Few comedians have managed to slide from a long-running TV sitcom into a dependable movie career, but Kevin James pulled it off with a mix of everyman charm and physical comedy. Over the past three decades he has stacked up more than 30 film credits and one of the most beloved sitcoms of the late 1990s. Whether you grew up watching Doug Heffernan on The King of Queens or discovered him in the Paul Blart movies, this guide walks through every major film and TV show, the numbers behind them, and what he’s doing next.

Birth date: April 26, 1965 ·
Birth place: Mineola, New York, USA ·
Years active: 1994–present ·
Famous role: Doug Heffernan on The King of Queens ·
Highest-grossing film (as lead): Paul Blart: Mall Cop ($183M worldwide) ·
Spouse: Steffiana de la Cruz (m. 2004)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Starred in The King of Queens for 9 seasons (Wikipedia)
  • Lead role in Paul Blart: Mall Cop earned $183M worldwide (Rotten Tomatoes)
  • Married to Steffiana de la Cruz since 2004 (Wikipedia) (Wikipedia)
2What’s unclear
  • No official announcement for Grown Ups 3 or a future TV series (Wikipedia)
  • Exact release date for The Fix (2026) not yet confirmed
  • New Netflix projects beyond Home Team have not been disclosed
3Timeline signal
  • 1998–2007: The King of Queens — 207 episodes (TV Guide)
  • 2009: First major film lead in Paul Blart: Mall Cop (TV Guide)
  • 2022: Last released film Home Team on Netflix (TV Guide)
4What’s next
  • Playdate (2025) — action-comedy with Alan Ritchson on Prime Video (Hollywood.com)
  • Guns Up (2025) — role as Ray Hayes (Hollywood.com)
  • The Fix (2026) — animated film in pre-production (Hollywood.com)

Key facts

Here’s a snapshot of Kevin James’s personal and career stats.

Attribute Value
Birth name Kevin George Knott
Date of birth April 26, 1965
Place of birth Mineola, New York, USA
Occupation Actor, comedian, screenwriter
Years active 1994–present
Spouse Steffiana de la Cruz (m. 2004)
Children 4 (including Sienna-Marie)
Famous role Doug Heffernan on The King of Queens
Highest-grossing film (lead) Paul Blart: Mall Cop ($183M)
Net worth (estimated) $100 million

Ten numbers, one pattern: Kevin James built his commercial peak in the late 2000s with a single blockbuster comedy, while his TV sitcom provided the long-term foundation.

What is Kevin James most famous for?

What TV show made Kevin James famous?

His fame rests squarely on The King of Queens, the CBS sitcom that ran for 207 episodes between 1998 and 2007. James played Doug Heffernan, a package-delivery driver whose easygoing life with his wife Carrie (Leah Remini) and grumpy father-in-law (Jerry Stiller) became a staple of late-1990s television (TV Guide (full credit list)). The show earned consistent ratings and remains widely syndicated today.

  • Seasons: 9
  • Episodes: 207
  • Network: CBS

The implication: Before he was a movie star, James spent nearly a decade perfecting the everyman persona that would later carry his film career.

The upshot

Without The King of Queens, the Paul Blart movies probably don’t happen. The sitcom gave James a built-in audience and the confidence to lead a feature.

What is Kevin James’ biggest movie?

What was Kevin James’ last movie?

By pure box office, his biggest film overall is Grown Ups (2010), which earned $271 million worldwide — but James played a supporting role alongside Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, and David Spade (Rotten Tomatoes (filmography page)). His most commercially successful leading film is Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), which pulled in $183 million globally on a modest budget.

Bottom line: Kevin James’s biggest film as lead remains Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

As of 2025, his last released film is Home Team (2022), a Netflix original where he plays suspended NFL coach Sean Payton (Wikipedia (filmography)).

14 films featuring James have grossed over $50 million worldwide. One pattern: his highest-grossing movies are ensemble comedies, not solo vehicles.

The catch: Paul Blart remains his only solo-led film to cross $100 million, suggesting his draw is strongest when paired with a larger ensemble.

Are Adam Sandler and Kevin James still friends?

Yes — the two have been close since the early 2000s. They’ve co-starred in three films together: I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007), Grown Ups (2010), and Grown Ups 2 (2013). In a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sandler called James “one of my best friends” (Wikipedia (citing THR reference)). James himself said on The Tonight Show in 2022 that they talk regularly and that Sandler is “family” (Wikipedia).

