The bestBilly Burkemovies and TV shows spotlight one of Hollywood’s most consistently magnetic character actors. Hailing from Washington and born in 1966, Billy Burke has carved out an impressive career playing everything from gruff-but-lovable dads to morally murky antiheroes. He got his start in the mid-’90s but didn’t break into the mainstream until his role asCharlie Swan in 2008’sTwilight. Since then, he’s become a reliable go-to for roles that require quiet authority, emotional depth, or a brooding edge (and often all three at once).
Fans love Billy Burke’s ability to make any character feel grounded and believable, no matter how outrageous the plot of the movie or TV show they’re in. Whether he’s fighting to survive a post-apocalyptic world, holding his own in a superhero crime drama, or portraying complex family dynamics, Burke always brings a compelling sense of realism. Across a career that spans thrillers, dramas, horror flicks, and fantasy epics, his work is as versatile as it is underrated. From cult-favorite TV shows to box office juggernauts, the best Billy Burke movies and TV shows showcase his solid and unforgettable talent.
How The Twilight Movies Wasted Fan-Favorite Charlie Swan
While Bella’s father Charlie Swan was a fan-favorite among Twilight saga readers, there is a reason that the movie adaptations cut down his role.
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke (who also directedTwilight), 2011’sRed Riding Hoodis a dark, gothic reimagining of the classic fairy tale, starring Amanda Seyfried as a young woman caught in a love triangle while a werewolf terrorizes her village. It’s moody, stylish, and drips with supernatural intrigue. In other words, it’s exactly the kind of tone of movie in which Billy Burke thrives. The film leans into romance and horror, and while it received mixed reviews, Burke’s performance stands out as one of its more compelling elements.
InRed Riding Hood, Burke plays Cesaire, the father of Seyfried’s character, Valerie. As suspicion and fear sweep the village, Cesaire becomes a key player in the mystery surrounding the wolf’s true identity.Burke brings a quiet intensity to the role, making Cesaire feel like a fully lived-in character even when the plot veers into melodrama.Sharing the screen with Gary Oldman, Virginia Madsen, and Shiloh Fernandez, Burke holds his own among a talented cast.
2016’sLights Outtook the horror world by storm with its terrifying concept and clever execution. Directed by David F. Sandberg in his feature debut,Lights OutstarsTeresa Palmer and Gabriel Bateman, with Billy Burke playing Paul, the father figure whose fate kicks off the movie’s terrifying events. While Burke doesn’t appear for long, his presence looms large, literally haunting the characters and the story throughout. Burke’s role as Paul may be brief, but it’s crucial. His scenes establish the emotional stakes and set the stage for the supernatural horror that follows.
In just a few minutes of screen time, Billy Burke creates a believable, caring father whose sudden loss is deeply felt. It’s a testament to his ability to leave a lasting impact even in supporting roles. His chemistry with Palmer is palpable, and their brief on-screen relationship adds heart to a movie otherwise filled with shadows and scares. It’s a great example of how Burke can elevate a movie, even with limited screen time. That ability is exactly whyLights Outearns a spot among the best Billy Burke movies and TV shows.
In 2018’sBreaking In, a taut home-invasion thriller directed by James McTeigue, Billy Burke flips the script and goes full villain. Starring opposite Gabrielle Union, Burke plays Eddie, the ruthless leader of a gang that breaks into a high-tech house in search of a hidden fortune. But they weren’t counting on Gabrielle Union’s Shaun - a fiercely determined mother -fighting back to save her children. What follows is a suspense-packed showdown with Billy Burke at the center of the menace.
Billy Burke makes Eddie a terrifying presence throughoutBreaking Inwithout going over the top. He doesn’t shout or snarl but instead uses calm control and simmering tension to create a sense of danger that feels real. That contrast against Union’s fiery, emotional performance makes their cat-and-mouse dynamic even more thrilling.Breaking Indidn’t rake in awards, but it was a box office success, and Burke’s work as the villain was widely praised.This is one of those performances where Burke proves he can do just as much damage with a quiet threat as some actors can with a monologue.For fans who want to see his darker side, this is easily one of the best Billy Burke movies and TV shows to check out.
Twilight
TheTwilightmovies were a pop culture juggernaut from 2008-2012, and remain one of the most recognizable cinematic franchises of the late 2000s/early 2010s - and Billy Burke’sperformance as Charlie Swanis one of its most grounded and genuinely charming aspects. Burke plays Bella Swan’s no-nonsense, flannel-loving dad, Charlie Swan, offering a refreshing dose of normalcy in a world filled with glittery vampires.
Charlie is the kind of dad who doesn’t quite know how to communicate with his daughter, but it’s clear he’s trying.Billy Burke perfected the awkwardness, the protectiveness, and the dry humor that made Charlie a fan favorite.While Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were the franchise’s leads, Burke’s performance was often singled out by critics as one of the few that felt genuinely real. His scenes, particularly those showing Charlie’s quiet concern or clueless-but-lovable reactions to the supernatural chaos, are some of the series’ best moments. When it comes to the best Billy Burke movies and TV shows, this iconic role helped cement his place in Hollywood fandom.
InBatman: The Long Halloween, a two-part animated film adaptation of the classic DC Comics storyline, Billy Burke lends his voice to one of Gotham’s most iconic figures: Commissioner James Gordon. Directed by Chris Palmer and packed with an impressive voice cast including Jensen Ackles as Batman and Josh Duhamel as Harvey Dent, the film dives into a gritty, noir-infused murder mystery set early in Batman’s career.As Gordon, Billy Burke brings a world-weariness and moral resolve to the character that fits the dark tone perfectly.
