While Hulu used to be better known for its television shows while Netflix was the go to for movie options, the streaming service has taken big leaps and strides to change that. Today, Hulu is home to an amazing selection of movies, especially documentaries. Providing options for customers of all interests, Hulu has found a way to become a one-stop destination for those seeking incredible non-fiction stories. With so many options now, we’ve determined the best documentaries on Hulu for you, ensuring you’ll be able to settle in and relax with ease.

Looking for more documentaries? Check out our list of the best ones on Netflix and Prime Video, or see our recommendations for the best movies on Hulu.

Editor's note: This article was updated October 2023 to include Not Going Quietly.

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)

Summer of Soul
Image via Searchlight Pictures

Runtime: 1 hr 58 min | Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson

In the summer of 1969, Harlem held a 6-week-long music festival with some of the biggest names in soul music of the day. It was a massive success, hugely popular and recorded. And yet, no one has ever heard of it until now. Maybe because a few hours away there was another festival called Woodstock that would steal all the headlines. Questlove steps out from behind the drum set to direct and produce a fascinating look at this festival that was forgotten by history until the recent discovery of all the footage. He interviews concert attendees, performers, and people who were convinced it was all a dream in the fascinating Oscar nominee. – Jennifer McHugh

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Not Going Quietly (2021)

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Image via Greenwich Entertainment

Runtime: 1 hr 36 min | Director: Nicholas Bruckman

Cast: Ady Barkan, Cory Booker, Tracey Corder

After being diagnosed with ALS and being involved in a viral altercation with Senator Jeff Flake, the life of Ady Barkan is catapulted into one of political activism as he heads the “Be a Hero” campaign on the nationwide search for healthcare reform. A movie guaranteed to lift spirits and ignite a burning passion inside of audiences, Not Going Quietly won The Cinema for Peace Award’s Political Film of the Year in 2022 and became an instant hit following its debut at SXSW 2021, where it also won a Special Jury Award. Director Nicholas Bruckman manages to capture the sheer magnitude of Barkan’s national campaign but also doesn’t fail at finding the intimate details of the life of the man behind the movement, including a look at how this most unique of circumstances has affected those around him. - Jake Hodges

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Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015)

steve jobs man in the machine
Image via Magnolia Pictures

Runtime: 2 hr 8 min | Director: Alex Gibney

Emmy-winning documentarian Alex Gibney (Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief) presents a deep dive into the legacy of the co-founder of Apple and peels back the layers of his public persona to reveal the complicated man beneath. Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine features a collection of archival footage and interviews with people who both grew up with Jobs and worked closely with him as he and Steve Wozniak built the computer empire that would serve as the foundation for the tech industry as we know it. Gibney doesn’t shy away from the rough edges and the trail of broken lives that Jobs left behind, so if you’re expecting a puff piece, you’re in for a surprise about the darker side of Steve Jobs.

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The Jewel Thief (2023)

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Runtime: 1 hr 40 min | Director: Landon Van Soest

Cast: Gerald Blanchard, Joseph Flore, Tristan Welsh

Not only inspired by incredible true events, The Jewel Thief is an unbelievable first-hand account of one man’s global crime spree. Centering on small-town nerd Gerald Blanchard, who regales with his own history, The Jewel Thief details the man’s journey from a small-town thief to a money-making machine before becoming an international criminal mastermind. Featuring in-depth interviews with Blanchard and his mother, as well as the detectives who tracked him across the planet, and dramatic reenactments featuring Joseph Flore as Blanchard, director Landon Van Soest shines a light on this man’s quest for fame and its ultimate costs. – Yael Tygiel

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Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (2023)

Brooke Shields in the Pretty Baby documentary
Image via Paramount Pictures

Runtime: 2 hr 18 min | Director: Lana Wilson

Cast: Brooke Shields, Scaachi Koul, Isobel Coleman

Award-winning director Lana Wilson (After Tiller) turns her camera towards a deep dive into the life of model and actress Brooke Shields (Pretty Baby) in this two-part documentary. Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields not only digs into the exploitation of Shields as a child star but also the demands of the modeling and celebrity industry for young girls and the way it shaped perceptions of women by sexualizing them before they even reach their teen years. It’s a stunning exploration of how Shields became an idol against her will and the ways she was able to break free and find herself as an adult. – Tauri Miller

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Queenmaker: The Making of an It Girl (2023)

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Runtime: 1 hr 23 min | Director: Zackary Drucker

Cast: Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Tinsley Mortimer, Olivia Palermo

When you’re famous, every detail of your life is out on display for the public eye to scrutinize, and it becomes easy to lose control of the narrative — especially back in the early 2000s when blog culture was on the rise. Queenmaker: The Making of an It Girl is a delectable oral history of the height of the It Girl Era when Manhattan elites and corporate royalty like Paris Hilton, Tinsley Mortimer, and Olivia Palermo caught the attention of the nation through their lavish parties and aspirational lifestyles — while also being torn down by popular bloggers like Perez Hilton and the anonymous creator of Park Avenue Peerage, who is unmasked in this documentary. For a nostalgic slice of a bygone era, check out this captivating documentary.

