David Byrne: movies and TV shows
David Byrne has 142 credits in the archive: 120 films and 22 TV series, from 1953 to 2026. Highest rated: Stop Making Sense (8.3/10).
Career timeline
1953 – 2026 · busiest year: 1986 (9 credits)
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Full filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rating | Age then |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Changing Lanes | Self | Film | — | 74 |
| 2025 | SNL50: The Homecoming Concert | Self | Film | 6.8 | 73 |
| 2025 | The Twits | Gordon Sniffles (voice) | Film | 5.9 | 73 |
| 2025 | The Twits | Film | 5.9 | 73 | |
| 2025 | Breakdown: 1975 | Self (archive footage) | Film | 6.8 | 73 |
| 2025 | Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music | Self | Film | 7.8 | 73 |
| 2025 | We Want the Funk! | Self | Film | 6.1 | 73 |
| 2025 | Monk in Pieces | Self | Film | 8.0 | 73 |
| 2024 | Eno | Self | Film | 6.0 | 72 |
| 2023 | John Mulaney: Baby J | Film | 7.2 | 71 | |
| 2023 | John Mulaney: Baby J | Film | 7.2 | 71 | |
| 2023 | Homo Brasilis: Tom Zé, o Tropicalista Visionário | Self (archive footage) | Film | — | 71 |
| 2022 | Everything Everywhere All at Once | Film | 7.7 | 70 | |
| 2021 | Twyla Moves | Self | Film | — | 69 |
| 2021 | Social! Distance Dance Club | Film | — | 69 | |
| 2020 | Stars in the House | Self - Winner | TV | — | 68 |
| 2020 | BREAK IT ALL: The History of Rock in Latin America | Self | TV | 7.6 | 68 |
| 2020 | David Byrne's American Utopia | Self - Lead Singer & Performer | Film | 7.5 | 68 |
| 2020 | David Byrne's American Utopia | Film | 7.5 | 68 | |
| 2020 | David Byrne's American Utopia | Film | 7.5 | 68 | |
| 2020 | David Byrne's American Utopia | Film | 7.5 | 68 | |
| 2020 | FeeLee. History of a Single Label | Self | Film | — | 68 |
| 2019 | John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch | David Byrne | Film | 7.0 | 67 |
| 2019 | Everything For All Reasons | Self | Film | 5.8 | 67 |
| 2019 | Museum Town | Self | Film | — | 67 |
| 2019 | Café Tacvba - Un Segundo / MTV Unplugged | Self - Voice | Film | 9.2 | 67 |
| 2019 | Hream | David Byrne | Film | — | 67 |
| 2019 | Triple-Chaser | Narrator | Film | — | 67 |
| 2018 | David Byrne: ACL Fest 2018 | Self | Film | — | 66 |
| 2018 | Real Life | Narrator / Self | Film | — | 66 |
| 2018 | The Making of True Stories | Self | Film | — | 66 |
| 2017 | Well How Did We Get Here? A Brief History of Talking Heads | Self | Film | 10.0 | 65 |
| 2016 | Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall | Self | Film | 7.0 | 64 |
| 2016 | Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World | Film | 6.6 | 64 | |
| 2016 | Temporary Color | Film | — | 64 | |
| 2016 | Contemporary Color | Film | 6.7 | 64 | |
| 2016 | Contemporary Color | Film | 6.7 | 64 | |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | Self - Musical Guest | TV | 6.1 | 63 |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | Self - Guest/Musical Guest | TV | 6.1 | 63 |
| 2015 | StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson | Self | TV | 6.7 | 63 |