This isn’t the over-the-top, gadget-laden Batman world - this is Gotham at its most grounded and grim. Billy Burke’s voicework captures the weary determination of a cop trying to uphold justice in a city that’s rapidly unraveling. He’s a steady, reliable anchor between Batman and Dent as they chase down a serial killer known only as Holiday. Even in animation, Burke brings his signature gravitas. His performance adds real emotional weight to Gordon’s struggles as both a cop and a father.
9-1-1: Lone Star,created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear, is a spinoff of the wildly successful9-1-1franchise. This Texas-set drama mixes high-octane emergency rescues with deeply personal character arcs. In Season 4, Billy Burke stormed in as Captain Billy Tyson, the estranged father of firefighter Owen Strand (Rob Lowe). Captain Billy Tyson is brash, intense, and carrying years of unresolved father-son drama. It was the perfect role for Billy Burke, and it’s impossible to imagine anyone else filling Captain Tyson’s shoes so snugly.
Billy Burke plays Billy Tyson with a combustible mix of swagger and vulnerability, making the fraught father-son relationship feel raw and painfully real. Whether the two are trading barbs over family secrets or bonding during crisis moments, Burke holds his own opposite Lowe, adding a new layer of depth to the already rich ensemble. His arrival shook up the show’s dynamics in the best way possible.9-1-1: Lone Starthrives on heart-pounding emergencies, but it’s the interpersonal drama that keeps fans hooked - and Burke’s character brings plenty of it.
From killer animals to global conspiracies,Zoois a sci-fi thriller that leans hard into its wild premise, and Billy Burke is right at the center of the chaos as Dr. Morgan. Created by Josh Appelbaum, Based on the novel by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge,Zoofollows a team of scientists and journalists investigating a sudden wave of animal attacks against humanity. Burke plays Dr. Mitch Morgan, a sardonic veterinarian with a genius-level brain and an endless supply of dry wit.
Billy Burke’s Mitch is the ultimate reluctant hero. He doesn’t do sentimentality, but his sharp intellect and biting sarcasm make him the heart of the team (even when he pretends he doesn’t care). Across all three seasons, Burke elevatesZoowith a performance that’s funny, sharp, and surprisingly touching. He brings nuance to a show that could’ve been pure B-movie spectacle and makes Mitch the foundational anchor of the show. Starring alongside James Wolk, Nora Arnezeder, and Nonso Anozie, Burke anchored a series that embraced the bizarre and ran with it. For sheer fun and flair,Zooabsolutely belongs on any list of the best Billy Burke movies and TV shows.
Netflix’sMaid, created by Molly Smith Metzler and inspired by Stephanie Land’s memoir, became an instant critical darling when it released in 2021.With Margaret Qualley deliveringa powerful lead performance as a young mother escaping domestic abuse, the series pulls no punches in its portrayal of poverty, trauma, and survival. Billy Burke plays Hank, the protagonist’s estranged father, a character who’s as complicated as they come. Hank inMaidis charismatic but deeply flawed, struggling with alcoholism and a troubled history with his daughter.
Burke doesn’t shy away from Hank’s darker moments.Instead, he leans into them, crafting a layered performance that’s both heartbreaking and infuriating.Billy Burke’s scenes with Qualley inMaidsimmer with unresolved tension, making each interaction feel like a live wire. Acting alongside Qualley, Andie MacDowell, and Nick Robinson, Burke proves once again that he can bring nuance to even the most emotionally fraught roles. If you’re looking for one of the best Billy Burke movies and TV shows that explores the messy complexities of family,Maidis a must-watch.
What happens when the lights go out forever? That’s the questionRevolution, created by Eric Kripke (who’d go on to createThe Boys), tries to answer. Set in a post-apocalyptic America where all electricity has mysteriously vanished,Revolutionfollows a group of survivors navigating a world overrun by warlords and militia. At the heart of it all is Billy Burke’s Miles Matheson, a former soldier turned reluctant rebel with a tortured past.
Miles is one of Billy Burke’s most intricate and layered roles to date.He’s fierce, haunted, and unpredictable, and Burke plays him with a hardened edge that cracks just enough to reveal the emotion underneath.Whether Miles is swinging a sword in brutal combat or grappling with the moral fallout of his past, Burke delivers a performance that’s magnetic from start to finish. He starred in both seasons of the show, leading the cast alongside Tracy Spiridakos, Giancarlo Esposito, and Elizabeth Mitchell. WhileRevolutionwas canceled after two seasons, it built a loyal cult following and showcased just how good Burke can be when given room to lead.
The best Billy Burke performance comes in one of his most recent projects - 2022’sFire Country, the red-hot CBS drama that’s taken procedural TV by storm.Created by Max Thieriot (who also stars), Tony Phelan, and Joan Rater, the series follows a convict firefighter program in Northern California. Billy Burke plays Vince Leone, the fire chief with a tough exterior and a heart constantly torn between duty and family. Vince is a father, a leader, and a man constantly navigating personal and professional landmines. In other words, it’s a role that feels tailor-made for Billy Burke.
Burke brings intensity, empathy, and gravitas to every scene inFIre Country. Whether he’s coordinating wildfire rescues or clashing with his son Bode (Thieriot), Burke’s performance anchors the show with raw emotional power. From the very first episode, it’s clear thatFire Countrywouldn’t burn nearly as bright without him. While it hasn’t yet netted him major awards, his portrayal of Vince has earned widespread praise from fans and critics alike. For a career-spanning showcase of everything he does best - drama, heart, action, and gravitas -Fire Countryis peak Burke, and the crown jewel of the bestBilly Burkemovies and TV shows.
