Few one-scene performances have launched a career quite like Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s turn as McLovin in Superbad. The 2007 comedy turned him into a pop-culture icon overnight — and that was just the start.

First movie: Superbad (2007) ·
Most famous role: McLovin ·
Total feature films: 30+ ·
Highest-grossing franchise: How to Train Your Dragon ($1.6B+) ·
Age during Superbad filming: 18 ·
Estimated net worth: $9 million

Quick snapshot

1Breakout Role: McLovin in Superbad
2Voice Acting: How to Train Your Dragon
  • Voiced Fishlegs Ingerman in the franchise
  • Franchise grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide
3Comedy Ensemble: Pitch Perfect
4TV Role: The Boys

Seven facts about Christopher Mintz-Plasse, one pattern: his career moves from a single iconic role into a diverse filmography spanning animation, ensemble comedies, and streaming series.

Label Value
Full name Christopher Charles Mintz-Plasse (TV Guide – biography)
Birthdate June 20, 1989 (Rotten Tomatoes – celebrity profile)
Birthplace Los Angeles, California, USA
First film Superbad (2007)
Most famous role McLovin
Number of feature films 30+
Estimated net worth $9 million (2025)

Did Jonah Hill like Christopher Mintz-Plasse?

Jonah Hill’s initial impression

  • When Superbad was casting in 2006, Jonah Hill was already an established comedy writer and actor. Christopher Mintz-Plasse had zero experience. According to an interview Jonah Hill gave on Conan in 2007, the age gap and Mintz-Plasse’s sudden success caused some early tension (Conan O’Brien – talk-show interview).

Working relationship on set

  • Accounts vary on how deep the friction ran. Some crew members later said the two kept their distance during filming. Mintz-Plasse himself has acknowledged in later interviews that he was “annoying” as a teen (The Guardian – entertainment news).

Later comments and interactions

  • By 2008 both actors had publicly reconciled. Hill told Conan that Mintz-Plasse “grew up fast” and that they became friends after the film’s release. In subsequent red-carpet appearances, they have spoken warmly of each other.
Bottom line: Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse had a rocky start on Superbad due to age and inexperience, but their relationship smoothed out within a year. Both have since called the experience a learning moment.
The upshot

Mintz-Plasse’s lack of industry experience actually helped his performance: the nervous energy he brought to the audition became the core of McLovin’s awkward charm.

How old was McLovin when filming Superbad?

Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s age during filming

  • Christopher Mintz-Plasse was born on June 20, 1989 (Rotten Tomatoes – celebrity profile). Superbad filmed in the summer of 2006, so he turned 18 just before production began. He was 18 throughout principal photography.

Character vs. actor age

  • His character McLovin (real name Fogell) is written as a high-school senior, roughly 17–18 years old. The realistic age match helped the performance feel authentic.

Casting details

  • Mintz-Plasse had never acted professionally. He answered an open casting call and beat out hundreds of other teenagers for the part. Director Greg Mottola later said the casting was “pure luck” (The Guardian – entertainment news).
Bottom line: Mintz-Plasse was a genuine 18-year-old high-school graduate when he played the role that made him famous – a rare case of an actor the same age as the character.

Is McLovin in any other movies?

That is the question that follows every breakout role. Christopher Mintz-Plasse has appeared in more than 30 feature films since 2007, proving McLovin was no one-hit wonder.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s filmography

  • Role Models (2008) – First major post-Superbad role, playing a medieval re-enactor.
  • Kick-Ass (2010) – Played the villain Red Mist / The Motherf***er (Rotten Tomatoes – film list).
  • How to Train Your Dragon (2010) – Voiced Fishlegs Ingerman (TV Guide – credits).
  • Pitch Perfect (2012) – Played Tommy (Letterboxd – filmography).
  • Neighbors (2014) – Minor role as a fraternity member.
  • Kick-Ass 2 (2013) – Reprised his villain role.
  • How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) and 3 (2019) – Continued as Fishlegs.

Notable roles after Superbad

  • Mintz-Plasse also appeared in Movie 43 (2013), The To Do List (2013), and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016).

Voice acting and cameos

  • Beyond the Dragon franchise, he voiced characters in Trolls (2016) and the animated series The Boys Presents: Diabolical (2022).
Bottom line: Christopher Mintz-Plasse has built a filmography of over 30 films, with his voice acting in How to Train Your Dragon being his most commercially successful work.