| 2015 | We're Gonna Die | David Byrne | Film | 6.0 | 63 |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Self | TV | 5.8 | 62 |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers | Self - Guest | TV | 5.1 | 62 |
| 2014 | Lennon or McCartney | Self | Film | 5.3 | 62 |
| 2013 | Fathers and Songs: Music for Father's Day | Self (archive footage) | Film | — | 61 |
| 2012 | Paul Simon: Under African Skies | Self | Film | 7.1 | 60 |
| 2012 | La Casa del Ritmo: A Film About Los Amigos Invisibles | Film | 5.0 | 60 | |
| 2011 | The Jonathan Ross Show | Self - Guest | TV | 5.2 | 59 |
| 2011 | This Must Be the Place | David Byrne | Film | 7.0 | 59 |
| 2011 | This Must Be the Place | Film | 7.0 | 59 | |
| 2011 | Ride, Rise, Roar | Self | Film | 7.7 | 59 |
| 2011 | Talking Heads - Chronology | Film | 5.0 | 59 | |
| 2009 | Wandering Heart | Self | Film | 4.5 | 57 |
| 2009 | Tom Zé: Liberated Astronaut | Film | 8.0 | 57 | |
| 2009 | Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB | Self | Film | 8.0 | 57 |
| 2009 | Beyond Ipanema | Self | Film | — | 57 |
| 2008 | The Vanguard | Film | 3.8 | 56 | |
| 2008 | Celia: The Queen | Self | Film | — | 56 |
| 2008 | New York Rock at the BBC | Film | 6.5 | 56 | |
| 2008 | Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell | Self (archive footage) | Film | 6.1 | 56 |
| 2008 | The Man Who Bottled Clouds | Self | Film | — | 56 |
| 2008 | Untitled Patton/Byrne Piece | Film | — | 56 | |
| 2007 | NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | Film | 7.5 | 55 |
| 2007 | David Byrne - Live from Austin Texas | Self | Film | — | 55 |
| 2006 | Fabricating Tom Zé | Self | Film | 4.0 | 54 |
| 2006 | By the Ways, a Journey with William Eggleston | Self | Film | 8.0 | 54 |
| 2005 | TV Party | Self | Film | 8.0 | 53 |
| 2005 | Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth | Self | Film | 6.0 | 53 |
| 2004 | She Hate Me | Film | 5.2 | 52 | |
| 2004 | The Pogues Live at the Town and Country | Self | Film | 8.3 | 52 |
| 2004 | Îlé Aiyé | Film | 9.0 | 52 | |
| 2004 | Dennis Cleveland | Film | — | 52 | |
| 2003 | Real Time with Bill Maher | Self | TV | 6.1 | 51 |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Self - Musical Guest | TV | 5.3 | 51 |
| 2003 | Young Adam | Film | 5.8 | 51 | |
| 2003 | Lubbock Lights | Self | Film | 9.0 | 51 |
| 2003 | David Byrne: Live At Union Chapel | Film | — | 51 | |
| 2002 | The Truth About Charlie | Film | 4.9 | 50 | |
| 2002 | In Spite of Wishing and Wanting | Film | 9.0 | 50 | |
| 2002 | In Spite of Wishing and Wanting | Film | 9.0 | 50 | |
| 2002 | Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s | Self | Film | 10.0 | 50 |
| 2001 | 25 Years of Punk | Self | Film | 7.0 | 49 |
| 2000 | The Art of Amália | Introduction (English version) | Film | 8.0 | 48 |
| 1998 | Lulu on the Bridge | "Laughing Man" Escort | Film | 5.9 | 46 |
| 1998 | Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart | Self | Film | 7.7 | 46 |
| 1998 | PJ Harvey: Sessions at West 54th | Film | — | 46 | |
| 1998 | Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach: Sessions at West 54th | Self - Host/Interviewer | Film | — | 46 |
| 1998 | David Byrne - Live From Teatro Gran Rex | Self | Film | — | 46 |
| 1998 | Tori Amos: Sessions at West 54th | Self | Film | — | 46 |
