itself, in what plays out mostly like the Peter Morgan stage play it was based on.Oliver Platt plays Bob Zelnick in the film, the executive editor of the Frost-Nixon interviews.
This entire movie is an actor’s showcase, as the tension is built through the dialogue and discussions leading to the big interview, and all the cast delivers incredible performances. This was a nice showing for Platt, as well, as he delivered a great performance as someone who was brought in to help investigate the issues to prepare for the interview.Frost/Nixonwas nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Langella), and Best Director.
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class explores the origins of Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr, who later become Professor X and Magneto. Set during the early days of their friendship, the film depicts their collaborative efforts with other mutants to avert a significant global threat.
Although his character has no name, Oliver Platt plays a very important role in the prequel movieX-Men: First Class. This movie allows Platt to enter the world of superheroes, but he has the perfect role for himself as a secret government contact for the mutants. This film, directed by Matthew Vaughn, rebooted the X-Men franchise. It showed their first year together as a team, and also revealed the moment that Magneto and Professor X first began to go in their separate directions.
Platt’s character was known as Man in Black Suit, but he was more than a cameo, despite the descriptive name. He is a CIA bigwig and the Head of Division X, which was the agency working directly with the X-Men. He was the person that Xavier trusted, and vice-versa, although their relationship became complicated thanks to Magneto.
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck is a medical drama series created by Ryan Murphy, focusing on two plastic surgeons, Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), as they navigate the complex world of cosmetic surgery in Miami, Florida. The show explores themes of identity, vanity, and the personal and professional challenges the surgeons face while pushing ethical boundaries.
Nip/Tuckran for six critically acclaimed and award-winning seasons and 100 episodes on FX. Oliver Platt only appeared in four of those episodes in a guest role, but that does not eliminate the significance of his character.Platt played Freddie Prune in the fifth season of the show. He was involved in a storyline with Rosie O’Donnell, who stars as Dawn Budge, a producer on a show-within-the-show calledHearts ‘n Scalpels,and who is dating Freddie.
This storyline all led to Freddie finally realizing his sexuality and coming out of the closet to Dawn, someone who seemed homophobic on the show but was actually someone who was always attracted to gay men and never could find her own love. It was a nice side storyline in a brilliant series and it earned Oliver Platt an Emmy Award nomination in 2008 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
The Bearhas received massive critical acclaim since it debuted on Hulu in 2022, and with two seasons under its belt, it only seems to be getting better. The series follows an award-winning chef who returns home to Chicago after his brother’s death to manage the kitchen of the family sandwich shop. The drama comes with his new employees, and their struggles at working under a chef who is used to high-pressure kitchen situations.
The Bear Season 3 Cast, Returning Character & Guest Star Guide
The Bear season 3 returns with his exceptional ensemble cast fresh off the Emmy wins of Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-BachRach.
Oliver Platt has a recurring role inThe Bearas Uncle Jimmy,although he is of no relation to Carmy Berzatto or his family. Instead, he is the best friend of Berzatto’s father and the major investor in the restaurant. While he loaned $300,000 of his own money for the restaurant’s launch, he also has a soft spot for the family and is a close confidant. However, he is also the “ticking clock” of the series, as he gets the entire lot if Carmy can’t pay him back in 18 months.
The West Wing
In Aaron Sorkin’s classic political procedural, the senior staff of President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) face the daily challenge of helping to run the country from the West Wing of the White House. The series features an ensemble cast that also includes Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, and John Spencer.
While the Dick Wolf seriesDeadlinewas Oliver Platt’s first major television role, his biggest break on TV came that same year when he picked up a big role in the political drama seriesThe West Wing. Created by Aaron Sorkin, this series is about the men and women who work inside the White House and help keep the President’s cabinet and office running.
Oliver Plattplays Oliver Babish, the fifth and final White House Counsel of the Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) administration (although he was only the second to appear on the show since Barlet was already President when the series began). His main storyline was dealing with Bartlet’s diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. and he then returned in season 8 during an internal investigation. Platt received his first Emmy nomination for this role and was one of the mainWest Wingcharacters to disappear without an explanation.
