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Penn Badgley Movies And TV Shows

Penn Dayton Badgley, born just in time to celebrate Halloween on November 1, 1986, is the guy everyone seems to know. Why? Well, he was the mysterious Dan Humphrey (a character in Gossip Girl (2007-2012). Fast forward a bit, and he’s making us question our dating choices as Joe Goldberg in Netflix‘s “You” (2018-now).

And boy did Penn Badgley movies people notice! Six nods at the Teen Choice Awards for the former, some shiny MTV Movie & TV and Saturn Award nominations for the latter. But wait, there’s more! Before Penn was busy playing NYC’s Upper East Siders or stalking love interests, he was Phillip Chancellor IV on “The Young and the Restless” (2000-2001).

And guess what? He got a Young Artist Award nomination for that. Not stopping there, the actor jumped onto the big screen. He stirred high school drama in “John Tucker Must Die” (2006), made us laugh in “Drive-Thru” (2007), and gave chills in “The Stepfather” (2009). Not just that, he was part of the A-list in “Easy A” (2010) and dived deep into financial woes in “Margin Call” (2011).

Oh, and he got an Independent Spirit Award for that last one The Land of Steady Habits. There’s also his dive into music with “Greetings from Tim Buckley” (2012) and a twist in “The Paper Store” (2016). What a ride, Penn!

Early Life Career

Penn Badgley biography, with his ever-supportive mom by his side, swapped coasts for sunny California at the ripe age of 11. LA welcomed him with radio waves, and he lent his voice to kids’ stations across Hollywood. Remember playing Mario Golf 64 and Mario Tennis 64? That’s the young Penn Badgley movies and series you heard!

From gaming, he hopped onto the small screen, making a pit stop at “Will & Grace“, and then cruising through shows like “Daddio (2000)” and “What I like about you“. However, Penn Badgley‘s early life ‘made it’ moment was his stint as Phillip Chancellor IV on “The Young and the Restless“.

Penn Badgley from Netflix's You
©Netflix

For a year’s work, he snagged a Young Artist Award nomination, turning a few more heads his way. 2002 saw him time-travel in The WB’s “Do Over (2002)”, playing a 34-year-old stuck in his 14-year-old body in 1980 – no DeLorean needed!

The WB seemed to have a bit of a crush on Penn Badgley‘s career, casting him in “The Mountain (2004-2005)” and “The Bedford Diaries (2006)” in the years that followed. Then came Penn’s big-screen moment: “John Tucker Must Die“.

Taking on the role of Scott Tucker, Penn Badgley helped rake in a cool $14.3 million on its opening weekend. Not too shabby, huh? Later, Penn teamed up with future colleague Leighton Meester for a little horror flick, “Drive-Thru“. Quite the adventure for a guy who started with Mario!

Penn Badgley Movies And TV Shows

John Tucker Must Die

“John Tucker Must Die (2006)” is a 2006 comedy flick that should probably come with a warning: “Don’t date multiple people from different cliques, or things might get messy!” Directed by Betty Thomas, this film revolves around three teen girls who find out they’re all being played by the same basketball heartthrob, John Tucker.

John Tucker Must Die plot naturally, revenge is in order. So, they rope in a not-so-popular girl for a public Tucker-takedown. Launching in North America on July 28, 2006, the movie pocketed a sweet $68 million globally.

Let’s dive a tad deeper: Kate Spencer, a teen waitress in Oregon, is busy navigating life with her single mom when she spots Mr. Popular, John Tucker, on dates with not one, but three different girls. There’s overzealous Carrie, head cheerleader Heather, and Beth, both passionate about veganism and… dating.

Kate discovers from the grapevine that Penn Badgley‘s acting career strategy is dating girls from distinct school groups to ensure they don’t gossip. His sneaky excuse? Dad’s “no dating during basketball season” rule. Smooth, John. Smooth.

