Bill Hader is a universally beloved actor and comedian who first rose to prominence on Saturday Night Live before branching out to the big screen. The decorated performer appeared on the long-running sketch show from 2005 to 2013, during which he landed roles in films like Superbad, Tropic Thunder, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Following his departure from the series, Hader continued to make a name for himself in Hollywood by co-creating and starring in the acclaimed HBO black comedy Barry.
Hader has appeared in countless blockbuster hits like Trainwreck, Inside Out, and It Chapter Two, and even voiced a USS Vengeance Computer in Star Trek Into Darkness. The funny man has been the recipient of numerous accolades including three Primetime Emmys and two Critics Choice Television Awards, and he most recently starred in Disney/Pixar's Lightyear.
These are Bill Hader’s best movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Tropic Thunder - 82%
Ben Stiller wrote, directed, and starred in the 2008 satirical action comedy Tropic Thunder, which hilariously focuses on a group of high-maintenance actors as they are stranded in the middle of the jungle while filming a big-budget Vietnam War flick, and make the shocking discovery that they are in real danger after the project's production goes horribly (and side-splittingly) awry.
Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, and Brandon T. Jackson join Stiller as the dysfunctional and over-the-top prima donna actors who must band together to survive the treacherous elements, while Bill Hader appears in a supporting role as studio executive Rob Slolom, the assistant to the rude-and-crude Les Grossman (Tom Cruise). Tropic Thunder was a massive box office success, grossing over $195 million at the box office.
9 Forgetting Sarah Marshall - 83%
With a dynamic ensemble cast led by Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Russell Brand, the 2008 romantic comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall follows devastated music composer Peter Bretter as he attempts to escape his heartache by going to Hawaii to try and get his life back on track following a shocking breakup with his girlfriend of five years. Peter is stunned when he runs into his ex and her new boyfriend at the resort, leading to uncomfortable encounters and uproarious hijinks.
Hader portrays Peter's stepbrother and close friend Brian, who hilariously banters with his wife Liz via their webcam while chatting with the lovelorn protagonist. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a smash with both audiences and critics and was listed by countless media outlets as one of the funniest films of the year.
8 Trainwreck - 84%
Judd Apatow directed the 2016 romantic comedy Trainwreck, featuring Amy Schumer (who also wrote the screenplay) as commitment-phobic party girl and columnist Amy Townsend who embarks on her first serious relationship with a charming sports doctor Aaron Conners (Hader). The duo experiences countless growing pains while attempting to navigate their new romance, and Amy and Aaron must contend with conflicting life perspectives and philosophies that expose their incompatibility despite them truly caring for one another.
Trainwreck was Hader's first leading man role, and it helped establish the charismatic actor as one of Hollywood's most buzzed about performers. The rom-com garnered numerous accolades including two Golden Globe nominations and three Critics' Choice Awards nods, and went on to dominate the theaters and rake in over $140 million.
7 The Skeleton Twins - 86%
Bill Hader teamed up with frequent collaborator and fellow Saturday Night Live alum Kristen Wiig in the 2014 dramedy The Skeleton Twins, which focuses on the relationship between estranged twins Milo and Maggie as the siblings reconnect following them both having terrifying near-death experiences. The pair reunite in hopes of mending their fractured relationship and are subsequently forced to address their own baggage and shortcomings on their journey to forgive one another and move forward.
The Skeleton Twins was listed as one of the Top Ten Independent Films of the Year at the National Board of Review Awards, with Hader and Wiig's effortless and endearing chemistry being singled out by critics and moviegoers alike. The dynamic duo also won the award for Best On-Screen Couple at the Women Film Critics Circle Awards.
6 Maggie's Plan - 86%
Acclaimed actress and director Greta Gerwig starred as the titular match-making character in the 2015 romantic dramedy Maggie's Plan, centering on private university research director Maggie Hardin as she falls in love with a married man (Ethan Hawke) and ends up having a child with.
Three years later, Maggie is married to John and they have a daughter together. She is repeatedly forced to put her career aspirations on the back burner to raise the young child. After making the stunning realization that John is better suited to be with his ex-wife (Julianne Moore), she plots to reunite the pair.
