Willem Dafoe
William James "Willem" Dafoe (/dəˈfoʊ/də-FOH or /ˈdeɪfoʊ/ DAY-foh; born July 22, 1955) is an American actor. Known for his prolific career portraying diverse roles in both mainstream and arthouse films, he is the recipient of various accolades, including the Volpi Cup for Best Actor as well as nominations for four Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, four Golden Globe Awards, four Critics' Choice Movie Awards, and five Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has frequently collaborated with filmmakers Paul Schrader, Abel Ferrara, Lars von Trier, Julian Schnabel, Wes Anderson, and Robert Eggers. Dafoe was a founding member of experimental theatre company The Wooster Group. He made his film debut with an uncredited role in Heaven's Gate (1980). Dafoe's early career includes credits for The Loveless (1982), Streets of Fire (1984), and To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). He earned his first Academy Award nomination for the war drama Platoon (1986), followed by nominations for his roles in Shadow of the Vampire (2000), The Florida Project (2017), and the Vincent van Gogh biopic At Eternity's Gate (2018). He also gained acclaim and wide recognition for his roles as Jesus Christ in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and as the supervillain Norman Osborn 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). His other film appearance include roles in Mississippi Burning (1988), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Wild at Heart (1990), Light Sleeper (1992), Body of Evidence (1993), Clear and Present Danger (1994), The English Patient (1996), Affliction (1997), New Rose Hotel(1998), Existenz (1999), The Boondock Saints (1999), American Psycho (2000), Auto Focus (2002), Finding Nemo (2003), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Inside Man (2006), Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007), Antichrist (2009), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Nymphomaniac (2013), The Fault in Our Stars (2014), John Wick (2014), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Aquaman (2018), The Lighthouse (2019), Nightmare Alley (2021), Poor Things (2023), and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024). Description above from the Wikipedia article Willem Dafoe, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · The Legend of Ochi as Maxim
- 2024 · Nosferatu as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz
- 2024 · Zero as
- 2024 · Saturday Night as David Tebet
- 2024 · Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as Jackson
- 2024 · Kinds of Kindness as Raymond / George / Omi
- 2023 · Poor Things as Godwin Baxter
- 2023 · Gonzo Girl as Walker Reade
- 2023 · Pet Shop Days as Francis
- 2022 · Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone as
- 2022 · Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus as Self / Grand Duc
- 2022 · Mostra, Venise as Self - "Tapis Rouge" Guest
- 2021 · River as Narrator
- 2020 · Babenco: Tell Me When I Die as Self
- 2020 · Siberia as Clint
- 2020 · The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale as Self
- 2020 · Tommaso as Tommaso
- 2019 · Celebrating Marvel's Stan Lee as Self / Norman Osborn/ Green Goblin (archive footage)
- 2019 · Vincent van Gogh Superstar as Vincent van Gogh (archive footage)
- 2019 · Love, Antosha as Self
- 2018 · Friedkin Uncut as Self
- 2018 · Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project as
- 2017 · Mountain as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Ballad of a Righteous Merchant as Self
- 2017 · Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait as Self
- 2016 · My Hindu Friend as Diego Fairman
- 2015 · The Making of A Most Wanted Man as Self
- 2015 · Don't F*#% With John Wick as Self
- 2015 · John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry as Self
- 2013 · The Smile Man as Willem
- 2013 · Saving Norman as Lionel Pembrooke
- 2012 · Tomorrow You're Gone as The Buddha
- 2010 · Miral as Eddie
- 2008 · The Dust of Time as A
- 2007 · Wintergasten as
- 2007 · Voom Portraits as Self
- 2007 · The Procedure as Christopher
- 2007 · Go Go Tales as Ray Ruby
- 2007 · The Walker as Larry Lockner
- 2006 · American Dreamz as Chief of Staff
- 2005 · Ripley Under Ground as Neil Murchison
- 2005 · Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal as Self
- 2005 · Jiminy Glick in Lalawood as Willem Dafoe (uncredited)
- 2005 · On the Set: 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' as Self / Klaus D.