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Aaron Carter: The Little Prince of Pop (2023)

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Image via Olive Chiacchia

Runtime: 56 min | Produced by: ABC News

Cast: AJ McLean, Melanie Martin, Taylor Helgeson

Aaron Carter: The Little Prince of Pop is a heartbreaking documentary chronicling the incredible life and devastating death of musician Aaron Carter. The documentary not only features archive footage of the young talent but also interviews with the people closest to him, including Carter’s fiancée Melanie Martin, Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean, and his manager Taylor Helgeson. Exploring the specifics of Carter’s struggles growing up in the spotlight, Aaron Carter: The Little Prince of Pop reveals the more prevalent insidiousness of the entertainment industry as it relates to the intertwining of addiction, mental illness, and fame. – Yael Tygiel

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All the Streets Are Silent (2021)

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Image via Greenwich Entertainment

Runtime: 1 hr 29 min | Director: Jeremy Elkin

Cast: Eli Morgan Gesner, Rosario Dawson, Darryl McDaniels, Moby

Narrated by Zoo York co-founder Eli Morgan Gesner, All the Streets Are Silent is a fascinating documentary that explores the unexpected convergence of two iconic subcultures. Through interviews with Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka), Run DMC’s Darryl McDaniels, and Moby, as well as professional skateboarders and other creatives, All the Streets Are Silent highlights the synergy built when hip-hop and skateboarding intersected, especially in New York City during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Through footage and memories of the people who lived it, director Jeremy Elkin uncovers the cultural collision and connectivity of these distinct creative styles and languages. – Yael Tygiel

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The Donut King (2020)

Ted Ngoy holding box of donuts in donut king
Image via Greenwich Entertainment

Runtime: 1 hr 30 min | Director: Alice Gu

Cast: Chuong Pek Lee, Susan Lim, Ted Ngoy

Sink your sweet tooth into this in-depth journey through the life of Ted Ngoy, Los Angeles’s own Donut King. Director Alice Gu makes her feature film debut with this snappy and detailed recounting of the rise and fall of the man who built an empire of donut shops throughout Los Angeles County by giving Cambodian refugees a place to call home and make a buck. Gu, being an LA native, brings a wonderful perspective to the story and her use of interviews, archival footage, and animation feels like a love letter — not just to her hometown but to the triumph and pride of the American immigrant story. – Tauri Miller

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The Last Tourist (2021)

Last Tourist Hulu documentary beach
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Runtime: 1 hr 40 min | Director: Tyson Sadler

Cast: Alexander Ayling, Lem Baing, Elizabeth Becker

In The Last Tourist, filmmaker Tyson Sadler unabashedly explores the horrendous ways in which traditional tourism unintentionally negatively impacts the very thing it came to witness. The Last Tourist deliberately puts modern tourism on trial, visiting over 15 countries to expose the consequences of humanity’s destructive forces when venturing into remote villages, untouched beaches, and wildlife habitats. Guided by conservation experts, environmental visionaries, and leaders in sustainable tourism, The Last Tourism confronts the burdens magnified by unethical travel forces on vulnerable communities around the globe. – Yael Tygiel

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Changing the Game (2019)

changing the game
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Runtime: 1 hr 28 min | Director: Michael Barnett

Cast: Mack Beggs, Sarah Rose Huckman, Terry Miller, Andraya Yearwood

Director Michael Barnett captures the realities of school sports and the discriminatory challenges for transgender athletes in the timely documentary Changing the Game. Centered on multiple young trans athletes, including Texas State wrestling champion Mack Beggs, Changing the Game allows for a variety of perspectives to be shared, as well as reveals the true range of experiences for these talented individuals. Featuring stories from a Connecticut-based track star who is openly transitioning (Andraya Yearwood) and Sarah Rose Huckman, a New Hampshire-based activist and skier, each path is unique. – Yael Tygiel

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Ballet Now (2018)

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Runtime: 1 hr 14 min | Director: Steven Cantor

Set within the famed program of the same name, Ballet Now reveals the true story of Tiler Peck, a Prima Ballerina for the New York City Ballet, chosen as the first woman to curate the program. Featuring a diverse group of top-tier global dancers, Peck’s vision for the high-profile event includes a cleverly crafted mix of talent, highlighting a variety of styles, like tap, hip-hop, and even clown artistry. Director Steven Cantor captures the raw and unfiltered realities as Peck prepares to execute her unique and groundbreaking objective. Ballet Now chronicles the week leading up to the performance, where Peck serves not only as director and producer but will also dance in multiple pieces. – Yael Tygiel

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Leave No Trace (2022)

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Runtime: 1 hr 48 min | Director: Irene Taylor

Leave No Trace is a hard but important watch that explores the epidemic of sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts. Told through a combination of interviews with several of the brave survivors and archival footage, the documentary, which was directed by Peabody and Emmy-winning journalist Irene Taylor, meticulously investigates how the organization systematically covered up so much for so long. – Taylor Gates

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Untouchable (2019)

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Runtime: 1 hr 38 min | Director: Ursula Macfarlane

