It’s easy to view Jordan Peele as one of horror’s best modern directors, but before he became a staple of the genre as a filmmaker, he appeared in a variety of movies and TV shows as a phenomenal actor. Peele was mostly known as a comedian before hopping into the director’s chair, with his show Key & Peele helping him make a name for himself in hilarious fashion. Alongside that, he has had roles in other projects like the Fargo series and Modern Family.
Peele is also a talented voice actor, having loaned his vocal talents to several major animated projects. Some of these include Rick and Morty, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Big Mouth, and Toy Story 4. Nowadays, Peele seems intent on crafting an excellent directorial filmography, but there is still a lot to love about movies and shows with him as an actor.
10
Storks (2016)
Jordan Peele as Beta Wolf
Storks
7/10
- Release Date
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September 23, 2016
- Runtime
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87minutes
- Director
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Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland
- Writers
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Nicholas Stoller
Not the most groundbreaking animated movie ever made, Storks is still a delightful, family film that revolves around a package delivery stork named Junior who works at a distributing center for an online store. Hijinks ensue and Junior sets off on a journey to deliver a baby to their family. Storks is beautifully animated and often funny, making it an enjoyable movie for the whole family to watch.
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele have routinely shown their comedic genius together.
Storks is just one example of how great of a voice actor Jordan Peele is as he plays Beta, a wolf and deputy to Keegan-Michael Key’s Alpha, antagonist to Junior and his friend Tulip. Key and Peele have routinely shown their comedic genius together, and they shine onscreen in Storks, with Peele delivering a fantastic performance. It’s not the biggest role of Peele’s career, but he is always enthusiastic in every voice acting role he lands.
9
Big Mouth (2017-Present)
Jordan Peele as The Ghost of Duke Ellington, Various
Big Mouth
8/10
- Release Date
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2017 – 2024
- Directors
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Jennifer Flackett
- Writers
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Jennifer Flackett
While it is highly divisive due to the story revolving around puberty and its vulgar approach to certain subjects, Big Mouth is also incredibly funny throughout. It initially premiered on Netflix in 2017 and has run for seven seasons and counting, chronicling the lives of students and the issues they face as their bodies begin to change. It might not be for everyone, but the absurd situations throughout the series make for some hilarious comedic moments.
Big Mouth is the longest-running scripted series in Netflix history.
Jordan Peele plays a variety of characters in Big Mouth, but his most prominent role is the Ghost of Duke Ellington, a jazz musician whose spirit lives in the attic of Nick Kroll’s main character, also named Nick. Duke often gives Nick advice and Jordan Peele is so funny during each scene he appears in. It’s a genuinely inspired character, made all the better by Peele’s commitment to the bit.
8
Modern Family (2013)
Jordan Peele as Derrick
Utilizing the mockumentary format to great effect, Modern Family is a hilarious look at a unique family and their relationships over the course of 11 seasons and 250 episodes. The series won multiple Emmy Awards during its run, and has become one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. It’s incredibly funny from start to finish and worthy of a binge-watch for those who have never seen it.
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30 Shows To Watch If You Love Modern Family
Modern Family is a brilliant mockumentary sitcom that tells the story of a lovable family across three households. There are plenty of shows like it.
Jordan Peele doesn’t have a major role in Modern Family, regrettably, only appearing in one episode as a character named Derrick, who is partnered with Ed O’Neill’s Jay, who was signed up to be a fair cop. Peele is once again very funny in his small, but memorable role, and he works well opposite O’Neill, making their story in the episode arguably the best part of it.
7
Rick And Morty (2014)
Jordan Peele as 4th-Dimensional Being
Rick and Morty
8/10
- Release Date
-
December 2, 2013
- Writers
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Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland, Tom Kauffman, Eric Acosta
Rick and Morty has consistently been one of the funniest shows on television since it premiered in 2013, and is one of the greatest animated shows of all time. Revolving around the absurd adventures of mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty, the jokes never let up as the two of them frequently travel the multiverse in order to protect it. While Rick and Morty is hilarious, it is the heartfelt family dynamics that make it truly incredible.
Jordan Peele is the type of actor who just fits perfectly within the world of Rick and Morty, which makes it a shame that he only appears in one episode of the series. He makes the most of the role, though, playing a fourth-dimensional being with a testicle for a head. It’s all so absurd, but that is what makes it so entertaining, and Peele completely understands what he signed up for.
6
Wendell & Wild (2022)
Jordan Peele as Wild
Wendell & Wild
- Release Date
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October 21, 2022
- Runtime
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106 Minutes
- Director
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Henry Selick
-
-
Keegan-Michael Key
Wendell
-
-
Sam Zelaya
Raúl Cocolotl
Jordan Peele shows off his talent outside of acting by being a co-writer for Wendell & Wild, an animated stop-motion horror comedy movie that tells the story of two demons who strike up a deal with a punk rock teen so they can leave the Underworld and live out their dreams. Made for Netflix, the movie is a perfect blend of funny and scary, and the stop-motion animation is a beautiful sight to see. It’s a fantastic movie that deserves to be seen by as many people as possible.
Alongside writing and producing the film, Peele is also one of the stars, playing Wild, one of the titular demon characters alongside his long-time comedic partner Keegan-Michael Key. Sparks always fly whenever the two of them work together, and Wendel & Wild is no different with Peele turning out a predictably fantastic performance.