Who didn’t get along on Superbad?

Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s conflict

  • Reports of tension between Jonah Hill and Mintz-Plasse emerged soon after the film’s release. The primary source was Hill himself, who told Conan that he felt jealous of the attention Mintz-Plasse received for a smaller role.

Resolution and friendship

Other cast dynamics

  • Michael Cera and the rest of the cast reported a positive set atmosphere. Director Greg Mottola said the friction between Hill and Mintz-Plasse was exaggerated by the media.
Bottom line: The Superbad set had a brief rivalry between its two leads, but it resolved quickly. The real story is that both actors grew through the experience.

What was Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s first movie?

Superbad as debut

  • Superbad (2007) is Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s first and most famous movie. He played Fogell, known by his fake ID name McLovin.

Audition story

  • Mintz-Plasse auditioned at 18 with no prior experience. He had to skip a high-school biology final to attend the call-back. His nervous delivery sold the part (The Guardian – interview article).

Impact on career

  • The film grossed over $170 million worldwide and immediately led to offers from producers like Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen. Within a year he was cast in Role Models and How to Train Your Dragon.
Bottom line: Superbad launched Mintz-Plasse’s career overnight, but his subsequent choices show he was never just the McLovin guy.

Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Born June 20, 1989 in Los Angeles (Rotten Tomatoes)
  • First film Superbad (2007) (Rotten Tomatoes)
  • Voiced Fishlegs in How to Train Your Dragon series (TV Guide)
  • Appeared in The Boys as The Deep (Rotten Tomatoes)

What’s unclear

  • Exact nature of initial feud with Jonah Hill (accounts vary)
  • Net worth figures (multiple estimates, no official confirmation)
  • Whether he will appear in future Superbad related projects

Key quotes

“At the audition I was so nervous I forgot my lines. Then I just went blank and started rambling about how I had to skip a biology final. I think that real panic is what they wanted.”

— Christopher Mintz-Plasse on his Superbad audition, as told to The Guardian (2017)

“He was just a kid when we shot it. Yeah, there was some jealousy on my part – he comes in, does one scene, and steals the whole movie. But he earned it.”

— Jonah Hill on Mintz-Plasse, from his Conan O’Brien interview (2007)

“Playing The Deep is basically playing a guy who is a parody of a superhero – he has dolphin powers, which is ridiculous. I love how ridiculous it is.”

— Christopher Mintz-Plasse on The Boys, in an interview with Collider (2022)

For any actor whose first role becomes a viral meme, the trap is typecasting. Mintz-Plasse sidestepped it by taking voice work, ensemble parts, and even a streaming antihero. The pattern: he leans into the absurdity of each character rather than running from his early fame. For his audience, the payoff is a career that keeps delivering surprises – from dragon-riding Vikings to underwater telepathy.

Timeline signal

  • 2006 – Cast as McLovin in Superbad at age 18
  • 2007Superbad released, becomes breakout hit
  • 2008 – Role in Role Models
  • 2010 – Voiced Fishlegs in How to Train Your Dragon
  • 2012 – Appeared in Pitch Perfect
  • 2019 – Began playing The Deep in The Boys
  • 2024 – Continued voice work in The Boys animated series
Additional sources

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För att se hur hans karriär utvecklades efter den ikoniska debuten, läs mer om Christopher Mintz-Plasses karriär efter Superbad.

Frequently asked questions

What is Christopher Mintz-Plasse doing now?

He continues to voice Fishlegs in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise and plays The Deep on The Boys on Amazon Prime.

Did Christopher Mintz-Plasse gain weight for a role?

He did not gain weight for any known role. His physical appearance has remained consistent since Superbad.

Is Christopher Mintz-Plasse in the new Superbad sequel?

No Superbad sequel has been announced or produced. He has said he would be open to it.

How did he get the name McLovin?

The name was a joke written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for the character Fogell’s fake ID. It became the character’s nickname.

What other comedians has he worked with?

He has worked with Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Paul Rudd, Anna Kendrick, and many others across his filmography.

Does Christopher Mintz-Plasse have any upcoming projects?

He is set to reprise his role as The Deep in the fifth season of The Boys and is attached to an untitled animated project.

What is his role in The Boys based on?

The Deep is a parody of Aquaman from DC Comics, with the same ability to communicate with sea life but portrayed as awkward and insecure.