A difficult but important watch, Untouchable explores the rise and fall of Harvey Weinstein. The documentary features interviews with both former colleagues and some of the brave women who came forward about their sexual misconduct. Untouchable examines the culture that allowed this abuse to happen – and dives into the subsequent #MeToo movement when some of these horrific crimes became public. Director Ursula Macfarlane does a masterful job approaching the subject with empathy, tackling the difficult topic with care, complexity, and clarity. – Taylor Gates

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Homeroom (2021)

homeroom documentary cap and gown graduation
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Runtime: 1 hr 30 min | Director: Peter Nicks

Homeroom is a timely and touching documentary about the young people in an Oakland, California, high school who use their voices to speak for their community about police presence in schools. Following a group of graduating seniors, Homeroom dives into the issues that matter to the students in Oakland, revealing the inequalities and injustices they face, following the realities of budget cuts and ill-equipped facilities. Ultimately an uplifting story of hope, Homeroom does not shy away from sharing the dramatic tribulations facing young people in Oakland and across the United States. –Yael Tygiel

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Dead Asleep (2021)

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Runtime: 1 hr 26 min | Director: Skye Borgman

Looking for true crime with a twist? Boy, do we have the movie for you. Dead Asleep explores the case of Randy Herman Jr., who was convinced of murdering his childhood best friend and roommate Brooke Preston. Herman, however, claims that he was sleepwalking when he killed her and thus can’t be held accountable for her death. Spoiler alert: The documentary never answers the question either way, leading the audience to draw our own conclusions, but it does present some compelling – and shocking – evidence. – Taylor Gates

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Kid 90 (2021)

Soleil Moon Frye and Breckin Meyer in kid 90
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Runtime: 1 hr 11 min | Director: Soleil Moon Frye

Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster) directed and produced this never-before-seen intimate glimpse at Hollywood’s child stars of the 1990s, featuring exclusive clips pulled from Frye’s personal collections of over hundreds of hours of footage she shot growing up in the limelight. Frye unveils a behind-the-scenes look at herself and her friends in the industry through the lens of a camcorder that she carried around for years, capturing their secrets on film. Kid 90 is a fascinating documentary for any pop culture-loving Millennial, as it exposes the realities of childhood stardom, with stories directly from pinnacle 90s kids, like Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Saved By The Bell), as well as readings from Frye’s own private diaries. As both narrator and filmmaker, Frye’s interaction with her interview subjects allows for a comfort that eases into a voyeuristic examination of their childhoods. Other interviews include David Arquette (Scream), Stephen Dorff, and Brian Austin Green (90210), who examine their own journeys as rising stars. –Yael Tygiel

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The Orange Years: A Nickelodeon Story (2018)

orange years nickelodeon documentary
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Runtime: 1 hr 42 min | Director: Scott Barber, Adam Sweeney

Nostalgia is king, and 90s kids can’t seem to get enough of it! The Orange Years: A Nickelodeon Story explores the beloved shows that launched a network from humble beginnings to the top of children, and even tween, programming, including Rocco’s Modern Life and the much-beloved duo Kenan & Kel. This documentary shares an illustrative behind-the-scenes look at the Nickelodeon Network during its iconic, slime-covered years, which to this day continues to hold a special place in so many hearts. The Orange Years dives deep with honest stories and candid memories from the household names the network was responsible for producing, including Kenan Thompson (SNL), Larisa Oleynik (Alex Mack), and Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants). – Yael Tygiel

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MLK/FBI (2021)

Martin Luther King Jr. MLK FBI documentary
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Runtime: 1 hr 44 min | Director: Sam Pollard

A documentary that eschews the typical cinematic language of the form to create something far more reflective, director Sam Pollard’s remarkable MLK/FBI uncovers the prolonged surveillance campaign of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and reveals the lengths to which those at the FBI would go to destroy him. Avoiding the distractions of typical talking head cutaways, the documentary weaves their voices into a tapestry of archival footage that it uses to set the stage for what was going on just off-camera. It engages with history in a way no other film has, showing just how expansive the surveillance of the civil rights activist was and what impact that had on him leading up to his assassination. Whether you think you know everything about the man or feel as though you don’t know anything, this documentary serves as a necessary reexamination of the past that challenges our previously held notions in search of the truth. - Chase Hutchinson

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The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)

beatles eight days
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Runtime: 2 hr 17 min | Director: Ron Howard

Oscar-winning director Ron Howard brings the frenetic touring years of the Fab Four to the screen in The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years. This documentary is a celebration of The Beatles; Howard is less bothered with the in-fighting, the drug use, and the controversies that followed the band around. Instead, this documentary is about Beatlemania and how the band was worked to the bone during their peak years of touring. The film also brings a different perspective to the band’s touring years—race relations. Howard and writer Mark Monroe include interviews with Whoopi Goldberg and historian Kitty Oliver, who recount their experiences of being fans of the band. This segment in the documentary, particularly, sets The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years apart from the countless other documentaries that have been made about them. And, to capture a semblance of what it may have been like to see the band live on stage, the documentary ends with restored footage of the Shea Stadium concert. This is pure joy for any fan of The Beatles. – Monita Mohan

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