Hale Appleman is more than just "that guy from The Magicians." He's an actor who slips between worlds and personas with ease. From indie projects to edgy stage plays, Appleman's career is a mosaic of boundary-pushing characters that hold a mirror up to the messiness of being human. So what happened to him? Well, he didn't quit acting, and he didn't vanish.
Instead, he leaned into stories that are often a little hard to pin down. If you haven't seen much of him, maybe you just haven't been looking in the right corners. Here are the best Hale Appleman movies and TV shows, from before and after his role on The Magicians, that can be found on platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, and Prime Video.
Pedro (2008)
Pedro tells the story of Pedro Zamora (Alex Loynaz), an openly gay, HIV-positive man who became a trailblazing AIDS activist after appearing on The Real World: San Francisco during the reality television craze of the '90s. The film focuses not just on Pedro's activism but also on his relationships. Hale plays Judd Winick, Pedro's friend and roommate on the show, who later became a cartoonist and advocate in his own right.
Pedro is a powerful movie about a time when HIV/AIDS was still heavily stigmatized. Appleman's role is small but thoughtful, while the film itself is a moving snapshot of how pop culture shaped the conversation around AIDS in the '90s. It may not have the flashy production of bigger biopics, but its sincerity carries an important message. It's a must-watch for viewers interested in real-life stories about activism over spectacle.
Private Romeo (2011)
If Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was dropped into a modern-day, all-male military academy, you would get Private Romeo. It's part adaptation, part reimagining, with the students acting out the play while also slowly mirroring the emotions and relationships in real life. Appleman plays Josh Neff, who switches between multiple characters from the play while also dealing with his own feelings for another student.
The lines between performance and reality start to blur in a beautifully raw take on love and identity in a rigid, hyper-masculine environment. Appleman shines in a role that merges Shakespeare's text with modern vulnerability. The film balances theatricality with intimacy, creating something poetic and was one of the first projects where Appleman's talent for mixing intensity with sensitivity really stood out. Fans of Shakespeare reimaginings and indie LGBTQ+ cinema will love this movie.
The Magicians (2015–2020)
The Magicians follows a group of young adults who discover that magic is real and way more dangerous than they ever imagined. Appleman plays Eliot Waugh, a fabulous, witty, deeply damaged magician who ends up carrying the emotional weight of the show. There are gods, talking animals, alternate timelines, and some seriously dark turns. But through it all, Eliot becomes the heart of the series with equal amounts of charm and trauma.
The magic is a cool gimmick, but the real story is about power, pain, and the cost of survival, sort of like if Harry Potter grew up and went to grad school. Appleman's performance is unforgettable as he walks the line between camp and tragedy with such precision that the character feels instantly iconic. The Magicians is perfect for fans of the fantasy genre looking for a darker, grown-up spin on magical worlds.
Truth Be Told (2019)
Truth Be Told leans into the true-crime phenomenon. Octavia Spencer plays a journalist-turned-podcaster who reopens a murder case that may have put the wrong man in prison. Each season focuses on a different mystery, but the first one digs into how easily the justice system and the media can get things wrong. Hale Appleman plays Lachlan, a supporting character caught in the web of lies, secrets, and shifting allegiances in the show's second season.
While it doesn't reinvent the genre, Truth Be Told is suspenseful and built for binge-watching. Appleman's role is brief but leaves an impression, showing his ability to slip into morally gray territory. The series thrives on suspense, cliffhangers, and the addictive pull of true-crime storytelling. It's a must watch for true-crime fans who love serialized mystery thrillers.
Fireflies in the Dusk (2025)
Fireflies in the Dusk is a time-travel rom-com about love, loneliness, and the quiet rebellion of living on your own terms. The story begins when a Victorian woman travels through a wormhole and falls in love with a modern man. Appleman plays Cecil, a sharp-tongued, kind-of-jaded person who's seen too much of the past and isn't sure what to do with the future.
The film explores how people connect across timelines and expectations, while Appleman, just like in Truth Be Told, proves that he doesn't need a long runtime to leave a lasting impression. Appleman brings warmth and wit to a quirky, romantic premise that could easily fall flat without him. Overall, Fireflies in the Dusk is a great choice for fans of romantic dramedies.
