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Richard Linklater, actor & director
Actor & Director

Richard Linklater: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films
43
as director
20
on screen
1985–2025
box office
$245M
award wins
4
average score
72
Born
July 30, 1960 (age 66)
Birthplace
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Full name
Richard Stuart Linklater
Citizenship
United States
Occupations
Director, Producer, Writer
Years active
1985-present
Spouses
Christina Harrison
Children
3
Known for

The Best Richard Linklater Movies

The highest-rated films Richard Linklater is credited on, by the Movie Echo Score that blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Nouvelle Vague (2025) scores highest, at 83. The full ranking adds the biggest box office hits and the most awarded films.

Full ranking
Career at a glance

Richard Linklater's Career in Numbers

Richard Linklater's films in numbers — as an actor and a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Richard Linklater works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Woodshock (1985) to Blue Moon (2025), and the 2000s were the busiest decade.

Richard Linklater Movies by Decade

  1. 1980s 2
  2. 1990s 4
  3. 2000s 9
  4. 2010s 7
  5. 2020s 4

The 2000s were Richard Linklater's busiest decade, with 9 films.

Richard Linklater Movies by Genre

  • Drama 9
  • Comedy 6
  • Documentary 4
  • Biography 2
  • Action 1
  • Adventure 1
  • Sci-Fi 1
  • Sport 1
  • Music 1

Drama is the genre Richard Linklater has worked in most, with 9 films, ahead of comedy (6).

Richard Linklater Career Milestones

First film
Woodshock 1985
Biggest box office hit
School of Rock $131M worldwide
Best-rated film
Nouvelle Vague Movie Echo Score 83
Newest film
Blue Moon 2025
43 credits

Richard Linklater Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Richard Linklater is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 20 as director and 6 as actor. Rated films average a score of 72. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

4 wins · 11 nominations

Richard Linklater: Awards & Nominations

4 wins from 11 nominations across 7 award bodies, from 1992 to 2026. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards
  • BAFTA logo BAFTA 1 win from 2 nominations
  • Critics' Choice logo Critics' Choice 1 win from 2 nominations
  • César Awards logo César Awards 1 win from 1 nomination
  • Golden Globes logo Golden Globes 1 win from 1 nomination
  • Spirit Awards logo Spirit Awards 3 nominations
  • Oscars logo Oscars 1 nomination
  • DGA Awards logo DGA Awards 1 nomination
Biography

Who Is Richard Linklater?

Richard Linklater was born in Houston, Texas, U.S. in 1960 and is 66 years old. Credited on films since 1985, as both an actor and a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Richard Stuart Linklater, born on July 30, 1960, is undoubtedly one of the leading figures in American cinema. Best known as a film director, producer, and screenwriter, Linklater's films frequently explore suburban culture and the passage of time. His repertoire includes acclaimed films like the comedies 'Slacker' and 'Dazed and Confused,' the 'Before' trilogy of romance films, 'School of Rock,' and the innovative adult animated films 'Waking Life,' 'A Scanner Darkly,' and 'Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood.' Linklater's 'Boyhood,' a coming-of-age drama filmed over several years using the same actors, not only brought a fresh perspective on film-making but also garnered him numerous awards and nominations. Despite being renowned worldwide, Linklater's career is firmly rooted in Austin, Texas, where he founded the Austin Film Society and created Detour Filmproduction, his production company. Starting with short films and experiments, he made his mark with his first Super-8 feature, 'It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books.' He then created 'Slacker' with a modest budget of $23,000, which had a fantastic return, earning over $1.25 million and catapulting his career. Apart from his contributions to the film industry, Linklater is well-known for his distinct directorial style, focusing more on human interactions and narratives over plot devices, often setting his films within a day's span. Having worked in the industry since 1985, Linklater has left an impactful and lasting legacy.

Works with

Who Richard Linklater Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Richard Linklater shares the most films with. Ethan Hawke comes first, with 6 films together, followed by Richard Robichaux (3).

FAQ

Richard Linklater: Questions & Answers

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

How many movies has Richard Linklater been in?

Richard Linklater is credited on 43 films, from 1985 to 2025. 6 of them as an actor and 20 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 Richard Linklater's highest-grossing movie?

School of Rock (2003) is Richard Linklater's biggest box office hit, with $131M worldwide, ahead of Bad News Bears (2005) ($34.3M). Across every film with box office figures, Richard Linklater's movies have made $245M.

Richard Linklater's biggest hits

What is the best Richard Linklater movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Richard Linklater's best-rated film is Nouvelle Vague (2025) with a score of 83, followed by Blue Moon (2025) (77).

Best Richard Linklater movies, ranked

Has Richard Linklater won an Oscar?

Richard Linklater has been nominated for an Oscar but has not won one yet. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Richard Linklater has 4 wins from 11 nominations.

How old is Richard Linklater?

Richard Linklater is 66 years old, born on July 30, 1960 in Houston, Texas, U.S..

What is Richard Linklater's newest movie?

The most recent film on Richard Linklater's filmography is Nouvelle Vague (2025), which Richard Linklater directed.

Who does Richard Linklater work with most often?

Richard Linklater shares the most films with Ethan Hawke (6 films), Richard Robichaux (3 films) and Jack Black (3 films).

The Best Richard Linklater Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 43 credits.

See the ranking

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