- 2004 · Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate as Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · Overnight as Self
- 2002 · Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure as Hunter (voice)
- 2002 · Auto Focus as John Carpenter
- 2001 · Edges of the Lord as Priest
- 2001 · Pavilion of Women as Father Andre
- 2001 · A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon' as Self
- 1998 · Lulu on the Bridge as Dr. Van Horn
- 1998 · Affliction as Rolfe Whitehouse
- 1996 · Victory as Axel Heyst
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1988 · Off Limits as Buck McGriff
- Future · The Phoenician Scheme as
- 1994 · Tom & Viv as Tom Eliot
- 1992 · Light Sleeper as John LeTour
- 1991 · Fishing with John as Self
- 1989 · Triumph of the Spirit as Salamo Arouch
- 1988 · Location Production Footage: The Last Temptation of the Christ as Self
- 1987 · Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam as Elephant Grass (voice)
- 1984 · Roadhouse 66 as Johnny Harte
- 1984 · The Loveless as Vance
- Future · The Man in My Basement as Anniston Bennett
- 2023 · Interior (The Spectator) as Narrator
- 2023 · Finally Dawn as Rufo Priori
- 2023 · Asteroid City as Saltzburg Keitel
- 2023 · The Wild One as Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · Inside as Nemo
- 2022 · Dead for a Dollar as Joe Cribbens
- 2022 · Stasera c’è Cattelan su Raidue as Self
- 2022 · 7 Deaths of Maria Callas as Film Actor
- 2022 · Il coraggio di essere Franco as
- 2022 · Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home as Self
- 2022 · The Northman as Heimir the Fool
- 2022 · Finding Satoshi as Narrator
- 2022 · Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious as Self
- 2021 · Spider-Man: No Way Home as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin
- 2021 · Nightmare Alley as Clem Hoatley
- 2021 · The French Dispatch as Albert 'the Abacus'
- 2021 · Why Are We (Not) Creative? as Self
- 2021 · The Card Counter as Gordo
- 2021 · Maresco / Pasolini as Self
- 2021 · Zack Snyder's Justice League as Vulko
- 2020 · Wim Wenders - Von Filmen und Träumen as Self
- 2020 · Sportin' Life as Self
- 2020 · Wim Wenders, Desperado as Self
- 2020 · Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago as
- 2020 · The Last Thing He Wanted as Richard McMahon
- 2019 · Togo as Leonhard Seppala
- 2019 · Motherless Brooklyn as Paul Randolph
- 2019 · The Lighthouse as Thomas Wake
- 2019 · Manou the Swift as Manou's Father (voice)
- 2018 · Opus Zero as Paul
- 2018 · Aquaman as Nuidis Vulko
- 2018 · At Eternity's Gate as Vincent van Gogh
- 2018 · Brothers in Arms as Self
- 2018 · Vox Lux as Narrator (voice)
- 2018 · Theatron. Romeo Castellucci as
- 2017 · Murder on the Orient Express as Gerhard Hardman
- 2017 · NHK WORLD PRIME as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · The Florida Project as Bobby
- 2017 · Piazza Vittorio as Himself
- 2017 · Death Note as Ryuk (voice)
- 2017 · What Happened to Monday as Terrence Settman
- 2017 · Sanctuary as Narrator
- 2016 · The Great Wall as Ballard
- 2016 · Dog Eat Dog as Mad Dog
- 2016 · Father as James Verdun
- 2016 · A Family Man as Ed Blackridge
- 2016 · Finding Dory as Gill (voice)
- 2016 · Nelson Algren Live as Role1 / Frankie Machine / Role2 / Blackie Cavanaugh
- 2016 · Mind the Gap as Self
- 2015 · Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter as Self
- 2015 · Fukushima: A Nuclear Story as Narrator
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · John Wick as Marcus
- 2014 · Bad Country as Bud Carter
- 2014 · Pasolini as Pier Paolo Pasolini
- 2014 · SPYMASTER: John le Carré in Hamburg as (archive footage)
- 2014 · A Most Wanted Man as Tommy Brue
- 2014 · The Fault in Our Stars as Peter van Houten
- 2014 · The Grand Budapest Hotel as Jopling
- 2014 · Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- 2014 · Off Camera with Sam Jones as Self
- 2013 · The Benaki Museum as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · Nymphomaniac: Vol. II as L
- 2013 · Out of the Furnace as John Petty
- 2013 · Love's Routine as Barry
- 2013 · Odd Thomas as Wyatt Porter
- 2012 · Bob Wilson's Life & Death of Marina Abramovic as Self
- 2012 · 4:44 Last Day on Earth as Cisco
- 2012 · John Carter as Tars Tarkas
- 2011 · The Hunter as Martin David
- 2010 · Conan as Self
- 2010 · A Woman as Max Oliver