| 1997 | Sessions at West 54th | Self - Host | TV | 8.5 | 45 |
| 1995 | Dancing Barefoot | Self | Film | 6.3 | 43 |
| 1994 | Space Ghost Coast to Coast | Self | TV | 7.8 | 42 |
| 1994 | After 68 | Film | 7.0 | 42 | |
| 1993 | Late Show with David Letterman | Self - Musical Guest | TV | 6.4 | 41 |
| 1993 | 10000 Maniacs: MTV Unplugged | Self | Film | 8.5 | 41 |
| 1993 | Between the Teeth | Film | 6.0 | 41 | |
| 1993 | Between the Teeth | Film | 6.0 | 41 | |
| 1991 | Until the End of the World | Self | Film | 6.7 | 39 |
| 1990 | Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter | Self | Film | — | 38 |
| 1990 | Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter | Film | — | 38 | |
| 1990 | Beleza Tropical | Self | Film | — | 38 |
| 1989 | The Simpsons | David Byrne (voice) | TV | 8.0 | 37 |
| 1989 | Plymptoons: The Complete Early Works of Bill Plympton | TV | — | 37 | |
| 1989 | Heavy Petting | Self | Film | 5.7 | 37 |
| 1989 | Decade | Self | Film | 8.5 | 37 |
| 1989 | Umbabarauma | Film | — | 37 | |
| 1988 | Married to the Mob | Film | 6.0 | 36 | |
| 1988 | Checking Out | Bartender | Film | 4.4 | 36 |
| 1988 | Talking Heads: Storytelling Giant | Self | Film | 7.8 | 36 |
| 1988 | Talking Heads: Storytelling Giant | Film | 7.8 | 36 | |
| 1988 | Talking Heads: Storytelling Giant | Film | 7.8 | 36 | |
| 1987 | The Last Emperor | Film | 7.6 | 35 | |
| 1986 | True Stories | Narrator / Lip-Syncher | Film | 6.7 | 34 |
| 1986 | True Stories | Film | 6.7 | 34 | |
| 1986 | True Stories | Film | 6.7 | 34 | |
| 1986 | True Stories | Film | 6.7 | 34 | |
| 1986 | True Stories | Film | 6.7 | 34 | |
| 1986 | Something Wild | Film | 6.6 | 34 | |
| 1986 | The Kitchen Presents: Two Moon July | Film | 8.0 | 34 | |
| 1986 | Report From L.A. | Himself | Film | — | 34 |
| 1986 | Dead End Kids | Minister | Film | 8.0 | 34 |
| 1985 | The Max Headroom Show | Self | TV | 7.5 | 33 |
| 1985 | Alive from Off Center | TV | 8.0 | 33 | |
| 1984 | Stop Making Sense | Self - Vocals, Guitar | Film | 8.3 | 32 |
| 1984 | Stop Making Sense | Film | 8.3 | 32 | |
| 1984 | Stop Making Sense | Film | 8.3 | 32 | |
| 1984 | Talking Heads: The Name of this Programme is Once In A Lifetime | Self | Film | — | 32 |
| 1984 | Talking Heads: The Name of this Programme is Once In A Lifetime | Film | — | 32 | |
| 1982 | The Catherine Wheel | Film | 8.0 | 30 | |
| 1982 | Talking Heads: Live at Montreux Jazz Festival | Film | — | 30 | |
| 1981 | Mea Culpa | Film | 5.2 | 29 | |
| 1981 | America Is Waiting | Film | 6.3 | 29 | |
| 1981 | Talking Heads: Rock Pop in Concert | Film | 9.0 | 29 | |
| 1980 | Talking Heads: Live in Rome | Self - Vocals, guitar | Film | 6.3 | 28 |
| 1980 | Talking Heads: Capitol Theatre | Self - Lead Vocals, Guitar | Film | 9.0 | 28 |
| 1976 | The Blank Generation | Self | Film | 6.0 | 24 |
| 1975 | Austin City Limits | Self | TV | 6.3 | 23 |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live | Self - Musical Guest | TV | 6.9 | 23 |
| 1968 | 60 Minutes | Self | TV | 6.5 | 16 |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV | 7.5 | 10 |
| 1953 | The Oscars | Self | TV | 7.0 | 1 |
| Talking Heads: 77 | Film | — | — |