Willem Dafoe
William James "Willem" Dafoe (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).
Known For
Credits
- 2026 · Werwulf as
- 2025 · The Man in My Basement as Anniston Bennett
- 2025 · The Phoenician Scheme as Knave
- 2025 · The Legend of Ochi as Maxim
- 2025 · Zero as (voice)
- 2024 · Nosferatu as Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz
- 2024 · run 002 as
- 2024 · Saturday Night as David Tebet
- 2024 · Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as Jackson
- 2024 · Kinds of Kindness as Raymond / George / Omi
- 2024 · Finally Dawn as Rufo Priori
- 2023 · Poor Things as Godwin Baxter
- 2023 · Gonzo Girl as Walker Reade
- 2023 · Asteroid City as Saltzburg Keitel
- 2023 · Inside as Nemo
- 2022 · Dead for a Dollar as Joe Cribbens
- 2022 · Stasera c’è Cattelan su Raidue as Self
- 2022 · Mostra, Venise as Self
- 2022 · Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home as Self
- 2022 · The Northman as Heimir the Fool
- 2021 · Spider-Man: No Way Home as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin
- 2021 · Nightmare Alley as Clem Hoatley
- 2021 · The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun as Albert 'the Abacus'
- 2021 · The Card Counter as Gordo
- 2021 · Zack Snyder's Justice League as Vulko
- 2020 · Wim Wenders - Von Filmen und Träumen as Self
- 2020 · Siberia as Clint
- 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 · Love, Antosha as Self
- 2018 · Aquaman as Nuidis Vulko
- 2018 · At Eternity's Gate as Vincent van Gogh
- 2017 · Murder on the Orient Express as Gerhard Hardman
- 2017 · NHK WORLD PRIME as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · The Florida Project as Bobby
- 2017 · Death Note as Ryuk (voice)
- 2017 · What Happened to Monday as Terrence Settman
- 2016 · The Great Wall as Ballard
- 2016 · Dog Eat Dog as Mad Dog
- 2016 · A Family Man as Ed Blackridge
- 2016 · Sculpt as
- 2016 · Finding Dory as Gill (voice)
- 2015 · Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter as Self
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · John Wick as Marcus
- 2014 · Bad Country as Bud Carter
- 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 · Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self - Guest
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- 2014 · Off Camera with Sam Jones as Self
- 2013 · Nymphomaniac: Vol. II as L
- 2013 · Out of the Furnace as John Petty
- 2013 · Odd Thomas as Wyatt Porter
- 2012 · John Carter as Tars Tarkas
- 2011 · The Hunter as Martin David
- 2010 · Conan as Self
- 2010 · Miral as Eddie
- 2010 · Daybreakers as Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac
- 2009 · The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day as Paul Smecker (uncredited)
- 2009 · Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant as Gavner Purl
- 2009 · Fantastic Mr. Fox as Rat (voice)
- 2009 · Antichrist as He
- 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 · Manderlay as Grace's Father
- 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 · Kulturplatz as Self
- 2004 · The Clearing as Arnold Mack
- 2004 · Spider-Man 2 as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2003 · Once Upon a Time in Mexico as Armando Barillo
- 2003 · Overnight as Self
- 2003 · Finding Nemo as Gill (voice)
- 2002 · Auto Focus as John Carpenter
- 2002 · Spider-Man as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2001 · Pavilion of Women as Father Andre
- 2000 · Animal Factory as Earl Copen
- 2000 · Shadow of the Vampire as Max Schreck
- 2000 · American Psycho as Donald Kimball
- 1999 · eXistenZ as Gas
- 1999 · The Boondock Saints as Paul Smecker
- 1999 · The Directors as Self
- 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
- 1994 · The Kingdom as Grand Duc
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1994 · Clear and Present Danger as John Clark
- 1993 · Body of Evidence as Frank Dulaney
- 1992 · White Sands as Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal
- 1991 · Fishing with John as Self
- 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 Grodin
- 1985 · To Live and Die in L.A. as Rick Masters
- 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
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self - Presenter
- Future · Tropico as Raymond
- 2026 · Late Fame as Ed Saxberger
- 2026 · The Souffleur as Lucius
- 2025 · Pet Shop Days as Francis
- 2025 · Grande Envie as Count
- 2022 · Finding Satoshi as Narrator
- 2021 · Why Are We (Not) Creative? as Self
- 2021 · River as Narrator
- 2021 · Maresco / Pasolini as Self
- 2020 · Babenco: Tell Me When I Die as Self
- 2020 · Wim Wenders, Desperado as Self
- 2020 · Tommaso as Tommaso
- 2019 · Manou the Swift as Manou's Father (voice)
- 2018 · Brothers in Arms as Self
- 2018 · Friedkin Uncut as Self
- 2018 · Vox Lux as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Mountain as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Ballad of a Righteous Merchant as Self
- 2017 · Sanctuary as Narrator
