It’s easy to viewJordan Peeleas one ofhorror’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 showKey & Peelehelping him make a name for himself in hilarious fashion. Alongside that, he has had roles in other projects like theFargoseries andModern Family.
Peele is also a talented voice actor, having loaned his vocal talents to several major animated projects. Some of these includeRick and Morty,Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie,Big Mouth, andToy 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.
Storks
Cast
Written by Nicholas Stoller and directed by both Nicholas Stoller and Doug Sweetland, Storks is a 2016 animated film that follows the story of a group of storks that stop delivering babies and begin to deliver products after a mishap causes one of the children to become orphaned.
Not the most groundbreaking animated movie ever made,Storksis stilla 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.Storksis 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.
Storksis 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 inStorks, 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.
While it is highly divisive due to the story revolving around puberty and its vulgar approach to certain subjects,Big Mouthis 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 Mouthis 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.
Modern Family
Modern Family is a comedy series that follows the unconventional Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker family as they redefine what makes a family in their modern age. Broken into sub-families, the three diverse groups shake up the nuclear formula with empty nesters, adopted children, gender neutrality, and more as they attempt to navigate the various pitfalls and comedic misadventures of their dysfunctional but warm-hearted family dynamic.
Utilizing the mockumentary format to great effect,Modern Familyis 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.
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 inModern 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 againvery 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.
Rick and Morty
Rick and Morty is an animated science fiction series that follows the eccentric scientist Rick Sanchez and his impressionable grandson Morty Smith as they embark on perilous adventures across space and alternate dimensions. The show explores the impact of these exploits on Morty’s tumultuous family life and personal challenges.
Rick and Mortyhas 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. WhileRick and Mortyis 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 ofRick 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.
Jordan Peele shows off his talent outside of acting by being a co-writer forWendell & 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, andWendel & Wildis no different with Peele turning out a predictably fantastic performance.
Once again written by Jordan Peele,Keanuis 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.
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.
Keanuwas actually Peele’s first leading film role alongside Keegan-Michael Key after their landmark sketch-comedy seriesKey & 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.
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Moviewas 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 inCaptain Underpants: The First Epic Movieas 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.
Toy Story 4is 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 4isn’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 thatToy Story 4understands 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.
Based on the 1996 film of the same name,Fargois an incredible piece of television, running for five seasons and counting. Each season typically begins with a new story, butFargorevolves 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 makesFargoso endearing to watch.
Jordan Peele has a recurring role during the first season ofFargo, 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 ofFargoas a whole.
Outside his directed films, nothing in his filmography is as great asKey & 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 & Peeleis 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.
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’sBarack Obama impression is one of the greatest things in television history.
