Ty Simpkins has an unusual career trajectory. He started in the entertainment industry at only a few weeks of age when One Life To Live needed a new baby for a storyline. Many of his notable roles as a child were in short films and independent projects, but thanks to a handful of blockbuster movies, Ty Simpkins became a household name at a young age.
In recent years, Simpkins has become known for his quest to visit every major baseball stadium in the United States in his spare time (which he achieved) and taking on roles in a slew of horror movies. For every drama or comedy he appears in, Simpkins has at least two horror movies in his resume. He has not, however, become a niche actor, varying his work and allowing himself to explore different roles and genres. He’s even appeared on stage in Cabaret.
10 Arcadia (2012)
As Nat
Many of Ty Simpkins’ movies as a young child paired him with his real-life sibling Ryan Simpkins. Here, he’s the little brother to his big sister as they go on a cross-country road trip with their father, one where their mother is supposed to meet up with them at their final destination.
The movie is a coming-of-age drama for Ryan Simpkins more than it is for their little brother. Greta is the one who realizes as the trip continues that their family is falling apart, not Nat. The addition of real siblings to the movie, however, lends an air of authenticity to the project. Not many family members who work in the industry end up on camera together, so it’s a nice route for the movie to take.
Arcadia isn’t a particularly well-known project from Simpkins’ childhood, but the movie did make waves on the film festival circuit, earning prizes at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Cine Junior Film Festival, and becoming an official selection of the Woodstock Film Festival.
Related The 10 Best Female-Led Coming-Of-Age Movies, According To Reddit
The coming-of-age movie has always been an important genre for young viewers. These movies with female leads are important as well as iconic.
9 Hangman (2015)
As Max
The characterization of the adults in Hangman isn’t great, but it earns its place among Ty Simpkins’ best movies because it’s an interesting take on home invasion horror and found footage. It’s also suitable creepy for horror fans.
The movie follows a man who breaks into a family home and gets to know them through photo albums and home videos while they’re on vacation. He sets up his own surveillance system and lives in their attic once they return. He purposely puts them at odds with one another, getting the teenage girl to blame her little brother for things that happen around the house and planting “evidence” of infidelity by the husband.
Simpkins again plays little brother to his real-life sister here, which is part of the reason the kids feel like more developed characters than the adults. Simpkins’ Max is also the go-between for his family and the person stalking them as he believes he’s getting information from someone named “Jimmy” in his dreams, but it’s really the man hiding in the house.
While there are likely plenty of better horror movies out there (and Simpkins has been in some of them), Hangman offers a great look at the talent Simpkins has at a young age.
8 The Nice Guys (2016)
As Bobby
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7/10 9/10 The Nice Guys RMysteryThrillerCrime
Directed by Shane Black and starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, The Nice Guys tells the story of a private investigator and a hired enforcer who team up to investigate the disappearance of a young woman. Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the 2016 comedy thriller puts a modern spin on the noir genre.
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*Availability in US Director Shane Black Release Date May 20, 2016 Writers Anthony Bagarozzi , Shane Black Cast Ryan Gosling , Ty Simpkins , Rachele Brooke Smith , Russell Crowe , Yaya DaCosta , Margaret Qualley , Kim Basinger , Keith David , Matt Bomer , Yvonne Zima Runtime 116minutes
The Nice Guys sees a private investigator and an enforcer team up to search for a missing young woman in 1977. It’s got elements of traditional buddy comedies, but it also provides commentary on environmental issues and cover-ups.
Ty Simpkins doesn’t have a huge role in The Nice Guys. He plays the young boy who witnesses a car crash that kicks off much of the mystery of the movie. Simpkins, however, ended up in the role after working with writer/director Shane Black on another high-profile project. His being selected for a part here, however, small it might be considered, is evident of those in the industry seeing his promise and wanting to work with him.
The Nice Guys was nominated for a handful of awards after its release, including a Saturn Award for Best Action or Adventure Film.
7 Revolutionary Road (2008)
As Michael Wheeler
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9/10 5.5/10 Revolutionary Road RDramaRomance
Revolutionary Road is a drama directed by Sam Mendes, based on the novel by Richard Yates. The story centers on Frank and April Wheeler, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, a suburban couple in 1950s America who find themselves struggling with the disillusionment of their marriage and personal dreams. They grapple with societal expectations and their desire for a more fulfilling life.
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*Availability in US Director Sam Mendes Release Date December 26, 2008 Writers Justin Haythe , Richard Yates Cast Leonardo DiCaprio , Kate Winslet , Kathy Bates , Kathryn Hahn , Michael Shannon , David Harbour Runtime 119 minutes
The focus of Revolutionary Road is on a couple in the mid-20th century. That couple, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet grow apart during their marriage, see their dreams die, and both commit infidelity as they struggle with life in the suburbs. The focus is very much not on their children, but that doesn’t mean Revolutionary Road doesn’t deserve to be listed among Simpkins’ best projects.
