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Joe Swanberg, actor & director
Actor & Director

Joe Swanberg: Movies & Box Office

films
31
as director
16
on screen
2005–2026
box office
$2.81M
Born
January 1, 1981 (age 45)
Birthplace
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Citizenship
American
Occupations
Director, Producer, Writer, Editor, Actor
Years active
2005-present
Spouses
Kris Williams (m. 2007; div. 2019)
Children
2
Career at a glance

Joe Swanberg's Career in Numbers

Joe Swanberg's films in numbers — as an actor and a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Joe Swanberg works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Kissing on the Mouth (2005) to The Sun Never Sets (2026), and the 2010s were the busiest decade.

Joe Swanberg Movies by Decade

  1. 2000s 10
  2. 2010s 18
  3. 2020s 3

The 2010s were Joe Swanberg's busiest decade, with 18 films.

Joe Swanberg Movies by Genre

  • Drama 17
  • Comedy 4
  • Romance 3
  • Horror 2
  • Thriller 1

Drama is the genre Joe Swanberg has worked in most, with 17 films, ahead of comedy (4).

Joe Swanberg Career Milestones

First film
Kissing on the Mouth 2005
Biggest box office hit
V/H/S $1.94M worldwide
Newest film
The Sun Never Sets 2026
31 credits

Joe Swanberg Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Joe Swanberg is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 16 as director and 15 as actor. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Biography

Who Is Joe Swanberg?

Joe Swanberg was born in Detroit, Michigan, U.S. in 1981 and is 45 years old. Credited on films since 2005, as both an actor and a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Joe Swanberg is a prominent American independent filmmaker, celebrated for his micro-budget films that greatly incorporate improvisation. A pivotal figure in the mumblecore film movement, Swanberg's films predominantly revolve around relationships, sex, technology, and the filmmaking process. His early works with Greta Gerwig are well-recognized. Swanberg was born in Detroit, was raised in Georgia and Alabama, and finally graduated from Southern Illinois University as a film major in 2003. As a teenager, he worked at Hollywood Video.

Swanberg's film career began in 2005 when he multitasked by writing, directing, editing, shooting, producing, and acting in his first feature film, 'Kissing on the Mouth'. His fruitful collaboration with Greta Gerwig began with 'LOL' (2006), which continued in 'Hannah Takes the Stairs' (2007) and 'Nights and Weekends' (2008). Swanberg concluded seven feature films in 2010. His 2012 film, 'Drinking Buddies', starred Olivia Wilde, Jake M. Johnson, Anna Kendrick, and Ron Livingston. Swanberg has also ventured into the realm of TV, creating 'Easy', an anthology series for Netflix, that ran from 2016 to 2019. He is appreciated for his support for Internet-based distribution for independent films, even releasing his 2011 feature 'Marriage Material' for free on his Vimeo page.

Works with

Who Joe Swanberg Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Joe Swanberg shares the most films with. Greta Gerwig comes first, with 3 films together, followed by Jake M. Johnson (2).

FAQ

Joe Swanberg: Questions & Answers

How many movies Joe Swanberg has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Joe Swanberg been in?

Joe Swanberg is credited on 31 films, from 2005 to 2026. 15 of them as an actor and 16 as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Joe Swanberg's highest-grossing movie?

V/H/S (2012) is Joe Swanberg's biggest box office hit, with $1.94M worldwide, ahead of Drinking Buddies (2013) ($402K). Across every film with box office figures, Joe Swanberg's movies have made $2.81M.

Joe Swanberg's biggest hits

How old is Joe Swanberg?

Joe Swanberg is 45 years old, born on January 1, 1981 in Detroit, Michigan, U.S..

What is Joe Swanberg's newest movie?

The most recent film on Joe Swanberg's filmography is The Sun Never Sets (2026), in the role of Keith.

Who does Joe Swanberg work with most often?

Joe Swanberg shares the most films with Greta Gerwig (3 films), Jake M. Johnson (2 films) and Jane Adams (2 films).

The Best Joe Swanberg Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 31 credits.

See the ranking

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