Thomas Haden Church (born Thomas Richard McMillen; June 17, 1960) is an American actor. After starring in the 1990s sitcom Wings and playing the lead for two seasons in Ned & Stacey (1995–1997), Church became known for his film work, including his role of Lyle van de Groot in George of the Jungle (1997), his Academy Award–nominated performance in Sideways (2004), his role as the Marvel Comics villain Sandman in the superhero films Spider-Man 3 (2007) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), as well as his starring roles in Over the Hedge (2006), Smart People (2008), Easy A (2010), We Bought a Zoo (2011), Max (2015), and Hellboy (2019). He also made his directorial debut with Rolling Kansas (2003). In 2023, he starred as antagonist Agent Stone in the post-apocalyptic action comedy series Twisted Metal.
Early life Church was born Thomas Richard McMillen on June 17, 1960, in Woodland, Yolo County, California, to Maxine (née Sanders; 1936–2021) and Carlos "Carl" Richard McMillen (1936–2008), who served for eight years in the Marines and who was on active duty at the end of the Korean War; after 1962, Carl worked as a surveyor. Church's parents divorced, and he and his mother moved to Laredo, Texas. She remarried in 1969, to widower George A. Quesada, a veteran of an Army Air Forces reconnaissance unit which served in Guam in World War II. Church took his stepfather's surname for a time but changed it to 'Haden Church', extracted from the names of other relatives, when people found 'Quesada' difficult to pronounce. Church would often hunt with his stepfather and his stepfathers’ friends along the Rio Grande Valley and started working on a ranch in Webb County, Texas, when he was 13. He left high school in 1977 to work in the oil fields of Louisiana, but he returned to graduate from Harlingen High School in 1979. He attended the University of North Texas while living in Dallas.
Career Church started in the entertainment business as a radio personality and doing voice-over work. After appearing in an independent film, he moved to California to pursue an acting career. His character delivers a love letter to Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman) from her deceased former lover, Eddie LaBec, in the Cheers episode, "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice". He played the part of slow-witted aircraft mechanic Lowell Mather for six seasons (1990–95) on the NBC sitcom Wings.
He worked in television for two more seasons, with a lead role in Ned & Stacey opposite Debra Messing. He has had supporting roles in films such as Tombstone, George of the Jungle, The Specials, and Demon Knight.
Church bought a ranch in Texas in 1998. In late 2000, he took a break from films. After having small roles in films such as Monkeybone and 3000 Miles to Graceland, he made his directorial debut with Rolling Kansas in 2003. He has voiceover work in commercials, such as for Merrill Lynch and Icehouse beer.
In 2003, director Alexander Payne called him regarding the role of Jack, the selfish best friend of Paul Giamatti's character, in Sideways. During the audition, Church stripped naked to read the audition scene, later saying "To me, it was painfully obvious... I was reading the scene where Jack comes in naked and there has to be in-born vulnerability in the scene." (He later found that he was the only actor to strip down for the audition). Sideways earned acclaim for Church; he won an IFP Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
He has since appeared in films such as Idiocracy, done voice-over work on films such as Over the Hedge and starred in one of AMC's highest rated television productions, Broken Trail, with Robert Duvall, in 2006, for which he won an Emmy. In 2007, he appeared as the villain Sandman in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. He received praise for his portrayal of the character. Although he was not present on set he lent his voice to Sandman (digitally created) for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was released in 2021 and linked both the Raimi and Marc Webb franchises to the MCU. Archival footage from Spider-Man 3 was used to show his human form at the end of the film where Jon Watts provided the motion-capture for Sandman.
In 2005, he was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In October 2008, Church appeared as "Joe Six-Pack" in a video on funnyordie.com, challenging Joe the Plumber to a beer-drinking contest. Church starred in the FEARnet webseries, Zombie Roadkill, alongside David Dorfman."FEARnet Goes to Church for Zombie Roadkill", dreadcentral.com; accessed June 10, 2014. From 2016 to 2019 he costarred in all three seasons of the HBO original series Divorce.
In December 2021, it was announced that Church will star alongside Toni Collette and Anna Faris in the comedy film The Estate, directed by Dean Craig.
In March 2023, he played Lloyd in Acidman.
