There are few celebrities that can pull off one name recognition, like Madonna, Beyonce, and Zendaya; on the other end of that spectrum, though, are the maybe even rarer Hollywood icons that pull off that full name glory. That brings us to the one and only Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who has had some absolutely killer (literally) roles over the years, even the ones you may have forgotten about.
The man has some wild range, from The Walking Dead’s post-apocalyptic juggernaut Negan to Grey’s Anatomy’s lovable and charming Denny. From roles from one end of the Good Guy/Bad Guy spectrum to the other, fans pretty much ever know where Jeffrey Dean Morgan is going to land in a project. We’ve compiled a list of his absolute best movies and TV shows, which makes for pretty much the perfect guide to an amazing Morgan marathon session.
Supernatural (2005 - 2019)
We’re starting off with a perfect example of Jeffrey Dean Morgan blurring the lines of good guy and bad guy as Daddy Winchester in Supernatural. On one hand, Morgan’s character is quite literally fighting to save both his family and the world throughout his time on the CW series. On the other hand, he has completely wrecked his kids in his search for vengeance.
The whole Supernatural family is kind of a mess, but they all wormed their way into the hearts of a hardcore and loyal fan base. The love for the long-running series has no bounds, even though it concluded over a year ago. This, along with a potential prequel spin-off on the way, gives Supernatural a pretty concrete place on Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s top projects.
Stream Supernatural on Netflix.
Buy Supernatural Digitally on Amazon.
The Walking Dead (2016 - 2022)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan traded his demon hunter journal for his zombie killing bat named Lucille in AMC’s The Walking Dead. Morgan plays oddly lovable (he’s even getting his own spin-off) and obviously vicious villain Negan in the series, and became a mainstay in the long running series after his introduction in Season 6.
Once pretty much universally hated for the brutal killing of two fan favorite characters, Negan has now become something new on the series. Fans now either still hate him or have a new outlook on the character, but you can’t really deny that Jeffrey Dean Morgan absolutely eats the character up. Negan is only one of the many strong and overall interesting characters in The Walking Dead, so it’s no real surprise it’s making this list.
Stream The Walking Dead on Netflix.
Stream The Walking Dead Season 11 on AMC+.
Buy The Walking Dead Digitally on Amazon.
Grey’s Anatomy (2006 - 2009)
Like a lot of other Jeffrey Dean Morgan fans, the first time he really stole my (and Izzy’s) heart was as Denny Duquette in Grey’s Anatomy. His storyline was an emotional rollercoaster (and one that changed the actor’s life), which isn’t exactly out of the norm for the Shonda Rhimes series. The series has some serious tearjerker moments, and it’s almost an expectation that tears will fall when you watch it. However, nothing in the show gets me as teary-eyed as Denny Duquette.
Even though Jeffrey Dean Morgan was on the show back near the beginning, Grey’s Anatomy is still going strong on ABC with a Season 19 renewal. It’s one of the most recognizable medical dramas, and has a large viewership. If you haven’t seen it, it’s one you’ve got to check out when you’re up for a good cry.
Stream Grey's Anatomy on Netflix.
Buy/Rent Grey’s Anatomy Digitally on Amazon.
Watchmen (2009)
Before Wonder Woman, The Justice League, and The Army of the Dead, Zach Snyder made a gem of a superhero movie called Watchmen. Watchmen is kind of like if Amazon’s The Boys was made over a decade ago and took itself a lot more seriously. Both superhero projects take a closer look into the person that makes up the superhero and what it really is to be a superhero on a primal level.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s portrayal of Edward Blake AKA Comedian is probably one of his most recognizable roles for any typical millennial who isn’t into The Walking Dead. He’s pretty awesome as the jokester antihero, and was one of the highlights of Watchmen. His performance is one that would do justice to a number of other comic book characters he’d be perfect for.
Buy/Rent Watchmen Digitally on Amazon.
Buy Watchmen on Blu-Ray on Amazon.
