You know that feeling when you're watching a show and a guy walks on screen, and you immediately think, "I know him from somewhere"? That’s basically the Chris Conrad experience. Honestly, he’s one of those actors who has been everywhere, from the cheesy heights of 90s action to the weird, brooding corners of modern prestige TV.
He’s got this vibe. It’s hard to pin down. Sometimes he’s the quintessential "all-American" athlete type, and other times he’s playing someone so profoundly odd you can’t look away. If you’ve been Googling Chris Conrad movies and tv shows, you’ve probably realized his career is a total trip. It’s a mix of cult classics, "blink and you'll miss it" blockbusters, and some of the best-written dramas of the last decade.
The Patriot and the "Dennis" Phenomenon
Let’s just get the big one out of the way. If you haven't seen Patriot on Amazon Prime, stop what you’re doing. Go watch it. Chris Conrad plays Dennis McClaren, the brother of the main character, and he is—without exaggeration—the soul of the show.
Dennis is a state senator who is constantly trying to be "cool" and helpful, but he usually ends up being spectacularly awkward. There’s a specific kind of physical comedy Conrad does here that is just masterclass level. It’s all in the posture. It’s in the way he tries to look like a tough guy while being clearly out of his depth.
Most fans of Patriot started looking into other Chris Conrad movies and tv shows specifically because of this role. He worked with his brother, Steven Conrad (who created the show), and that sibling shorthand clearly translated into something special on screen. They teamed up again for Perpetual Grace, LTD, where Chris played "New Leaf." It’s another weird, beautiful performance that proves he’s one of the most underrated character actors working today.
Mortal Kombat and the Johnny Cage "What If?"
Here is a fun bit of trivia for the 90s kids. Did you know Chris Conrad was Johnny Cage?
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Well, briefly.
In Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, he took over the role from Linden Ashby. It didn't go great for the character. Johnny Cage basically shows up, gets into a fight with Shao Kahn, and has his neck snapped within the first few minutes of the movie.
Talk about a short gig.
But Conrad actually looked the part perfectly. He had the martial arts background—the guy is a legitimate athlete—and he carried that cocky Hollywood energy well. It’s just a shame the script decided to use him as a sacrificial lamb to show how "dangerous" the new villain was. Fans still talk about this as one of the biggest "what-ifs" in video game movie history. If the movie hadn't been such a chaotic mess, he could have been a legendary Johnny Cage.
The Early Days: Karate Kids and Young Hercules
Before he was doing deep-cut indie dramas, Conrad was a staple of 90s teen-adjacent media. You might remember him as Eric McGowen in The Next Karate Kid (1994). He played the love interest to Hilary Swank.
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It’s a classic 90s role. He’s the misunderstood tough guy with a heart of gold.
Then came Young Hercules. This was a huge part of the Fox Kids lineup. He played Jason (as in, Jason and the Argonauts) alongside a very young Ryan Gosling. Yeah, that Ryan Gosling. They were just kids running around in leather tunics in New Zealand, but the show had a real charm to it.
Why You Recognise Him (The "Oh, That Guy" List)
If you aren't a superfan of his leads, you've definitely seen him in the background of some massive projects:
- Airborne (1993): He was Jack in this rollerblading cult classic.
- Clear and Present Danger (1994): A tiny role, but he’s there alongside Harrison Ford.
- Criminal Minds: He popped up in the episode "The Boogeyman."
- Bones: He had a guest spot in "Mother and Child in the Bay."
The Peacemaker Mystery
The biggest recent drama in the world of Chris Conrad movies and tv shows actually involves a project where he doesn't appear—at least, not exactly.
Conrad was originally cast as Adrian Chase (Vigilante) in James Gunn’s Peacemaker series. He actually filmed about five and a half episodes. Think about that for a second. Half the season was done with him in the suit.
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But then, "creative differences" happened. It’s a vague term Hollywood uses when things just aren't clicking. Freddie Stroma was brought in to replace him, and they had to reshoot almost everything.
However, if you watch the iconic opening dance sequence of Peacemaker, that’s still Chris Conrad under the mask. He’s the one doing the stiff, rhythmic dancing in the Vigilante suit because they didn't want to reshoot the whole dance number. It’s a weird, ghostly piece of trivia that makes you wonder what his version of the character would have been like. Rumor has it his Vigilante was a bit more serious and "American Psycho" than the dorky version Stroma eventually gave us.
Why Chris Conrad Still Matters
In an era where every actor feels like they're being managed by a PR firm to be as "brand-safe" as possible, Chris Conrad feels like a real person. He has this raw, unpolished energy.
Whether he’s playing a disgraced athlete in Patriot or a doomed martial artist in Mortal Kombat, he commits. He doesn't wink at the camera. He doesn't act like he’s too good for the material.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into his filmography, start with the Steven Conrad collaborations. That’s where he really shines. The writing matches his specific brand of "sad but funny" in a way that nothing else does.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to truly appreciate his range, follow this specific viewing order:
- Watch Patriot (Season 1 & 2): This is the gold standard for his career.
- Check out Perpetual Grace, LTD: For a weirder, more intense version of his screen presence.
- Find a copy of Airborne: If you want to see him as a young 90s heartthrob.
- Re-watch the Peacemaker intro: Now that you know it's him in the suit, you'll never see it the same way again.
The guy is a survivor of the industry. He’s gone from 90s action star to character actor extraordinaire. Even if he isn't a household name on the level of his former co-star Ryan Gosling, Chris Conrad has built a body of work that is way more interesting than your average A-lister.