Sean Patrick Michael McNamara (born May 9, 1962) is an American film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter. Originally a producer for the children's television series Kids Incorporated (1984–1994), he made his directorial debut with the independent film Hollywood Chaos (1989). McNamara later produced the Nickelodeon science fiction series The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994–1998).
McNamara gained recognition for serving as executive producer and directing episodes of the Disney Channel comedy series Even Stevens (2000–2003), as well as directing the television film The Even Stevens Movie (2003), which won him a BAFTA Award and earned him nominations for three Daytime Emmy Awards and three Directors Guild of America Awards. He later directed his first widely released film in Raise Your Voice (2004) and earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 2005 for his work on the Disney Channel sitcom That's So Raven (2003–2006).
McNamara became more prolific as a film director starting in the late 2000s, directing Bratz (2007); Soul Surfer (2011), which is his highest-grossing release; Spare Parts (2015); The Miracle Season (2018); The King's Daughter (2022); and Reagan (2024).
Life and career
McNamara was born in Burbank, California. He is best known for his feature films Soul Surfer and The Miracle Season. In the pre-teen film market he worked with Jessica Alba, Hilary Duff, Shia LaBeouf, Christy Carlson Romano, and Raven-Symoné. McNamara and David Brookwell are the founders of the Brookwell McNamara Entertainment production company. McNamara has continued to produce and create shows for MTV, The N, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and Cartoon Network. He collaborated with Shin Sang-ok to make Galgameth and 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain, starring Hulk Hogan.
McNamara briefly appeared as the singing cowboy in the Even Stevens musical episode "Influenza: The Musical", and as an alleged alien abductee in the episode "Close Encounters of the Beans Kind". McNamara also had a cameo appearance on That's So Raven, appearing as a plumber in the episode "Out of Control".
In 2016, McNamara was hired to direct the biopic of President Ronald Reagan titled Reagan. The film was released in 2024.
McNamara's 2026 film Home, filming in Vancouver, Canada, took its inspiration from the life of George Müller, and cast Lincoln Fox in his first feature acting role, as an immigrant child, Gustavo; Fox was featured in Bad Bunny's Super Bowl LX halftime show.
Filmography Film Year Title Director Producer Writer 1989 Hollywood Chaos 1996 Galgameth 1998 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain P.U.N.K.S. 1999 Treehouse Hostage 2001 Race to Space 2004 Raise Your Voice 2007 Bratz 2011 Soul Surfer 2013 Space Warriors Robosapien: Rebooted 2015 Spare Parts Hoovey Field of Lost Shoes 2018 The Miracle Season Orphan Horse 2020 Mighty Oak 2020 Aliens Stole My Body 2022 The King's Daughter Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders 2023 On a Wing and a Prayer Vindicta 2024 Bau: Artist at War Reagan 2025 Soul on Fire
Direct-to-video Year Title Director Producer 1997 Casper: A Spirited Beginning 1998 Casper Meets Wendy 2006 The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold 2009 Legally Blondes Into the Blue 2: The Reef Bring It On: Fight to the Finish 2013 Baby Geniuses and the Mystery of the Crown Jewels 2014 Baby Geniuses and the Treasures of Egypt 2018 Aliens Ate My Homework 2020 Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite!
Television Year Title Director Producer Writer Notes 1984–1994 Kids Incorporated 1989 Totally Hidden Video Directed 3 episodes 1991 Candid Camera 1 episode 1992 The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys 1994 The Secret World of Alex Mack Directed 3 episodes, wrote episode "The Feud" 1995 Sightings 3 episodes 2000–2003 Even Stevens Directed 7 episodes, wrote 3 episodes 2003–2006 That's So Raven Directed 13 episodes, wrote episode "Vision Impossible" 2004 Phil of the Future Pilot episode2006 Just for Kicks Directed 4 episodes Cake All 13 episodes 2006–2007 Dance Revolution All 26 episodes 2006–2009 Beyond the Break Also creator;Directed 6 episodes 2007–2008 Out of Jimmy's Head Directed 5 episodes2009 Jonas Episode "Complete Repeat" Zeke and Luther 4 episodes2011 Sonny with a Chance Episode "New Girl" Shake It Up Episode "Reunion It Up" 2011–2012 Kickin' It 5 episodes2012 Jessie Episode "Take the A-Train... I Think!" A.N.T. Farm Episodes "Modeling assignmANT" and "ANTswers" Lab Rats Episodes "Death Spiral Smackdown" and "Chore Wars" 2013–2015 Baby Geniuses Television Series 7 episodes 2015 Ties That Bind Episode "Pilot" and "United Front" 2017–2018 Chesapeake Shores 6 episodes 2019 Gabby Duran & the Unsittables Episodes "Crushin' It" and "Dia De La Dina" 2024 Shadrach 4 episodes
TV movies Year Title Director Producer Writer 1999 Wild Grizzly 2000 The Trial of Old Drum 2003 The Even Stevens Movie 2005 Abe & Bruno 2011 The Suite Life Movie 2012 Shmagreggie Saves the World 2016 Just in Time for Christmas Love in Paradise 2018 Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa 2019 Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy 2020 JL Family Ranch: The Wedding Gift 2021 Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday Sister Swap: Christmas in the City
TV specials Year Title Director ExecutiveProducer 2019 Roseanne Barr & Rabbi Shmuley Show 2021 Butch Bradley: From Las Vegas
Personal life McNamara is Catholic. He's the godfather of actress Christy Carlson Romano.
Awards and nominations YearWorkCategoryResultRef.2001Even StevensDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's SeriesDirectors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Children's Programs2002British Academy Children's Award for InternationalDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's SeriesDirectors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Children's Programs2003Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Series2004The Even Stevens MovieDirectors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Children's Programs 2005That's So RavenPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program2007The Cutting Edge: Going for the GoldDirectors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Children's Programs2022The King's DaughterGolden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture
References
External links Official website
Brookwell/McNamara Entertainment