If you only know Greg Poehler as "Amy Poehler’s brother," you’re missing out on one of the weirdest, most fascinating career pivots in modern Hollywood. For over a decade, Greg wasn't anywhere near a film set. He was a lawyer. He spent years in New York City and Stockholm navigating the dry, rigid world of intellectual property law.
Then, everything changed.
He didn't just quit; he moved to Sweden for love, started doing stand-up in a language he was still learning, and eventually created a sitcom that became a hit on two continents. Since then, the list of greg poehler movies and tv shows has grown to include cult-favorite comedies and groundbreaking streaming series that explore everything from cultural clashes to polyamory. He’s not just a "sibling of." He’s a legitimate creative force who happened to start his career in the courtroom instead of the improv stage.
The Big Break: Welcome to Sweden (2014-2015)
Most people discovered Greg through Welcome to Sweden. It’s a classic fish-out-of-water story, but the twist is that it’s almost entirely true. Greg plays Bruce Evans, a celebrity accountant who ditches his high-powered life in New York to follow his girlfriend, Emma, back to her home country.
The show is a masterclass in awkwardness.
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Bruce struggles with the language. He struggles with the silence of Swedish social norms. He struggles with Emma’s eccentric parents (played brilliantly by Lena Olin and Claes Månsson). What makes this show stand out in the catalog of greg poehler movies and tv shows is how personal it feels. Greg actually wrote the script in his attic in Stockholm, originally just hoping his sister might tell him if he used the right font. Instead, Amy Poehler saw the potential and helped produce it, bringing in cameos from Will Ferrell, Aubrey Plaza, and Gene Simmons.
It wasn’t just a "vanity project." The show won Best International Comedy at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival and proved that Greg’s dry, self-deprecating humor had a global audience.
Finding a Niche in You Me Her (2016-2020)
If Welcome to Sweden was about a man out of his element, You Me Her was about a man in a very crowded one. Greg starred as Jack Trakarsky for five seasons in what was billed as television’s first "polyromantic comedy."
Jack is a suburban school counselor whose marriage to Emma (Rachel Blanchard) has hit a stagnant patch. They end up falling for the same woman—Izzy, a grad student played by Priscilla Faia—and decide to try a throuple. This wasn't your typical sitcom fluff. It dealt with the actual logistics and emotional messy-ness of polyamory. Greg brought a certain "everyman" vulnerability to Jack. He wasn't playing a smooth-talking Lothario; he was playing a guy who was genuinely confused, deeply in love, and trying to navigate a relationship structure that didn't have a roadmap.
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Honestly, the chemistry between the three leads is what kept the show alive for fifty episodes. It pushed Greg away from the "fish-out-of-water" archetype and showed he could handle sustained, character-driven drama mixed with comedy.
Notable Film Appearances
While his TV work is the backbone of his career, Greg has popped up in some pretty high-profile movies, often collaborating with his sister.
- Wine Country (2019): In this Netflix hit directed by Amy Poehler, Greg has a memorable (and somewhat ridiculous) role as a character named Doctor Dickswing. It’s a small part, but it fits perfectly into the movie’s chaotic, drunken energy.
- Moxie (2021): Another Amy Poehler-directed project, this time a coming-of-age feminist dramedy. Greg makes a cameo as a news anchor. It’s a "blink and you'll miss it" moment, but it’s a fun nod to the sibling collaboration that has defined much of his late-career success.
- Doris & Bettan Marbella Mayhem (2023): Greg contributed here as a writer, showing that he’s increasingly interested in the "behind the scenes" aspect of the industry.
What's Next for Greg Poehler?
Greg isn't slowing down, and he’s clearly not done with the Swedish entertainment scene that gave him his start. He’s currently involved in several development projects with the Scandinavian Content Group and Nordisk Film.
Specifically, he’s been working on series like Woke and Lucky, and the project Doris & Bettan. It seems his future is leaning heavily into the "Creator/Writer" space. He’s found a way to bridge the gap between American sensibilities and European storytelling, a niche that very few people occupy. He still lives in Stockholm, remains a naturalized Swedish citizen, and continues to draw from his life as an expat to fuel his writing.
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If you’re looking to dive into Greg’s work, the best starting point is undeniably Welcome to Sweden. It’s the purest distillation of his voice. After that, You Me Her offers a much more binge-able, long-form narrative that explores modern love in a way that still feels fresh.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you want to keep up with Greg's latest projects, here is how to navigate his filmography:
- Watch for the "Syskon" Production Label: This is the company Greg and Amy formed (the name means "siblings" in Swedish). Projects under this banner usually feature Greg’s specific brand of humor.
- Explore Swedish Streaming Platforms: If you have access to international TV, look for Greg's name in credits for TV4 or Scandinavian Content Group productions, as he is increasingly active in the Nordic writers' rooms.
- Check Out His Stand-Up: While hard to find outside of Sweden, Greg’s early stand-up clips on YouTube provide the raw DNA for Bruce Evans in Welcome to Sweden.
Greg Poehler’s journey from a New York lawyer to a Swedish TV star is a reminder that it’s never really too late to change lanes. He didn't just follow his sister into the business; he carved out a very specific, slightly awkward, and deeply charming corner of the world for himself.
Practical Insight: If you're a writer or creator, take a page out of Greg's book—he literally Googled "how to write a script" before sending his first pilot to his sister. Don't let a lack of formal training stop you from documenting your own "fish-out-of-water" experiences. It might just be your biggest hit.