Willem Dafoe

Willem Dafoe

Date of Birth:

Jul 22, 1955

Place of Birth:

Appleton, Wisconsin, USA

William James "Willem" Dafoe (born July 22, 1955) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including the Volpi Cup for Best Actor, in addition to receiving nominations for four Academy Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a British Academy Film Award. He frequently collaborates with filmmakers Paul Schrader, Abel Ferrara, Lars von Trier, Julian Schnabel,  Wes Anderson, and Robert Eggers.

Dafoe was an early member of experimental theater company The Wooster Group. He made his film debut in Heaven's Gate (1980), but was fired during production. He had his first leading role in the outlaw biker film The Loveless (1982) and then played the main antagonist in Streets of Fire (1984) and To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). He received his first Academy Award nomination (as Best Supporting Actor) for his role as Sergeant Elias Grodin in Oliver Stone's war film Platoon (1986). In 1988, Dafoe played Jesus in Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ and costarred in Mississippi Burning, both of which were controversial.

After receiving his second Academy Award nomination (as Best Supporting Actor) for portraying Max Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire (2000), Dafoe portrayed the supervillain Norman Osborn / Green Goblin in the superhero film Spider-Man (2002), a role he reprised in its sequels Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007), and the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) earning him the Guinness World Record for the "longest career as a live-action Marvel character". He also portrayed the villains in Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) and XXX: State of the Union (2005), as well as Carson Clay in the film Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007). In 2009, he starred in the experimental film Antichrist, one of his three films with Lars von Trier. Dafoe then appeared in The Fault in Our Stars, John Wick, The Grand Budapest Hotel (all 2014), The Great Wall (2016), Murder on the Orient Express (2017), The Florida Project (2017) (for which he received his third Academy Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category), The Lighthouse (2019), The French Dispatch, and Nightmare Alley (both 2021). He portrayed Nuidis Vulko in the DC Extended Universe films Aquaman (2018), Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2022).

Dafoe has portrayed several real-life figures, including T. S. Eliot in Tom & Viv (1994), Pier Paolo Pasolini in Pasolini (2014), Vincent van Gogh in At Eternity's Gate (2018) (for which he received an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination, his first in that category), and Leonhard Seppala in Togo (2019).

filmography:

Ballad of a Righteous Merchant Ballad of a Righteous Merchant

2017

Brace Up! Brace Up!

1993

Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project

2018

Togo Togo

2019

Babenco: Tell Me When I Die Babenco: Tell Me When I Die

2020

On the Set: 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' On the Set: 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'

2005

Love, Antosha Love, Antosha

2019

The French Dispatch The French Dispatch

2021

Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty

2003

Tommaso Tommaso

2020

Voom Portraits Voom Portraits

2007

Nightmare Alley Nightmare Alley

2021

Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate

2004

Abel/Asia Abel/Asia

1998

Bob Wilson's Life & Death of Marina Abramovic Bob Wilson's Life & Death of Marina Abramovic

2012

Rhyme 'Em to Death Rhyme 'Em to Death

1993

Friedkin Uncut Friedkin Uncut

2018

The Northman The Northman

2022

Atalanta Strategy Atalanta Strategy

1984

The Making of Daybreakers The Making of Daybreakers

2010

Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago

2020

The Card Counter The Card Counter

2021

North on Evers North on Evers

1992

Nelson Algren Live Nelson Algren Live

2016

Piazza Vittorio Piazza Vittorio

2017

Mountain Mountain

2017

Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait

2017

Father Father

2016

This Is an Adventure This Is an Adventure

2005

At Eternity's Gate At Eternity's Gate

2018

A Family Man A Family Man

2016

Siberia Siberia

2020

The Florida Project The Florida Project

2017

Aquaman Aquaman

2018

The Great Wall The Great Wall

2016

Murder on the Orient Express Murder on the Orient Express

2017

Opus Zero Opus Zero

2018

A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon' A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon'

2001

The Last Thing He Wanted The Last Thing He Wanted

2020

Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.'

2003

Cannes: All Access Cannes: All Access

2007

Vox Lux Vox Lux

2018

Manou the Swift Manou the Swift

2019

O Panama O Panama

1985

Jiminy Glick in Lalawood Jiminy Glick in Lalawood

2005

Platoon Platoon

1986

The Lighthouse The Lighthouse

2019

Motherless Brooklyn Motherless Brooklyn

2019

Theatron. Romeo Castellucci Theatron. Romeo Castellucci

2018

Overnight Overnight

2003

Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone

2022

White Homeland Commando White Homeland Commando

1993

Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious

2022

Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus

2022

The Making of A Most Wanted Man The Making of A Most Wanted Man

2015

Kinds of Kindness Kinds of Kindness

2024

Finally Dawn Finally Dawn

2024

Finding Satoshi Finding Satoshi

2022

Gonzo Girl Gonzo Girl

2023

Poor Things Poor Things

2023

Vincent van Gogh Superstar Vincent van Gogh Superstar

2019

Pet Shop Days Pet Shop Days

2023

Nosferatu Nosferatu

2024

The Man in My Basement The Man in My Basement

1970

The Misbehavers The Misbehavers

2004

American Nails American Nails

1970

SNL 1975 SNL 1975

1970

The Making of The Grand Budapest Hotel The Making of The Grand Budapest Hotel

2014

Why Are We (Not) Creative? Why Are We (Not) Creative?