The Twilight Zone

“The Twilight Zone (2019-2020)” got another makeover, making it the second revival of Rod Serling’s eerie 1959-64 classic. Airwaves on UPN got a little spookier with this one, and guess who took over Serling’s iconic narration? The talented Forest Whitaker!

This trip down the paranormal lane kicked off on September 18, 2002, and wrapped up by May 21, 2003. Two bite-sized half-hour tales served in a one-hour platter. Sadly, the show got the boot after just one season, but don’t fret.

Reruns kept the magic alive in syndication, and by the summer of 2008, My Network TV joined the party. Oh, and if the opening theme gave you head-banging vibes, thank Jonathan Davis from Korn. Penn Badgley didn’t shy away from the big stuff. We’re talking terrorism, racism, gender, and even stalking.

Memorable episodes? Think Jason Alexander tired of playing Death, Usher getting haunted phone calls, and Katherine Heigl on a chilling mission to change history by targeting baby Adolf Hitler.

The Stepfather

“The Stepfather (2009)” is a psychological thriller that says, “Meet the parents, but maybe double-check they’re not serial killers first?” A remake of the 1987 movie with the same “uh-oh” name, this version is directed by Nelson McCormick and boasts a star-studded cast featuring Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Amber Heard, and Jon Tenney.

Real-life murderer John List eerily inspires the Stepfather thriller and chilling plot. Let’s set the scene: In a seemingly normal Utah home, Grady Edwards undergoes a makeover – beard shaving, hair dyeing, and ditching his brown contacts.

But, plot twist, he’s not prepping for a hot date. Instead, he’s trying to look less like the guy who just offed his entire family. As the police connect the dots, they realize another family met a similar grim fate in New Jersey. The plot thickens with whispers of a roaming serial killer.

Easy A

“Easy A (2010)” (or as the cool kids write, “easy A”) is a 2010 teen rom-com, with a dash of Scarlet Letter seasoning. Yep, you heard it – inspired a bit by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 literary classic. The director’s chair had Will Gluck’s name on it, and Bert V.

Royal brought words to life on paper. The Penn Badgley movies got a star-studded lineup: Emma Stone leading the pack, a stellar supporting Easy A movie cast including Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, and (surprise!) Amanda Bynes in her final film appearance. Location scouts chose Screen Gems studios and scenic Ojai, California, for the backdrop.

Released on September 17, 2010, “Easy A” became the cool kid on the block – bagging positive reviews and netting a whopping $75 million on a lean $8 million budget. Emma’s performance was so spectacular that she snagged a Golden Globe nomination. Plus, the flick was crowned Best Comedy at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

Margin Call

“Margin Call” is a 2011 drama that’s like “24” but for Wall Street – it unfolds over 24 hours during the dramatic kick-off of the 2007-2008 financial meltdown. Directed and penned by J. C. Chandor (who incidentally popped his feature film directing cherry with this), the movie dives into the frenzy of a group of bankers staring into the financial abyss.

If you’re wondering about the name, “Margin Call (2011)” is a snazzy finance term that, in simple terms, means “Hey, investor! Your assets just tanked. Time to cough up more collateral.” The film boasts a powerhouse ensemble, including Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, and Zachary Quinto (who also wore his producer’s hat, thanks to his company, Before the Door Pictures).

Distributors Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions pushed it into theaters, and audiences were treated to a story partially inspired by Chandor’s own money moves in NYC, just before the financial sky fell. Fun fact: Chandor’s dad was an investment banker.

Talk about writing what you know! Before hitting theaters, Penn Badgley movie critics gave it a thumbs up. After its big-screen debut, the accolades rolled in. Detroit Film Critics Society gave it nods, and its screenplay scooped up a few awards and nominations – including an Oscar nom for Best Original Screenplay.

Greetings from Tim Buckley

“Greetings from Tim Buckley” is a 2012 flick directed by the talented Daniel Algrant. Who’s starring, you ask? Our friend from earlier, Penn Badgley, and the charming Imogen Poots. It’s not your typical father-son bonding tale. Nope, it’s all about Jeff Buckley navigating the towering musical shadow of his late dad, Tim.

