Thora Birch

Biography

Thora Birch is an American actress who started out as a child performer, making her film debut in Purple People Eater (1988) and winning a Young Artist Award. Born in Los Angeles, she appeared in 1990s films including Paradise (1991), Patriot Games (1992), Hocus Pocus (1993), Monkey Trouble (1994), Now and Then (1995) and Alaska (1996). She moved into adult roles with American Beauty (1999), earning a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her turn as Enid Coleslaw in the cult hit Ghost World (2001) earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe for Best Actress. Later credits include Dungeons & Dragons (2000), The Hole (2001), Silver City (2004) and Dark Corners (2006). On television she headlined Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story, nominated for an Emmy, and played Gamma on The Walking Dead from 2019 to 2020. She made her directing debut with The Gabby Petito Story (2022).

44years old

Turns 45 on March 11in 149 days

Born March 11, 1982Los Angeles
Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20

Movie Career

Films: 29
Career span: 34 years1991 to 2025

Genres

Drama66%, 19 films
Comedy38%, 11 films
Thriller24%, 7 films
Action17%, 5 films
Family17%, 5 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Behind the camera
In 2022, Birch directed The Gabby Petito Story, a Lifetime television movie, for her first time behind the camera. She also acted in the film.
A first
At the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, it was announced that Birch would make her feature directing debut with an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel Mr. Paradise, and that no woman had directed a Leonard adaptation before.
Behind the camera
Birch produced and starred in Petunia, which came out in 2012, and she took a break from acting after that.
Beyond film
Birch took the role of Audrey Beach in Overleaper, a ten-part fictional podcast from 2022 that is an espionage-style thriller. She was drawn to the project by the idea of a return to old radio dramas and by acting with her voice.

Thora Birch movies on Netflix

The Chronology of Water2025IMDb rating 6.3as Claudia
The Gabby Petito Story2022IMDb rating 5.5as Nichole Schmidt
13 Minutes2021IMDb rating 4.7as Jess
Above Suspicion2019IMDb rating 5.8as Jolene
Affairs of State2018IMDb rating 4.7as Callie Roland
Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash2018IMDb rating 6.4as Himself
The Competition2018IMDb rating 4.5as Lauren
The Etruscan Smile2018IMDb rating 6.9as Emily
Petunia2012IMDb rating 5.1as Vivian Petunia
The Pregnancy Pact2010IMDb rating 4.8as Sidney Bloom
Capitalism: A Love Story2009IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
Deadline2009IMDb rating 4.6as Lucy
Winter of Frozen Dreams2009IMDb rating 4.6as Barbara Hoffman
Dark Corners2006IMDb rating 4.9as Karen Clarke / Susan Hamilton
Silver City2004IMDb rating 6.0as Karen Cross
Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story2003IMDb rating 7.1as Liz Murray
Ghost World2001IMDb rating 7.3as Enid
The Hole2001IMDb rating 6.2as Liz Dunn
Dungeons & Dragons2000IMDb rating 3.7as Empress Savina
American Beauty1999IMDb rating 8.3as Jane Burnham
Anywhere But Here1999IMDb rating 6.2as Mary
Alaska1996IMDb rating 5.8as Jessie Barnes
Now and Then1995IMDb rating 6.8as Teeny
Clear and Present Danger1994IMDb rating 6.9as Sally Ryan
Monkey Trouble1994IMDb rating 5.4as Eva
Hocus Pocus1993IMDb rating 6.9as Dani
Patriot Games1992IMDb rating 6.9as Sally Ryan
All I Want For Christmas1991IMDb rating 5.9as Hallie O'Fallon
Paradise1991IMDb rating 6.7as Billie Pike

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

American Beauty1999 Drama, Romanceas Jane Burnham
IMDb rating 8.31.3M votes
Ghost World2001 Comedy, Dramaas Enid
IMDb rating 7.3132K votes
Hocus Pocus1993as Dani
IMDb rating 6.9174K votes
Patriot Games1992as Sally Ryan
IMDb rating 6.9130K votes
The Hole2001as Liz Dunn
IMDb rating 6.250K votes
Dungeons & Dragons2000as Empress Savina
IMDb rating 3.738K votes
Now and Then1995as Teeny
IMDb rating 6.835K votes
Clear and Present Danger1994as Sally Ryan
IMDb rating 6.9118K votes

Most often with

Phillip Noyce directed three of these films. Sixteen actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Harrison Ford

James Earl Jones

Chris Cooper

Doug Jones

Melanie Griffith

Kathy NajimyPhillip NoyceDirector, 3 films

Films together

Harrison Ford2 films together, 1992 to 1994
Harrison Ford's page
- Clear and Present Danger1994IMDb rating 6.9Birch as Sally RyanFord as Jack Ryan
- Patriot Games1992IMDb rating 6.9Birch as Sally RyanFord as Jack Ryan
James Earl Jones2 films together, 1992 to 1994
James Earl Jones's page
- Clear and Present Danger1994IMDb rating 6.9Birch as Sally RyanJones as Admiral James Greer
- Patriot Games1992IMDb rating 6.9Birch as Sally RyanJones as Admiral Greer
Chris Cooper2 films together, 1999 to 2004
Chris Cooper's page
- Silver City2004IMDb rating 6.0Birch as Karen CrossCooper as Dickie Pilager
- American Beauty1999IMDb rating 8.3Birch as Jane BurnhamCooper as Colonel Fitts
Doug Jones2 films together, 1993 to 2018
Doug Jones's page
- Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash2018IMDb rating 6.4Birch as HimselfJones as Himself
- Hocus Pocus1993IMDb rating 6.9Birch as DaniJones as Billy Butcherson
Melanie Griffith2 films together, 1991 to 1995
Melanie Griffith's page
- Now and Then1995IMDb rating 6.8Birch as TeenyGriffith as Teeny
- Paradise1991IMDb rating 6.7Birch as Billie PikeGriffith as Lily Reed
Kathy Najimy2 films together, 1993 to 2018
Kathy Najimy's page
- Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash2018IMDb rating 6.4Birch as HimselfNajimy as Himself
- Hocus Pocus1993IMDb rating 6.9Birch as DaniNajimy as Mary
Phillip NoyceDirector, 3 films, 1992 to 2019
All films by Phillip Noyce
- Above Suspicion2019IMDb rating 5.8Birch as Jolene
- Clear and Present Danger1994IMDb rating 6.9Birch as Sally Ryan
- Patriot Games1992IMDb rating 6.9Birch as Sally Ryan
Also two films together10 more actors
- Mimi RogersAffairs of State (2018) and Monkey Trouble (1994)
- Bette MidlerHocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) and Hocus Pocus (1993)
- Sarah Jessica ParkerHocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) and Hocus Pocus (1993)
- Anne ArcherClear and Present Danger (1994) and Patriot Games (1992)
- Vinessa ShawHocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) and Hocus Pocus (1993)
- Larry BagbyHocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) and Hocus Pocus (1993)
- Tobias JelinekHocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) and Hocus Pocus (1993)
- Omri KatzHocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) and Hocus Pocus (1993)
- Sean MurrayHocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) and Hocus Pocus (1993)
- Amanda ShepherdHocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) and Hocus Pocus (1993)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.