Simpkins and his sister again play siblings here as the children of DiCaprio and Winslet’s characters. They don’t feature as much in the movie as the parents do, but the set was likely an early educational experience for them to be around such fantastic talent. In addition to DiCaprio and Winslet, the movie also boasts Kathy Bates, Kathryn Hahn, and David Harbour in the main cast.
It was nominated for three Oscars, four Golden Globes, and four BAFTAs. Winslet won the Golden Globe for Best Actress.
6 Chimerica (2019)
As Young Lee Berger
Ty Simpkins might have started his acting career before he was a year old on a soap opera, but he has been in a lot more movies and short films than he has television projects. Chimerica is one of the rare television projects he’s been a part of. It was a four-part limited series.
Simpkins stars as the younger version of the main character Lee Berger, while Alessandro Nivola plays the older version. The series follows Berger’s quest to find the man known as “Tank Man,” the person photographed nearly 30 years earlier facing off against military tanks in Tiananmen Square in China following the protests of civilians and members of the press against the government. While many people protested the Chinese government’s violent actions against civilians, not many were photographed, and not many photographs made their way around the world.
In reality, the photograph was taken by photographer Jeff Widener, but in the series, Berger is responsible for the picture. That is Simpkins, establishing Berger as a war photographer. His modern-day career takes a turn, however, when it turns out some of his photos have been doctored, leaving him to prove the reality of the photo that made him famous, employing flashbacks to the past as it does.
The movie is great commentary on the state of journalism and how media is consumed in general and a smart choice forward for Simpkins’ career on screen.
5 The Insidious Movies (2010-2023)
As Dalton Lambert
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8/10 8.5/10 Insidious PG-13MysteryThrillerHorror
When Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) move into a new home, their son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) explores the attic and discovers a malevolent entity. After Dalton slips into an unexplained coma, Josh and Renai enlist the help of spiritual medium Elise (Lin Shaye) to enter the spirit world and recover Dalton’s consciousness, which they believe is being held by an unknown hostile force.
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*Availability in US Director James Wan Release Date April 1, 2011 Writers Leigh Whannell Cast Barbara Hershey , Lin Shaye , Rose Byrne , Ty Simpkins , Patrick Wilson Runtime 103 minutes Sequel(s) Insidious: Chapter 2 , Insidious: Chapter 3 , Insidious: The Last Key , Insidious: The Red Door Expand
While some might think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Simpkins’ big break, it’s really the
Insidious
movies.
Not many actors, especially when they started the role as a child, can say they appeared in a horror film franchise over more than a decade. The rare exceptions are the likes of famous final girls like Jamie Lee Curtis in the Halloween movies and Neve Campbell in the Scream movies.
Simpkins stars in three of the five movies as Dalton Lambert (and appears in a fourth in archival footage). He’s a young child in the first movie who becomes something of a conduit for spirits, ghosts, and demons. The second movie deals with the aftermath of that. The third movie that Simpkins appears in is set a decade later, exploring the complicated relationship between Dalton and his father after repressing the trauma of his childhood.
The Insidious franchise has become an incredibly profitable horror franchise for Blumhouse and the other studios that have helped to finance and distribute it. The first movie only had a $1.5 million budget but made over $100 million at the box office around the world, and the franchise has only grown since then.
While some might think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Simpkins’ big break, it’s really the Insidious movies.
Related Every Insidious Movie Ranked, Worst To Best
There have been five Insidious movies to date, including Insidious: The Red Door, and here’s how the James Wan-created franchise stacks up.
4 Jurassic World (2015)
As Gray
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7/10 6.8/10 Jurassic World PG-13 Sci-Fi
The Jurassic World Ultimate Collection includes the 6 movies in the immensely popular dinosaur franchise. It begins with paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler and mathematician, Ian Malcolm, as they tour an island theme park that is populated by dinosaurs that were created from prehistoric DNA. The dinosaurs eventually break free, creating the havoc that is explored in the 6 films. You can buy all 6 movies right now for $60 for Prime Day.
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*Availability in US Director Colin Trevorrow Release Date June 12, 2015 Writers Amanda Silver , Colin Trevorrow , Rick Jaffa , Derek Connolly Cast Bryce Dallas Howard , Chris Pratt , Omar Sy , Jake Johnson Runtime 124 minutes Franchise(s) Jurassic Park Expand
Jurassic World is the second of two huge blockbusters that Simpkins appeared in. Simpkins’ Gray and his brother (Nick Robinson) visit the theme park that their aunt is in charge of during their parents’ split. The trip is supposed to be a fun distraction for them, but it becomes a fight for survival as dinosaurs get out of their enclosures and attack the guests.