Imagine a son prepping to belt out his father’s iconic tunes and dealing with all the feels that come with it. Greetings from Tim Buckley (2012) movie and other Penn Badgley Movies took their first bow at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012 and critics were like, “Not bad!”

The general audience got their popcorn and sat down for this musical rollercoaster on May 3, 2013, with Penn Badgley singing in Greetings from Tim Buckley, but only in select theatres. Talk about exclusive!

Cymbeline

“Cymbeline (2014)” is now doubling up as “Anarchy“, an American crime thriller that’s a far cry from the bard’s Elizabethan stage. Is the man shaking the Shakespearean cocktail? Michael Almereyda, who wrote, produced, and directed this ride. Headlining the film, we’ve got Ethan Hawke, Ed Harris, Milla Jovovich, John Leguizamo, and Dakota Johnson.

But here’s the twist: instead of royal courts, think roaring motorcycles and leather jackets. Dive into a turf war between some corrupt cops and a mean biker gang. The biker king, short on heirs, wants his daughter to marry some regal biker dude to keep the royal oil running in the family engine.

But, the new queen on the block has a devious plan: off with the king and his daughter, and prop her son as the new biker boss. The cherry on top? The princess biker has eloped with a broke biker beau, much to Daddy’s chagrin. Talk about drama on wheels!

Adam Green’s Aladdin

Adam Green decided he wasn’t busy enough, so he wrote, directed, and starred in his flick, “Adam Green’s Aladdin (2016)”. It’s like the Arabian Nights tale we know and love, but toss in some smartphones and modern dilemmas. Alia Shawkat, Natasha Lyonne, Jack Dishel, everyone’s favorite ’90s kid Macaulay Culkin, and Nicole LaLiberte.

This ain’t your average magic lamp tale; it dives deep into today’s tech craze, big brother governments, good ol’ greed, and of course, some heart-throbbing love. But here’s the kicker: part of its budget came from fans through Kickstarter.

Adam and crew turned summer 2014 into a cinematic adventure. And on April 15, 2016, everyone could kick back, hit ‘play’ on their devices, and journey to Adam’s Agrabah from the comfort of their couches! How’s that for a modern-day fairytale?

Do Over

“Do Over” is this fun American sitcom whipped up by Kenny Schwartz and Rick Wiener. Think of it as a grown man’s fantasy ticket back to those awkward school dances and first zits.

Running on The WB from September to December 2002, the show had Penn Badgley leading the childhood-revisit parade. So, if you ever wished to redo those childhood blunders, this show’s your jam!

The Bedford Diaries

“The Bedford Diaries“, a drama from the brilliant minds of Tom Fontana and Julie Martin, hit the screens on March 29, 2006, courtesy of The WB. But don’t get too attached, because the curtain fell after its first season on May 10, 2006. By May 18, it was clear: no encore for this drama.

But here’s some juicy behind-the-scenes tea: Just before its debut, The WB tried a little “look what you can’t have” tactic. They teased viewers with some… let’s call it “spicier” content from the pilot episode on their website – content that was a tad too hot for regular TV. By the time the episode aired, those risqué scenes were snipped out. Ah, the old bait and switch!

What made Penn Badgley famous?

After starring in You, a smash hit on Netflix, Penn Badgley shot to international fame. But his big break came in 2007 when he was cast as Dan Humphrey in the Gossip Girl episodes that aired on the CW and HBO Max.

Is Penn Badgley still married?

Domino Kirke, who is a doula in addition to being a singer and actress, is married to Penn.

Does Penn Badgley have a 14-year-old?

Penn and Domino want to keep their family life, which includes his 14-year-old stepson Cassius Riley, a closely guarded secret, but the former Gossip Girl star has shared some insight into the younger member’s important milestones.

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