5
Keanu (2016)
Jordan Peele as Rell “Techtonic” and Oil Dresden
Keanu
7/10
- Release Date
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April 29, 2016
- Runtime
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100minutes
- Director
-
Peter Atencio
Once again written by Jordan Peele, Keanu is an extremely funny, offbeat movie about two cousins who infiltrate a gang to retrieve their stolen kitten. Fans of both Peele and Keegen-Michael Key should know what to expect going into Keanu, but it is a delightful surprise for the uninitiated, containing all the unique comedy the two of them became known for. It’s a delight of a film that, unfortunately, feels underrated.
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Keanu Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele’s Keanu features a soundtrack packed with lesser-known songs and old hits, including some from an iconic singer.
Keanu was actually Peele’s first leading film role alongside Keegan-Michael Key after their landmark sketch-comedy series Key & Peele. The transition to leading actor in a film for Peele is seamless, with him capable of leading a feature-length story. He plays one of the cousins in the movie, and brings all of his often absurd humor to his performance, making the most of his time in the spotlight.
4
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
Jordan Peele as Melvin Sneedly
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie was the first adaptation of the beloved children’s book series, and it is a fantastic movie in its own right. Not only is it extremely funny, with a nice blend of juvenile humor that kids love and more mature jokes for parents and older viewers, but the animation is stunning. The movie utilizes a variety of animation techniques to make something truly unique and captures the tone of the story it is adapting perfectly.
Jordan Peele continues his winning streak as a voice actor in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie as he plays Melvin Sneedly, the nerdy enemy of Kevin Heart’s George Beard and Thomas Middleditch’s Harold Hutchins. He eventually becomes the sidekick of Professor Poopypants due to his lack of a sense of humor. It’s somewhat of an off-brand character for Peele to play, but he does such a great job that he is still often funny.
3
Toy Story 4 (2019)
Jordan Peele as Bunny
Toy Story 4
8/10
- Release Date
-
June 21, 2019
- Runtime
-
100 Minutes
- Director
-
Josh Cooley
- Writers
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Stephany Folsom, Andrew Stanton
Toy Story 4 is often unfairly maligned compared to the beloved original trilogy in the franchise, but it is still an incredibly good movie in its own right. It took the franchise in a new direction, creating a story full of bittersweet, heartfelt moments that love and respect what came before. It’s a very emotional film, and is some of the most beautiful animation that Pixar has ever done. Toy Story 4 isn’t just an incredible addition to the franchise — it’s a stellar movie in its own right.
It took the franchise in a new direction, creating a story full of bittersweet, heartfelt moments that love and respect what came before.
Jordan Peele joins the iconic animated franchise with his fantastic role as Bunny, a stuffed animal that is a carnival prize that desperately wants to be won. Bunny is friends with Ducky, played by Keegan-Michael Key, showing that Toy Story 4 understands how to get the funniest possible performances out of them. Peele is so good with the screen time that he has in the film, fitting perfectly within the amazing franchise that Pixar created.
2
Fargo (2014)
Jordan Peele as Agent Webb Pepper
Fargo
10/10
- Release Date
-
2014 – 2023
- Showrunner
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Noah Hawley
- Writers
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Noah Hawley
- Franchise(s)
-
Fargo
Based on the 1996 film of the same name, Fargo is an incredible piece of television, running for five seasons and counting. Each season typically begins with a new story, but Fargo revolves around the various lives of law enforcement, organized criminals, and regular people in the American Midwest, focusing heavily on Minnesota. The atmosphere, style, and quirky characters are all a big part of what makes Fargo so endearing to watch.
Jordan Peele has a recurring role during the first season of Fargo, playing Webb Pepper alongside Keegan-Michael Key’s Bill Budge. The two of them are incompetent FBI special agents who eventually cross paths with Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton), a dangerous hitman. Peele is the perfect actor to bring Webb Pepper to life, playing him perfectly, and fits within the tone and quirkiness of Fargo as a whole.
1
Key & Peele (2012-2015)
Jordan Peele as Himself, Various
Key & Peele
- Release Date
-
January 31, 2012
- Showrunner
-
Keegan-Michael Key
- Directors
-
Peter Atencio
- Writers
-
Keegan-Michael Key
Outside his directed films, nothing in his filmography is as great as Key & Peele, the hilarious sketch-comedy show that combines the winning Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key and truly put both actors on the map as comedians. Featuring a plethora of laugh-out-loud sketches, Key & Peele is one of the funniest sketch shows of all time, and was consistently spectacular for its entire five-season run. It’s a masterpiece of comedy that has created so many viral memes in the process.
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The 25 Funniest Key & Peele Sketches, Ranked
Key and Peele was a gift in that it further introduced the world to the talents of Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key with some amazing sketches.
Peele is one half of the dynamic duo alongside Key, and he proves just how versatile of an actor he truly is, finding the hilarity in any and all situations the sketches explore during the show. It’s a masterclass of acting and comedic writing, and highlights just how immensely talented both Key and Peele truly are. Jordan Peele’s Barack Obama impression is one of the greatest things in television history.
Jordan Peele
- Birthdate
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February 21, 1979
- Birthplace
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New York City, New York, USA
- Professions
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Comedian, Actor, Writer, Producer, Director