The movie relaunched the Jurassic Park franchise 20 years after the original movie premiered. While Simpkins hasn’t appeared in more installments of the franchise since, he has been, for much of his career after, been known as the “kid from Jurassic World” because the movie had such an impact on audiences.
Jurassic World
received seven Saturn Award nominations, with Ty Simpkins winning the award for Best Performance By A Young Actor.
3 Where’s Rose (2021)
As Eric Daniels
Close
Simpkins plays his character’s knowledge perfectly.
Though Where’s Rose is often classified as a horror movie, it’s much closer to a psychological thriller that just happens to use horror elements to tell its story. The movie sees a little girl who has gone missing in the woods return to her family, and her older brother is the only one who seems to realize that she isn’t what she seems.
Simpkins plays the older brother, and he also plays a role in the movie’s ultimate twist. While it might seem like a relatively straightforward tale of a supernatural entity taking over the body of a child, that’s not the case, and Simpkins plays his character’s knowledge perfectly.
The movie is one of the lower budget projects that Simpkins has been involved in, so it might not have as much love as some of the bigger budget movie’s he’s done, but his performance is great.
2 Iron Man 3 (2013)
As Harley Kenner
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8/10 6.1/10 Iron Man 3 PG-13
Iron Man 3 pits genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist Tony Stark (Iron Man) against the Mandarin, an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his world destroyed by his mysterious antagonist, he embarks on a dangerous quest to find those responsible. His journey will test his character at every turn. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him and determine whether or not the suit makes the man or if Tony himself is the hero.
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*Availability in US Director Shane Black Release Date May 3, 2013 Writers Drew Pearce , Shane Black Cast Ben Kingsley , Guy Pearce , Paul Bettany , Don Cheadle , Gwyneth Paltrow , Jon Favreau , Robert Downey Jr. Runtime 130 Mins Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe Expand
…he stole the show…
Millions of people all over the world were introduced to Simpkins because of Iron Man 3. It came out just a few years after the first Insidious movie and a few years before Jurassic World. At this point, there were likely people in the audience who thought he looked familiar but weren’t sure where they had seen him before.
In Iron Man 3, Simpkins stars as a young boy who befriends Tony Stark when Tony’s Iron Man Suit crash lands him near the boy’s house. They work together to build him a new suit. Harley’s presence marked the first time a child actor had a large role in one of the Iron Man movies, and he stole the show with his matter-of-fact delivery of a lot of his lines and his comedic timing opposite Robert Downey Jr.
Simpkins has returned to the MCU one more time, to attend Tony Stark’s funeral as a teenage Harley, indicating the character has kept in touch with the boy off-screen.
1 The Whale (2022)
As Thomas
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6/10 3.5/10 The Whale rDrama
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, The Whale is based on a 2012 stage play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter. The film star Brenden Fraser as Charlie, a reclusive and obese English teacher who, faced with his own mortality and guilt-ridden over his past, attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter Ellie, played by Sadie Sink. The film was part of Fraser’s comeback to acting and earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
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*Availability in US Director Darren Aronofsky Release Date December 9, 2022 Writers Samuel D. Hunter Cast Brendan Fraser , Sadie Sink , Hong Chau , Samantha Morton , Ty Simpkins Runtime 117 minutes
With the very small cast, every actor involved has to pull their emotional weight.
The Whale ranks as the best movie Ty Simpkins has been in because it is the most lauded movie of his career so far. While most of the praise for the acting in the movie has been leveled at Brendan Fraser and Sadie Sink, Simpkins deserves his praise for his supporting role as well. With the very small cast, every actor involved has to pull their emotional weight.
Simpkins stars as Thomas, a member of a church who meets the main characters and wants to save the immortal soul of Fraser’s character. He also befriends Sink’s character, admitting the faults in his past as he searches for forgiveness.
Related The Whale Confirms Sadie Sink Is Stranger Things’ True Breakout Star
Sadie Sink was arguably already the best young actor in Stranger Things, especially after season 4, and her performance in The Whale reinforces that.
The movie did have mixed reactions from general audiences though. As much as the performances were praised, the depiction of obesity on screen was heavily criticized. Despite that, The Whale racked up award show and critical nominations. Though Ty Simpkins’ performance wasn’t nominated, the movie did earn three Oscar nominations, winning two of them, including Best Actor for Brendan Fraser.