Hader appears in the offbeat flick as Tony, Maggie's former college boyfriend and close friend whom she confides in while concocting her bizarre plan. Empire Magazine wrote in their positive review, "A perfectly cast comedy of manners that couches complex emotional questions in joyous farce and continues Gerwig's reign as the undisputed Queen Of Quirk."
5 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - 86%
Bill Hader delivered a playful performance when he lent his voice to the 2009 animated sci-fi comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which tells the story of aspiring scientist and inventor Flint Lockwood as he attempts to solve his town's food crisis by creating a wondrous machine that transforms water into food, raining down delicious treats upon the residents of Swallow Falls. Flint must join forces with weather intern Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) when the invention malfunctions and the falling food threatens to completely smother the town.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was both a critical and commercial hit, earning $243 million at the box office and earning rave reviews for its whimsical storyline, endearing characters, and talented voice cast. Its overwhelming success helped establish a lucrative franchise that led to the equally lucrative 2013 sequel and animated television series.
4 Superbad - 88%
From the genius minds of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg comes the beloved 2007 coming-of-age comedy Superbad, starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera as high school seniors and lifelong pals Seth and Evan. They must grapple with their mounting separation anxiety while also attempting to provide alcohol for a massive party being thrown by a popular girl at school. The teenage misfits also make it their mission to lose their virginities before going off to college and end up crossing paths multiple times with bumbling police officers Slater (Hader) and Michaels (Rogen).
Rogen and Goldberg drew upon their own experience and wrote the comedy's screenplay during their own teenage years. Superbad is widely regarded as one of the greatest comedies of the 2000s and has also been lauded as one of the defining films of the millennial generation while helping establish the careers of its impressive cast.
3 Adventureland - 88%
Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart headlined the 2009 dramedy Adventureland, following aspiring journalist and recent college graduate James Brennan.
He takes on a summer job at a Pennsylvania amusement park in 1987 to save up money for grad school and finds himself enamored by co-worker Em Lewin (Stewart) and the park's eccentric and zany workers. Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Reynolds, and Martin Starr round out the cast as James' misfit co-workers, with Hader appearing as the park's caring and passionate assistant manager.
Adventureland was a modest hit at the box office and attracted appreciation for its wholesome coming-of-age romance, oddball humor, and quirky cast performances. Time Out wrote, "As a sweet-natured character comedy - and a subtle exercise in generic boundary-pushing - this is a real charmer."
2 Knocked Up - 89%
Seth Rogen skyrocketed to superstardom when he appeared opposite Katherine Heigl in Judd Apatow's 2007 romantic comedy Knocked Up, depicting the unlikely relationship between Los Angeles reporter Alison Scott and resident slacker Ben Stone after their drunken one-night stand results in Alison becoming pregnant. The Apatow masterpiece features a huge ensemble cast including Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, and Leslie Mann, with Hader appearing in a minor role as Alison's co-worker and editor at E! Entertainment Television.
Knocked Up caused quite the sensation when it hit theaters, with moviegoers loving the delightful comedic chemistry between the mismatched couple as well as Apatow's distinct and side-splitting humor. The farce landed on numerous end-of-the-year critics' lists and was selected by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten films of the year. A follow-up flick, This Is 40, was released in 2012 while Apatow has recently revealed that a third movie is currently in the works.
1 Inside Out - 98%
The fan-favorite 2015 animated film Inside Out focuses on 11-year-old Riley as she struggles to adjust to her new life after moving from Minnesota to San Francisco, with the heartwarming picture delving into her emotions as they try and attempt to help her embrace the major change.
The Disney/Pixar blockbuster showcases her five personified emotions: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Anger (Lewis Black), as they disagree over how best to handle the move and Riley's all-over-the-place response.
Inside Out won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature grossed a whopping $858.8 million, and has been hailed as one of the best animated films of all time. The moving picture touched the hearts of audiences across the world and its immense popularity helped greenlight a sequel, Inside Out 2, which will hit theaters in 2024 and reunite most of the original cast members.