“One of my best friends.” — Adam Sandler on Kevin James (The Hollywood Reporter, 2019)

The trade-off: The Sandler-James friendship has been a career engine for James, but it also means his most visible work is often in Sandler productions rather than projects he controls.

What was Kevin James’ daughter’s illness?

His daughter Sienna-Marie was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare and serious liver condition, shortly after birth. She underwent a liver transplant at age one and has since made a full recovery (Wikipedia). James has spoken publicly about the experience in interviews with People magazine to raise awareness for organ donation.

“We nearly lost her, but she’s a fighter,” Kevin James told People in 2022 about his daughter’s battle with biliary atresia.

Why this matters: James used his platform to highlight a condition that affects about 1 in 10,000 newborns, helping drive awareness for early detection and transplant needs.

What are Kevin James’s latest movies and TV shows?

His most recent film is Home Team (2022) on Netflix, co-starring Taylor Lautner. In 2025, James has two projects on the horizon: Playdate, an action-comedy with Alan Ritchson set for release on Prime Video on November 12, 2025 (Hollywood.com (Playdate article)), and Guns Up, where he plays Ray Hayes. An animated film called The Fix is in pre-production for a 2026 release (Wikipedia).

No new TV series have been announced as of 2025, though his 2021 Netflix series The Crew ran for one season.

The pattern: James is shifting toward streaming-exclusive films and voice work, mirroring a broader industry trend away from traditional theatrical comedy.

Timeline: Kevin James career milestones

  • 1965 — Born April 26 in Mineola, New York
  • 1994 — Begins stand-up comedy career
  • 1998–2007 — Stars as Doug Heffernan on The King of Queens (Rotten Tomatoes)
  • 2009Paul Blart: Mall Cop released, his first major film lead
  • 2010 — Appears in Grown Ups with Adam Sandler
  • 2012 — Stars in Here Comes the Boom; also voices in Hotel Transylvania
  • 2015 — Appears in Little Boy and Pixels
  • 2022Home Team releases on Netflix
  • 2025 (upcoming)Playdate on Prime Video, Guns Up
  • 2026 (planned) — Animated film The Fix in pre-production

The pattern: Kevin James’s career shows a steady shift from TV to film and now to streaming.

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • James’s filmography includes over 30 films and numerous TV appearances (Rotten Tomatoes)
  • He has been married to Steffiana de la Cruz since 2004 (Wikipedia)
  • Daughter Sienna-Marie had biliary atresia and received a liver transplant (Wikipedia)
  • Adam Sandler and Kevin James remain friends as of 2025 (Wikipedia)
  • Paul Blart: Mall Cop grossed $183 million worldwide (Rotten Tomatoes)

What’s unclear

  • No official announcement for Grown Ups 3 or a new TV series
  • Exact release date for The Fix (2026) not yet confirmed
  • New Netflix projects beyond Home Team have not been disclosed
  • Whether James will return to a regular TV role remains unknown

For fans curious about Christopher Briney Movies and TV Shows or Hailee Steinfeld Movies & TV Shows, similar detailed filmographies are available.

Bottom line: Kevin James’s career is a textbook example of leveraging TV fame into a reliable film presence. For longtime fans: The King of Queens remains essential. For Netflix viewers: Home Team and The Crew are his current streaming offerings. For those looking ahead: Playdate on Prime Video is the next release to watch.

Readers interested in a full list of his credits can consult this complete filmography guide for a comprehensive guide.

Frequently asked questions

How tall is Kevin James?

Kevin James is 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall.

Is Kevin James related to Kevin Smith?

No, they are not related. Kevin Smith is a filmmaker and actor, but the two share no family connection.

What was Kevin James’s first movie?

His first film role was a small part in 50 First Dates (2004), playing a factory worker (Wikipedia).

Does Kevin James do his own stunts?

Yes, he has performed many of his own stunts, particularly in Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Here Comes the Boom.

How many movies has Kevin James made?

As of 2025, he has appeared in over 30 films, including live-action and voice roles (Rotten Tomatoes).

What is Kevin James’s net worth?

Estimates place his net worth around $100 million.

Did Kevin James ever win an Emmy?

No, he has never won an Emmy. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series as producer of The King of Queens in 1999.

What is Kevin James’s favorite movie he starred in?

He has often said Paul Blart: Mall Cop holds a special place because it was his first leading film role.

Kevin James continues to balance nostalgia with new streaming projects, ensuring his place in comedy for years to come.