Honestly, if you haven’t seen Michael Urie on your screen lately, you might be looking at the wrong screen. Most people still immediately jump to Ugly Betty when they hear his name. It makes sense. Marc St. James was a revelation—a sharp-tongued, fashion-obsessed assistant who somehow managed to be vulnerable even while insulting America Ferrera’s poncho. But if you think that’s the peak of the Michael Urie movies and tv shows catalog, you’re missing out on one of the most versatile character actors working today.
He’s not just a "sidekick" anymore.
Whether he’s playing a narcissistic prince on Broadway or a grieving friend’s lifeline on a hit streaming dramedy, Urie has this weird, magical ability to be the loudest person in the room without sucking all the oxygen out of it. He’s 45 now, and he’s finally hitting that sweet spot where Hollywood (and Broadway) is letting him be the lead.
The Shrinking Era and Why Brian Matters
If you aren't watching Shrinking on Apple TV+, go fix that. Seriously. Urie plays Brian, the "god damn ray of light" best friend to Jason Segel’s Jimmy. It’s arguably his best work since the Mode magazine days.
What’s cool about Brian is that he isn't a caricature. In the first season, we see him navigate the trauma of being ghosted by his best friend after a tragedy. He’s a lawyer, he’s high-energy, and he’s incredibly successful, but he’s also deeply human. Urie recently won a Critics Choice Award for this role and nabbed an Emmy nomination in 2025. He’s playing a version of the "best friend" trope that actually has a life, a partner (Charlie), and real problems. It feels authentic.
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The Ugly Betty Blueprint
We have to talk about Marc St. James. It’s the law. Between 2006 and 2010, Urie and Becki Newton (who played Amanda) basically ran that show. They were the villains you couldn't help but love.
But look closer at that performance. Marc wasn't just there for the quips. The relationship he developed with Justin Suarez—Ugly Betty’s nephew who was struggling with his own identity—was revolutionary for mid-2000s television. Urie played those scenes with a quiet, big-brotherly tenderness that proved he had serious dramatic chops. He and Becki actually started a rewatch podcast called Still Ugly recently, and hearing them talk about those days makes you realize how much of "Marc" was just Urie’s own improvisational genius.
Breaking the Netflix Christmas Code
For a long time, the Michael Urie movies and tv shows list was missing a big, cheesy lead role. Then came Single All the Way in 2021.
Netflix basically said, "What if we did a Hallmark movie, but it didn't suck and it was actually gay?"
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Urie played Peter, a social media strategist who brings his best friend home for the holidays to pretend to be his boyfriend. It’s formulaic. It’s sugary. But Urie makes it work because he’s so dang charming. Plus, he got to share scenes with Jennifer Coolidge, which is a career peak for anyone with a pulse. It was one of the first major holiday rom-coms to feature a gay couple where the conflict wasn't about "coming out" or trauma—it was just about a guy who was bad at dating. That’s progress.
The Stage Is Where the Real Magic Happens
You can’t talk about his career without the theater. Urie is a Juilliard grad, and it shows. If you’ve only seen him on TV, you’ve only seen half the man.
- Buyer & Cellar: He played a guy working in Barbra Streisand’s basement mall. It was a one-man show. He played every character. It was exhausting just to watch, but he was flawless.
- Torch Song: He took over the role of Arnold Beckoff (originally played by Harvey Fierstein) on Broadway. That is a massive mantle to carry, and he won rave reviews for it.
- Spamalot & Once Upon a Mattress: More recently, he’s been leaning back into his musical comedy roots. His Prince Dauntless in Once Upon a Mattress (2024/2025) earned him a Drama Desk Award.
- Oh, Mary!: He recently did a stint in Cole Escola’s massive hit, proving he’s still the king of downtown-meets-uptown comedy.
Most recently, he took on a solo adaptation of Richard II with Red Bull Theater, set in 1980s Manhattan. It was gritty, neon-soaked, and totally different from the "sunny" characters he’s known for.
Short Lived Gems and Guest Spots
He’s had some bad luck, too. Remember Partners? It was a CBS sitcom from the creators of Will & Grace. On paper, it was a hit. In reality, it lasted about half a season. Urie was the best part of it, playing a high-strung architect.
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His guest spots are also legendary. He popped up in Modern Family as a rival stylist to Cam and Mitchell, and he had a recurring role as Redmond, the high-maintenance literary agent, in Younger. He has this "vibe"—you know exactly what you’re getting when he walks on screen, yet he always finds a way to surprise you with a weird vocal inflection or a physical bit you didn't see coming.
Why He’s Still Winning in 2026
The reason Michael Urie stays relevant is that he isn't afraid to be "too much." In an era of minimalist, mumblecore acting, he’s a maximalist. He uses his whole body. He uses his eyebrows. He understands that being funny is a serious business.
As of early 2026, he’s balanced a major streaming hit with Shrinking Season 3, a successful podcast, and a steady stream of Broadway credits. He’s essentially become the blueprint for how to have a long-term, respected career as an out actor without getting stuck in a box.
What to Watch Next
If you want to dive deeper into the Michael Urie movies and tv shows filmography, here’s how to do it right:
- Watch Shrinking first. It’s his most mature work. You’ll see the range.
- Go back to Ugly Betty. Skip to the Marc and Amanda scenes if you’re short on time.
- Find the filmed version of Buyer & Cellar. It was captured for BroadwayHD and it’s a masterclass in solo performance.
- Check out Maestro. He has a small but vital role as Jerome Robbins. It’s a complete 180 from his usual comedy.
Focus on his recent theatrical transitions to understand how he’s evolving from the "assistant" roles into the "leading man" category. His work in the 2025-2026 theater season specifically shows a move toward darker, more complex Shakespearean adaptations that will likely define the next decade of his career.