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 · Pet Shop Days as Francis
- 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 · Asteroid City as Saltzburg Keitel
- 2023 · The Wild One as Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · Inside as Nemo
- 2022 · Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus as Self / Grand Duc
- 2022 · Dead for a Dollar as Joe Cribbens
- 2022 · Stasera c’è Cattelan su Raidue 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 · River as Narrator
- 2021 · The Card Counter as Gordo
- 2021 · Maresco / Pasolini as Self
- 2021 · Zack Snyder's Justice League as Vulko
- 2020 · Sportin' Life as Self
- 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
- 2018 · Friedkin Uncut as Self
- 2017 · Murder on the Orient Express as Gerhard Hardman
- 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
- 2016 · The Great Wall as Ballard
- 2016 · Father as James Verdun
- 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 · 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 · Love's Routine as Barry
- 2012 · Tomorrow You're Gone as The Buddha
- 2012 · John Carter as Tars Tarkas
- 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
- 2009 · Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant as Gavner Purl
- 2009 · Fantastic Mr. Fox as Rat (voice)
- 2009 · Antichrist as He
- 2008 · The Dust of Time as A
- 2008 · Adam Resurrected as Commandat Klein
- 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
- 2006 · American Dreamz as Chief of Staff
- 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 · Finding Nemo as Gill (voice)
- 2003 · Rockets Redglare! as Self
- 2002 · Spider-Man as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2001 · Edges of the Lord as Priest
- 2000 · Bullfighter as Father Ramirez
- 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 · Victory as Axel Heyst
- 1996 · The English Patient as David Caravaggio
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1994 · The Kingdom as Grand Duc
- 1994 · Clear and Present Danger as John Clark
- 1994 · Tom & Viv as Tom Eliot
- 1993 · Body of Evidence as Frank Dulaney
- 1992 · Light Sleeper as John LeTour
- 1990 · Wild at Heart as Bobby Peru
- 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
- 1988 · Off Limits as Buck McGriff
- 1986 · Platoon as Sergeant Elias Grodin
- 1985 · To Live and Die in L.A. as Rick Masters
- 1985 · O Panama as
- 1984 · Roadhouse 66 as Johnny Harte
- 1984 · Streets of Fire as Raven Shaddock
- 1984 · New York Nights as Boyfriend
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Jeffrey Hunt
- 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 · Tenzing as Colonel John Hunt
- 2025 · The Souffleur as Lucius
- 2024 · Jesus Goes to Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- 2023 · Gonzo Girl as Walker Reade
- 2022 · Mostra, Venise as Self
- 2022 · Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home as Self
- 2022 · Finding Satoshi as Narrator
- 2020 · Wim Wenders - Von Filmen und Träumen as Self
- 2020 · Wim Wenders, Desperado as Self
- 2020 · Siberia as Clint
- 2020 · The Last Thing He Wanted as Richard McMahon
- 2020 · Tommaso as Tommaso
- 2019 · Manou the Swift as Manou's Father (voice)
- 2018 · Vox Lux as Narrator (voice)
- 2018 · Theatron. Romeo Castellucci as
- 2017 · Mountain as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · NHK WORLD PRIME as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Sanctuary as Narrator
- 2016 · Dog Eat Dog as Mad Dog
- 2016 · A Family Man as Ed Blackridge
- 2016 · Sculpt as
- 2016 · Nelson Algren Live as Role1 / Frankie Machine / Role2 / Blackie Cavanaugh
- 2015 · John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry as Self
- 2014 · Pasolini as Pier Paolo Pasolini
- 2013 · The Smile Man as Willem
- 2013 · Odd Thomas as Wyatt Porter
- 2011 · The Hunter as Martin David
- 2009 · Farewell as Feeney
- 2008 · Fireflies in the Garden as Charles Waechter
- 2008 · Go Go Tales as Ray Ruby
- 2005 · This Is an Adventure as Self
- 2005 · Jiminy Glick in Lalawood as Willem Dafoe (uncredited)
- 2004 · Control as Dr. Michael Copeland
- 2004 · The Reckoning as Martin
- 2002 · Auto Focus as John Carpenter
- 2002 · Spider-Mania as Self
- 2000 · Animal Factory as Earl Copen
- 2000 · Shadow of the Vampire as Max Schreck
- 1990 · Cry-Baby as Hateful Guard
- Future · Tropico as Raymond
- Future · Cuddle as Dante
- 2026 · The Birthday Party as Marcos Timoleon
- 2026 · Late Fame as Ed Saxberger
- 2025 · Avrio Vrady as Dancing man
- 2025 · Grande Envie as Count
- 2024 · Nosferatu: An Inside Look as Self
- 2024 · Can Creativity Save the World? as Self
- 2023 · Interior (The Spectator) as Narrator
- 2023 · Willem Dafoe as
- 2022 · Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone as
- 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
- 2021 · Why Are We (Not) Creative? as Self
- 2020 · Babenco: Tell Me When I Die 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 · Brothers in Arms as Self
- 2018 · Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project as Self
- 2017 · Ballad of a Righteous Merchant as Self
- 2017 · Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait as Self
- 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
- 2015 · Don't F*#% With John Wick as Self
- 2014 · SPYMASTER: John le Carré in Hamburg as (archive footage)
- 2013 · The Benaki Museum as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · Saving Norman as Lionel Pembrooke
- 2012 · Bob Wilson's Life & Death of Marina Abramovic as Self
- 2012 · 4:44 Last Day on Earth as Cisco
- 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
- 2007 · Wintergasten as
- 2007 · To Each His Own Cinema as (segment "Occupations") (archive footage)
- 2007 · Voom Portraits as Self
- 2007 · The Procedure as Christopher
- 2007 · The Walker as Larry Lockner
- 2005 · Ripley Under Ground as Neil Murchison
- 2005 · Before It Had a Name as Leslie
- 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)
- 2004 · Behind the Scenes of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2003 · Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' as Self
- 2002 · The Spider-Man Story as Self
- 1984 · The Loveless as Vance
- Future · The Sleeping Shepherd as
- 2003 · Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty as
- 2003 · Overnight as Self
- 2002 · Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure as Hunter (voice)
- 2002 · Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2001 · Pavilion of Women as Father Andre
- 2001 · A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon' as Self
- 1999 · New Rose Hotel as X
- 1999 · Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle as Narrator
- 1998 · Lulu on the Bridge as Dr. Van Horn
- 1998 · Affliction as Rolfe Whitehouse
- 1997 · Wrong Guys as Jack Straw
- 1996 · Basquiat as The Electrician
- 1995 · The Night and the Moment as Lo scrittore
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1993 · Faraway, So Close! as Emit Flesti
- 1993 · Brace Up! as Colonel Alexander Ignatyevich Vershinin
- 1993 · White Homeland Commando as Karl
- 1993 · Rhyme 'Em to Death as
- 1992 · White Sands as Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal
- 1992 · North on Evers as
- 1991 · Fishing with John as Self
- 1991 · Flight of the Intruder as Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'Tiger' Cole
- 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 · Atalanta Strategy as Immigration Staff
- 1983 · The Hunger as 2nd Phone Booth Youth
- Future · A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge