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Michael Uppendahl

Director, Producer, Actor, Additional Credits
Michael Uppendahl is an American television and film director.

He is well known for his work on the AMC period drama Mad Men; FX's horror anthology series American Horror Story, and Marvel's Legion; and the Fox musical/dramedy Glee.

His first television credit came from directing 4 episodes of the CBS sitcom Becker, from 2003-2004. He wrote, directed and produced the 2009 short film A Hundred & Forty-Six Questions, starring Jamie Anne Allman.

Since 2008, Uppendahl has directed 7 hours of the AMC drama Mad Men, for which he has received critical acclaim. In 2011 and 2012, Uppendahl joined the crews of Fox's Glee and FX's American Horror Story, directing 2 episodes of the former and 3 of the latter.

In 2013, Uppendahl made his feature film directorial debut with Grounded (formerly under the working title, Quad), a drama about a salesman that becomes a quadriplegic. It was co-written by Michael Burke, Mike Young, Robin Veith, and Brett Johnson. Jeff Daniels, Lena Olin, Aaron Paul, and Tom Berenger star.

Uppendahl serves as co-executive producer and director on Marvel's Legion; which airs on FX. The series centers on David Haller, possibly the most powerful mutant on the planet.

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • Mad Men
  • Fear the Walking Dead
  • Weeds
  • Are You Here
  • Manhattan

Known For

  • Mad Men
  • Fargo
  • Ratched
  • American Horror Story
  • Ray Donovan
  • Monster (2022)
  • The Walking Dead
  • Castle Rock
  • Candy
  • Legion
  • Marvel's Daredevil
  • Hunters (2020)
  • Scream Queens
  • Hollywood (2020)
  • American Crime Story
  • The Hot Zone
  • Glee
  • The Decameron
  • Shameless (US)

Michael Uppendahl Filmography

2026
The Beauty (TV Series)
2025
2024
2024
The Decameron (TV Series)
2023
2022
Monster (2022) (TV Series)
2022
Candy (TV Series)
2020
Ratched (TV Series)
2020
2020
Hollywood (2020) (TV Series)
2020
Hunters (2020) (TV Series)
2019
The Hot Zone (TV Series)
2018
Castle Rock (TV Series)
2017
Legion (TV Series)
2016
2016
2015
Scream Queens (TV Series)
2015
2015
Marvel's Daredevil (TV Series)
2014
Manhattan (TV Series)
2014
Fargo (TV Series)
2014
2013
Ray Donovan (TV Series)
2012
Longmire (TV Series)
2012
House of Lies (TV Series)
2011
2011
Shameless (US) (TV Series)
2010
The Walking Dead (TV Series)
2009
Glee (TV Series)
2007
Mad Men (TV Series)
2005
Weeds (TV Series)
1998
Becker (TV Series)

2026
The Beauty (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
2025
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
2024
The Decameron (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
2023
Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
2022
Monster (2022) (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
2022
Candy (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
2019
The Hot Zone (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
2016
American Crime Story (TV Series) · as Executive Producer

2014
2013
Are You Here · as Officier Norbey

2011
Talking Dead (TV Series) · as Self - 'director'

2018
Castle Rock (TV Series) · as Co-Executive Producer
2017
Legion (TV Series) · as Co-Executive Producer

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