- 2010 · My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done as Detective Hank Havenhurst
- 2010 · The Making of Daybreakers as Self
- 2010 · Into the Deep: America, Whaling & The World as Narrator
- 2010 · Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy as Self (archive footage)
- 2010 · Daybreakers as Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac
- 2009 · The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day as Paul Smecker (uncredited)
- 2009 · Fantastic Mr. Fox as Rat (voice)
- 2009 · Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant as Gavner Purl
- 2009 · Farewell as Feeney
- 2009 · Antichrist as He
- 2008 · Adam Resurrected as Commandat Klein
- 2008 · Fireflies in the Garden as Charles Waechter
- 2007 · To Each His Own Cinema as (segment "Occupations") (archive footage)
- 2007 · Cannes: All Access as Self
- 2007 · Anamorph as Stan Aubray
- 2007 · Spider-Man 3 as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2007 · Mr. Bean's Holiday as Carson Clay
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2006 · Paris Je T'aime as Le cow-boy (Place des Victoires)
- 2006 · Inside Man as John Darius
- 2005 · The Colbert Report as
- 2005 · Before It Had a Name as Leslie
- 2005 · Manderlay as Grace's Father
- 2005 · This Is an Adventure as Self
- 2005 · xXx: State of the Union as Gen. George Octavius Deckert
- 2004 · The Aviator as Roland Sweet
- 2004 · The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou as Klaus Daimler
- 2004 · Control as Dr. Michael Copeland
- 2004 · The Misbehavers as Self
- 2004 · Kulturplatz as Self
- 2004 · The Clearing as Arnold Mack
- 2004 · Spider-Man 2 as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2004 · The Reckoning as Martin
- 2003 · Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' as Himself
- 2003 · Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty as
- 2003 · Once Upon a Time in Mexico as Armando Barillo
- 2003 · Finding Nemo as Gill (voice)
- 2003 · Rockets Redglare! as Self
- 2002 · The Spider-Man Story as Self
- 2002 · Spider-Man as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2002 · Spider-Mania as Self
- 2002 · Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2000 · Animal Factory as Earl Copen
- 2000 · Bullfighter as Father Ramirez
- 2000 · Shadow of the Vampire as Max Schreck
- 2000 · American Psycho as Donald Kimball
- 1999 · eXistenZ as Gas
- 1999 · New Rose Hotel as X
- 1999 · The Boondock Saints as Paul Smecker
- 1999 · The Directors as Self
- 1999 · Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle as Narrator
- 1998 · Abel/Asia as Self (archival footage)
- 1997 · The Wonderful World of Disney as
- 1997 · Speed 2: Cruise Control as Geiger
- 1996 · The English Patient as David Caravaggio
- 1996 · Basquiat as The Electrician
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1995 · The Night and the Moment as Lo scrittore
- 1994 · The Kingdom as Grand Duc
- 1994 · Clear and Present Danger as John Clark
- 1993 · Faraway, So Close! as Emit Flesti
- 1993 · Brace Up! as Colonel Alexander Ignatyevich Vershinin
- 1992 · North on Evers as
- 1984 · New York Nights as Boyfriend
- Future · Late Fame as Ed Saxberger
- Future · Tenzing as Colonel John Hunt
- Future · American Nails as
- Future · Tropico as Raymond
- Future · The Birthday Party as Marcos Timoleon
- Future · run 002 as
- 1993 · White Homeland Commando as Karl
- 1993 · Body of Evidence as Frank Dulaney
- 1993 · Rhyme 'Em to Death as
- 1992 · White Sands as Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal
- 1991 · Flight of the Intruder as Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'Tiger' Cole
- 1990 · Wild at Heart as Bobby Peru
- 1990 · Cry-Baby as Hateful Guard
- 1989 · Born on the Fourth of July as Charlie
- 1989 · The Simpsons as The Commandant / Jack Lassen (voice)
- 1989 · The Simpsons as Commandant (voice)
- 1988 · Mississippi Burning as Agent Alan Ward
- 1988 · The Last Temptation of Christ as Jesus
- 1986 · Platoon as Sergeant Elias Gordon
- 1985 · To Live and Die in L.A. as Eric Masters
- 1985 · O Panama as
- 1984 · Streets of Fire as Raven Shaddock
- 1984 · Atalanta Strategy as Immigration Staff
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Jeffrey Hunt
- 1983 · The Hunger as 2nd Phone Booth Youth
- 1980 · Heaven's Gate as Willy (uncredited)
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self