Personal life Church lives on his ranch near Kerrville, Texas and also owns a ranch near Lost Maples State Natural Area in the Texas Hill Country. During the filming of Divorce, he rented a house in New Rochelle, New York. He has two children from a former relationship with Mia Zottoli. Church has never married. Church's father, Carl, died in 2008, and his stepfather, George, died in 2012.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1990 Gypsy Angels Roommate 1989 version; uncredited 1993 Tombstone Billy Clanton 1995 Demon Knight Roach1997 George of the Jungle Lyle Van de GrootOne Night StandDon1998 Susan's Plan Dr. Chris Stillman Free Money Larry Lundstrom 1999 Goosed Steven Troy 2000 The Specials The Strobe2001 3000 Miles to Graceland US Marshal Quigley Monkeybone Death's Assistant Uncredited2002 Lone Star State of Mind Killer The Badge David Hardwick2003 Rolling Kansas Agent Madsen / Trooper Uncredited; Also writer and director George of the Jungle 2 Lyle Van de Groot Direct-to-video2004 Serial Killing 4 Dummys Vince Grimaldi Sideways Jack Cole Spanglish Mike 2006 Over the Hedge Dwayne Voice Idiocracy Brawndo CEO Charlotte's Web Brooks Voice 2007 Spider-Man 3 Flint Marko / Sandman 2008 Smart People Chuck Wetherhold2009 Don McKay Don McKay Also executive producer Imagine That Johnny Whitefeather Aliens in the Attic Tazer Voice All About Steve Hartman 2010 Easy A Mr. Griffith2011 Another Happy Day Paul Killer Joe Ansel Smith We Bought a Zoo Duncan Mee 2012 John Carter Tal Hajus2013 Whitewash Bruce Landry Lucky Them Charlie 2014 Heaven Is for Real Jay Wilkins2015 Max Ray Wincott Daddy's Home Leo Holt 2016 Cardboard Boxer Willie 2017 Crash Pad Grady Dott2019 The Peanut Butter Falcon Clint / The Salt Water Redneck Hellboy Lobster Johnson 2020 The 24th Col. Norton 2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home Flint Marko / Sandman Voice, live-action appearance via archive footage 2022 Acidman Lloyd 2023 Accidental Texan Merle Luskey 2024 Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 2025 Wake Up Dead Man Samson Holt TBA Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3 Filming
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1989Protect and SurfDwight JesmerTelevision film21 Jump StreetTonyEpisode: "Eternal Flame"CheersGordie BrownEpisode: "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice"China BeachJack DanielsEpisode: "China Man"BookerLeon Ross2 episodes1990–1995WingsLowell Mather123 episodes1992Flying BlindJonathan2 episodes1993Fugitive Nights: Danger in the DesertNelson HareemTelevision film1995–1997Ned and StaceyNed Dorsey46 episodes1995PartnersEpisode: "City Hall"1998Mr. MurderDrew Oslett Jr.Television film2001Gary & MikeAdditional voicesEpisode: "Washington D.C."The Cartoon Cartoon ShowDoo Dah (voice)Episode: "Yee Hah & Doo Dah: Bronco Breakin' Boots"Going to CaliforniaSchweeEpisode: "Apocalypse Cow"2003Miss MatchAndrew HornEpisode: "Matchmaker, Matchmaker; UncreditedLuckyBobby BlaineEpisode: "The Method"2004Teen TitansKiller Moth (voice)Episode: "Date with Destiny"2006Broken TrailTom HarteTelevision miniseries; 2 episodes2010Zombie RoadkillRanger Chet MastersonTelevision miniseries; 6 episodes2012Regular ShowQuillgin (voice)Episode: "The Christmas Special"2016–2019DivorceRobert Dufresne24 episodes; Also executive producer2021NatureNarratorEpisode: "Big Bend: The Wild Frontier of Texas"2023Fired on MarsTrevor Sullivan (voice)2 episodesTwisted MetalAgent StoneMain role2025 Tires Phil Season 2 - present
Video games YearTitleVoice roleNotes1990YsGoban TobaEnglish dub; Credited as Thomas H. Church2007Spider-Man 3Flint Marko / Sandman
Awards and nominations Church has received multiple awards and nominations for his roles in both television and film. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 2005 for his role as Jack in Sideways (2004), two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in 2004 for the film Sideways (2004) and Best Supporting Actor in 2007 for the miniseries Broken Trail (2006), won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie in 2007 for Broken Trail (2006), and won one of three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations in 2005 for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Sideways (2004).