The Losers (2010)
Right after his role in Watchmen, Jeffrey Dean Morgan played in another comic book inspired film: The Losers. This film almost feels like another version of The Expendables franchise without all of the big-name action stars, as they have a similar premise. They actually came out the same year, if you don’t count the fact that The Expendables is actually a remake.
There is loads of action, and a good amount of laughs in the film. Jeffrey Dean Morgan takes on a leadership role in The Losers, which is actually one of the first times we see this from him, and may have even set a precedent for some of the other leadership roles we know from him.
Stream The Losers on HBO Max.
Buy/Rent The Losers Digitally on Amazon.
Buy The Losers on DVD on Amazon.
P.S. I Love You (2007)
So, this is actually a pretty interesting role for Jeffrey Dean Morgan. At this point, he’s already proven that he can win over both his women and male audience, and P.S. I Love You definitely plays into women’s love for his tall, dark, and handsome persona he’s got going on. They also give him an Irish accent, if he isn’t already hunky enough.
While Gerard Butler plays the main love interest (even though he is technically dead pretty much the whole film), Jeffrey Dean Morgan swoops in at the end and pretty much steals the show, and every woman’s heart, when Hilary Swank’s character lets go of her departed husband and becomes open to moving on.
Buy/Rent P.S. I Love You Digitally on Amazon.
Buy P.S. I Love You on DVD on Amazon.
The Good Wife (2015 - 2016)
Jeffery Dean Morgan has quite the resume when it comes to long running series, and The Good Wife is another on that list. Morgan shows up in the series in the very last season, but he is a heavy presence throughout. He plays the central character’s love interest.
This role is particularly interesting for Jeffrey Dean Morgan, because he was playing Negan on The Walking Dead at the same time. The differences in the two characters are quite literally worlds apart.
Stream The Good Wife on Paramount+.
Buy The Good Wife Digitally on Amazon.
Rampage (2018)
Alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan lays off the zombie killing as Negan and starts tracking down some seriously out of control animals in Rampage. Morgan does channel his inner Negan charm, though, and pretty much steals the spotlight from Johnson in the film.
Rampage is a fun film, and it’s pretty much exactly what you would expect it to be, all with a stellar cast behind it.
Stream Rampage on HBO Max.
Buy/Rent Rampage Digitally on Amazon.
Buy Rampage on Blu-Ray on Amazon.
Heist (2015)
Everybody loves a good heist, and this Jeffrey Dean Morgan film is no different. Morgan is joined by Guardians of the Galaxy’s Dave Bautista and the iconic Robert De Niro in the robbing of a casino. While the film scored low on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie was otherwise received pretty well. It's action packed and just plain fun, a thriller that doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes for a feel-good viewing.
Rent/Buy Heist Digitally on Amazon.
Buy Heist on DVD on Amazon.
Honorable Mention: Dead & Breakfast (2004)
I’m an absolute sucker for a bad horror flick, and Dead & Breakfast fits that bill. I love when I can spot big name actors in a B-Movie, it’s the most satisfying guilty pleasure ever. Dead & Breakfast fills the cult horror/comedy void, but it is also a musical. It may not be any Rocky Horror Picture Show, but it’s definitely putting out some serious Tim Curry in fishnets and heels vibes with that genre mash-up.
However, Dead & Breakfast isn’t your typical low budget horror film, as there are a number of recognizable faces in the movie, like Arrested Development’s Portia de Rossi and Kill Bill’s David Carradine. Also interesting, the writer/director is Super producer Matthew Leutwyler. If you’re into comedy horrors that double as a musical with some awesome talent, check out Dead & Breakfast. It can actually be a hard film to find, but you can stream it if you've got a Roku device.
Whether he is the good guy, bad guy, or somewhere in the morally gray area, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is damn entertaining to watch. He puts out powerful performances with a great attitude and comedic personality, making his movies and TV shows not only emotional, but super fun to watch.
Lucky for us, some of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s best films and shows are among some of the best things to watch on Netflix right now, so it’s a great time to have a JDM-filled night.
