When The Boys premiered in 2019, the average television and movie fan most likely knew Jack Quaid as the only child of Hollywood icons Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. Soon, though, Quaid showed the audience that he was much more than just another Hollywood nepo baby. His breakout role portraying Hughie on The Boys paved the way for Quaid to lead multiple films in the following six years, including 2025’s Novocaine. However, it’s Quaid’s supporting roles that allow the actor to show off his (not so) secret comedic chops.
Quaid is a unique talent, having studied at New York University Tisch School of the Arts for three years before dropping out. During his time at school, he was a part of sketch and improv troupes, eventually becoming a member of the sketch comedy group Sasquatch Sketch. You can find the group’s YouTube videos here. I highly recommend giving them a watch, as not only is Quaid genuinely very funny, but so are his co-members, Nick Williams, Danny Jolles, and Zach Webber. Fun fact, Jolles actually has a small role in Damien Chazelle’s 2022 film, Babylon!
Clearly, Quaid feels comfortable delivering one-liners and performing full sketches. It’s those comedic instincts that made me become a fan of his after watching Plus One for the first time in 2022 — ever since then, I’ve loved keeping up with Quaid’s career and watching his catalog. If Quaid hasn’t ever been on your radar, allow this short list to be a great introduction to the actor.
3. Scream (2022)
The first Scream film in over a decade, Quaid joined the long line of young actors who have starred in the franchise in 2022 as Richie, the boyfriend of the new final girl, Sam Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera. We watch as Richie is sweet and supportive to Sam, cracking jokes to get her to smile as she attempts to figure out who is targeting her younger sister, Tara, played by Jenna Ortega. Richie’s mask of good humor slides off him once it’s revealed that he, alongside Tara’s friend Amber (played by Oscar-winning Mikey Madison — this cast is stacked, y’all!), is thrilled to be the next incarnation of the murderous Ghostface. Quaid is scary good at playing the “radicalized online fanboy” archetype that this role calls for – you believe that he could turn from an obsessed fan to a murderer in a few short months. Richie gets what’s coming to him in the end, dying alongside Amber, however! I won’t spoil much, but let’s just say that he makes another appearance in Scream 6. 👀
This is the first Scream film I ever watched, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I know a lot of longtime Scream fans aren’t a huge fan of Quaid’s Ghostface, but I liked it! Quaid is very good at playing a whiny man child, and he really knocked it out of the park as Richie. Part of being Ghostface is making the audience hate you, but also delivering one-liners that’ll make both the other characters and the audience frustrated. Quaid fulfilled both those expectations in my eyes.
2. Logan Lucky (2017)
How often do you get to play a character named Fish Bang? For Quaid, the answer is once, and it’s in Steven Soderbergh’s 2017 low-income heist film, Logan Lucky. The film stars Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Daniel Craig, and Riley Keough. Quaid plays one of Craig’s characters’ younger brothers, who is looped into helping to rob the neighborhood speedway during the Coca-Cola 600 race. Quaid is hilarious in a long wig, fake tattoos, and a true country bumpkin accent. Believe me, you’ll want even more Fish Bang by the time the credits roll.
1. Oppenheimer (2023)
Quaid playing the bongos while portraying Dr. Richard Feynman in Oppenheimer made me giggle so hard. What more can you say when a character genuinely makes you laugh in a movie about the creation of the atomic bomb?
Do you have a favorite actor that has appeared in a lot of projects, but you still feel is underrated? Let me know in the comments! Also, let me know if you’ve seen any of Quaid’s other supporting roles — Tragedy Girls is another film that I wasn’t a huge fan of, but features great work by Quaid.
Follow me on Letterboxd here, and make sure to subscribe to not miss a post!
poptalkwithrach 