- 2016 · Father as James Verdun
- 2015 · Don't F*#% With John Wick as Self
- 2015 · John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry as Self
- 2014 · Pasolini as Pier Paolo Pasolini
- 2013 · The Smile Man as Willem
- 2012 · Tomorrow You're Gone as The Buddha
- 2012 · 4:44 Last Day on Earth as Cisco
- 2010 · My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done as Detective Hank Havenhurst
- 2010 · The Making of Daybreakers as Self
- 2009 · Farewell as Feeney
- 2008 · Adam Resurrected as Commandat Klein
- 2008 · Fireflies in the Garden as Charles Waechter
- 2008 · Go Go Tales as Ray Ruby
- 2007 · Wintergasten as
- 2007 · To Each His Own Cinema as (segment "Occupations") (archive footage)
- 2007 · Cannes: All Access as Self
- 2007 · Voom Portraits as Self
- 2007 · The Walker as Larry Lockner
- 2006 · American Dreamz as Chief of Staff
- 2005 · Ripley Under Ground as Neil Murchison
- 2005 · Jiminy Glick in Lalawood as Willem Dafoe (uncredited)
- 2004 · Control as Dr. Michael Copeland
- 2004 · Behind the Scenes of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2004 · The Reckoning as Martin
- 2003 · Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty as
- 2002 · Spider-Mania as Self
- 2002 · Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2001 · Edges of the Lord as Priest
- 2001 · A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon' as Self
- 2000 · Bullfighter as Father Ramirez
- 1999 · New Rose Hotel as X
- 1998 · Lulu on the Bridge as Dr. Van Horn
- 1998 · Affliction as Rolfe Whitehouse
- 1996 · Victory as Axel Heyst
- 1995 · The Night and the Moment as Lo scrittore
- 1994 · Tom & Viv as Tom Eliot
- 1993 · Faraway, So Close! as Emit Flesti
- 1992 · Light Sleeper as John LeTour
- 1991 · Flight of the Intruder as Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'Tiger' Cole
- 1989 · Triumph of the Spirit as Salamo Arouch
- 1988 · Off Limits as Buck McGriff
- Future · Tenzing as Colonel John Hunt
- 2026 · The Birthday Party as Marcos Timoleon
- 2025 · Avrio Vrady as Dancing man
- 2024 · Nosferatu: An Inside Look as Self
- 2024 · Jesus Goes to Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- 2024 · Can Creativity Save the World? as Self
- 2023 · Interior (The Spectator) as Narrator
- 2023 · Willem Dafoe as
- 2023 · The Wild One as Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone as
- 2022 · Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus as Self / Grand Duc
- 2022 · 7 Deaths of Maria Callas as Film Actor
- 2022 · Il coraggio di essere Franco as Sé stesso
- 2022 · Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious as Self
- 2020 · Sportin' Life as Self
- 2020 · Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago as
- 2020 · The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale as Self
- 2019 · Vincent van Gogh Superstar as Vincent van Gogh (archive footage)
- 2018 · Opus Zero as Paul
- 2018 · Theatron. Romeo Castellucci as
- 2018 · Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project as Self
- 2017 · Piazza Vittorio as Himself
- 2017 · Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait as Self
- 2016 · Nelson Algren Live as Role1 / Frankie Machine / Role2 / Blackie Cavanaugh
- 2016 · My Hindu Friend as Diego Fairman
- 2016 · Mind the Gap as Self
- 2015 · Fukushima: A Nuclear Story as Narrator
- 2015 · The Making of A Most Wanted Man as Self
- 2014 · SPYMASTER: John le Carré in Hamburg as (archive footage)
- 2013 · The Benaki Museum as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · Love's Routine as Barry
- 2013 · Saving Norman as Lionel Pembrooke
- 2012 · Bob Wilson's Life & Death of Marina Abramovic as Self
- 2010 · A Woman as Max Oliver
- 2010 · Into the Deep: America, Whaling & The World as Narrator
- 2008 · The Dust of Time as A
- 2007 · The Procedure as Christopher
- 2005 · Before It Had a Name as Leslie
- 2005 · This Is an Adventure as Self
- 2005 · Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal as Self
- 2005 · On the Set: 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' as Self / Klaus D.
- 2004 · Love, Death, Elvis & Oz: The Making of Wild at Heart as
- 2004 · The Misbehavers as Self
- 2004 · Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate as Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' as Self
- 2003 · Rockets Redglare! as Self
- 2002 · Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure as Hunter (voice)
- 2002 · The Spider-Man Story as Self
- 1999 · Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle as Narrator
- 1997 · Wrong Guys as Jack Straw
- 1993 · Brace Up! as Colonel Alexander Ignatyevich Vershinin
- 1993 · White Homeland Commando as Karl
- 1993 · Rhyme 'Em to Death as
- 1992 · North on Evers as
- 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 · New York Nights as Boyfriend
- Future · The Sleeping Shepherd as
- Future · Cuddle as Dante
- Future · A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge
- 1985 · O Panama as
- 1984 · The Loveless as Vance