2021

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

2024

Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle

1999

John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry

2015

Don't F*#% With John Wick Don't F*#% With John Wick

2015

Il coraggio di essere Franco Il coraggio di essere Franco

2022

Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home

2022

Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man'

2002

Zack Snyder's Justice League Zack Snyder's Justice League

2021

Sanctuary Sanctuary

2017

Spider-Mania Spider-Mania

2002

Maresco / Pasolini Maresco / Pasolini

2021

Location Production Footage: The Last Temptation of the Christ Location Production Footage: The Last Temptation of the Christ

1988

The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale

2020

Wim Wenders, Desperado Wim Wenders, Desperado

2020

Sportin' Life Sportin' Life

2020

The Benaki Museum The Benaki Museum

2013

7 Deaths of Maria Callas 7 Deaths of Maria Callas

2022

To Each His Own Cinema To Each His Own Cinema

2007

Dead for a Dollar Dead for a Dollar

2022

Brothers in Arms Brothers in Arms

2018

Celebrating Marvel's Stan Lee Celebrating Marvel's Stan Lee

2019

Inside Inside

2023

The Wild One The Wild One

2023

The Legend of Ochi The Legend of Ochi

1970

Asteroid City Asteroid City

2023

River River

2021

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy

2010

Spider-Man: No Way Home Spider-Man: No Way Home

2021

SPYMASTER: John le Carré in Hamburg SPYMASTER: John le Carré in Hamburg

2014

What Happened to Monday What Happened to Monday

2017

Death Note Death Note

2017

The Reckoning The Reckoning

2004

American Dreamz American Dreamz

2006

Clear and Present Danger Clear and Present Danger

1994

Control Control

2004

Cry-Baby Cry-Baby

1990

The Boondock Saints The Boondock Saints

1999

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

2009

The Hunger The Hunger

1983

xXx: State of the Union xXx: State of the Union

2005

Fireflies in the Garden Fireflies in the Garden

2008

Affliction Affliction

1998

Animal Factory Animal Factory

2000

To Live and Die in L.A. To Live and Die in L.A.

1985

Streets of Fire Streets of Fire

1984

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam

1987

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done

2009

Bullfighter Bullfighter

2000

The Loveless The Loveless

1981

Light Sleeper Light Sleeper

1992

Farewell Farewell

2009

The Walker The Walker

2007

Anamorph Anamorph

2007

Auto Focus Auto Focus

2002

New Rose Hotel New Rose Hotel

1999

The Last Temptation of Christ The Last Temptation of Christ

1988

Spider-Man Spider-Man

2002

Spider-Man 2 Spider-Man 2

2004

Mr. Bean's Holiday Mr. Bean's Holiday

2007

Once Upon a Time in Mexico Once Upon a Time in Mexico

2003

American Psycho American Psycho

2000

Basquiat Basquiat

1996

Spider-Man 3 Spider-Man 3

2007

Inside Man Inside Man

2006

The English Patient The English Patient

1996

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

2004

Wild at Heart Wild at Heart

1990

Mississippi Burning Mississippi Burning

1988

Speed 2: Cruise Control Speed 2: Cruise Control

1997

Faraway, So Close! Faraway, So Close!

1993

The Clearing The Clearing

2004

Shadow of the Vampire Shadow of the Vampire

2000

Heaven's Gate Heaven's Gate

1980

Fantastic Mr. Fox Fantastic Mr. Fox

2009

Born on the Fourth of July Born on the Fourth of July

1989

eXistenZ eXistenZ

1999

Manderlay Manderlay

2005

Body of Evidence Body of Evidence

1993

Paris Je T'aime Paris Je T'aime

2006

Miral Miral

2010

Off Limits Off Limits

1988

The Aviator The Aviator

2004

Bad Country Bad Country

2014

Pavilion of Women Pavilion of Women

2001

The Procedure The Procedure

2007

Triumph of the Spirit Triumph of the Spirit

1989

Nymphomaniac: Vol. II Nymphomaniac: Vol. II

2013

John Wick John Wick

2014

Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal

2005

Odd Thomas Odd Thomas

2013

The Fault in Our Stars The Fault in Our Stars

2014

Rockets Redglare! Rockets Redglare!

2003

Lulu on the Bridge Lulu on the Bridge

1998

My Hindu Friend My Hindu Friend

2015

Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure

2000

A Woman A Woman

2010

Dog Eat Dog Dog Eat Dog

2016

Finding Dory Finding Dory

2016

Fukushima: A Nuclear Story Fukushima: A Nuclear Story

2015

Mind the Gap Mind the Gap

2016

Pasolini Pasolini

2014

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

2009

Into the Deep: America, Whaling & The World Into the Deep: America, Whaling & The World

2010

New York Nights New York Nights

1984

Love's Routine Love's Routine

2013

The Smile Man The Smile Man

2013

John Carter John Carter

2012

Flight of the Intruder Flight of the Intruder

1991

Go Go Tales Go Go Tales

2007

White Sands White Sands

1992

Adam Resurrected Adam Resurrected

2008

Edges of the Lord Edges of the Lord

2001

Victory Victory

1996

Ripley Under Ground Ripley Under Ground

2005

Tom & Viv Tom & Viv

1994

Antichrist Antichrist

2009

Before It Had a Name Before It Had a Name

2005

Daybreakers Daybreakers

2010

A Most Wanted Man A Most Wanted Man

2014

The Night and the Moment The Night and the Moment

1995

Out of the Furnace Out of the Furnace

2013

Saving Norman Saving Norman

2013

Roadhouse 66 Roadhouse 66

1984

Tomorrow You're Gone Tomorrow You're Gone

2012

The Dust of Time The Dust of Time

2008

The Hunter The Hunter

2011

4:44 Last Day on Earth 4:44 Last Day on Earth

2012

The Grand Budapest Hotel The Grand Budapest Hotel

2014

Finding Nemo Finding Nemo

2003

Show more

Comments