
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 Phoenician Scheme as Knave
- 2025 · Wick Is Pain as (archive footage)
- 2025 · The Legend of Ochi as Maxim
- 2025 · Zero as (voice)
- 2025 · Was Ist Kino ? as Self (Archive Footage)
- 2024 · Nosferatu: An Inside Look as Self
- 2024 · Nosferatu as Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz
- 2024 · Saturday Night as David Tebet
- 2024 · Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as Jackson
- 2024 · Kinds of Kindness as Raymond / George / Omi
- 2024 · Can Creativity Save the World? as Self
- 2024 · Finally Dawn as Rufo Priori
- 2023 · Poor Things as Godwin Baxter
- 2023 · Gonzo Girl as Walker Reade
- 2023 · Pet Shop Days as Francis
- 2023 · Asteroid City as Saltzburg Keitel
- 2023 · Lynch/Oz as Bobby Peru (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2023 · Inside as Nemo
- 2022 · Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious as Self
- 2021 · River as Narrator
- 2020 · Wim Wenders - Von Filmen und Träumen as Self
- 2020 · Babenco: Tell Me When I Die as Self
- 2020 · Wim Wenders, Desperado 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 · Love, Antosha as Self
- 2018 · Opus Zero as Paul
- 2018 · Brothers in Arms as Self
- 2018 · Friedkin Uncut as Self
- 2017 · Mountain as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait as Self
- 2016 · Father as James Verdun
- 2016 · My Hindu Friend as Diego Fairman
- 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 · Miral as Eddie
- 2008 · Adam Resurrected as Commandat Klein
- 2007 · Voom Portraits as Self
- 2007 · Go Go Tales as Ray Ruby
- 2007 · The Walker as Larry Lockner
- 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 · Love, Death, Elvis & Oz: The Making of Wild at Heart as
- 2004 · The Clearing as Arnold Mack
- 2003 · Overnight as Self
- 2002 · Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure as Hunter (voice)
- 2002 · Spider-Mania as Self
- 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
- 2000 · Bullfighter as Father Ramirez
- 1999 · New Rose Hotel as X
- 1998 · Lulu on the Bridge as Dr. Van Horn
- 1996 · Victory as Axel Heyst
- 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
- 1987 · Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam as Elephant Grass (voice)
- 1984 · Roadhouse 66 as Johnny Harte
- 1984 · The Loveless as Vance
- Future · Tenzing as Colonel John Hunt
- Future · Tropico as Raymond
- 2024 · Jesus Goes to Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- 2024 · run 002 as
- 2024 · Da Suisa - Tributo as Himself
- 2023 · Interior (The Spectator) as Narrator
- 2023 · The Wild One as Narrator (voice)
- 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 · Finding Satoshi as Narrator
- 2021 · Why Are We (Not) Creative? as Self
- 2021 · Maresco / Pasolini as Self
- 2020 · Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago as
- 2019 · Vincent van Gogh Superstar as Vincent van Gogh (archive footage)
- 2018 · Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project as Self
- 2017 · Piazza Vittorio as Himself
- 2016 · Sculpt as
- 2016 · Nelson Algren Live as Role1 / Frankie Machine / Role2 / Blackie Cavanaugh
- 2016 · Mind the Gap as Self
- 2013 · Love's Routine as Barry
- 2013 · Saving Norman as Lionel Pembrooke
- 2008 · The Dust of Time as A
- 2007 · Cannes: All Access as Self
- 2007 · The Procedure as Christopher
- 2005 · Before It Had a Name as Leslie
- 2005 · This Is an Adventure as Self
- Future · The Sleeping Shepherd as
- 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 · Mostra, Venise as Self - "Tapis Rouge" Guest
- 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 as Albert 'the Abacus'
- 2021 · The Card Counter as Gordo
- 2021 · Zack Snyder's Justice League as Vulko
- 2020 · Sportin' Life as Self
- 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 · Aquaman as Nuidis Vulko
- 2018 · At Eternity's Gate as Vincent van Gogh
- 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 · Death Note as Ryuk (voice)
- 2017 · What Happened to Monday as Terrence Settman
- 2017 · Ballad of a Righteous Merchant as Self
- 2017 · Sanctuary as Narrator
- 2016 · The Great Wall as Ballard
- 2016 · Dog Eat Dog as Mad Dog
- 2016 · A Family Man as Ed Blackridge
- 2016 · Finding Dory as Gill (voice)
- 2015 · Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter as Self
- 2015 · Fukushima: A Nuclear Story as Narrator
- 2015 · The Making of A Most Wanted Man as Self
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · John Wick as Marcus
- 2014 · Bad Country as Bud Carter
- 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 · Nymphomaniac: Vol. I as L
- 2013 · Out of the Furnace as John Petty
- 2013 · Odd Thomas as Wyatt Porter
- 2012 · Bob Wilson's Life & Death of Marina Abramovic as Self
- 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
- 2009 · Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant as Gavner Purl
- 2009 · Fantastic Mr. Fox as Rat (voice)
- 2009 · Farewell as Feeney
- 2009 · Antichrist as He
- 2008 · Fireflies in the Garden as Charles Waechter
- 2007 · Wintergasten as
- 2007 · To Each His Own Cinema as (segment "Occupations") (archive footage)
- 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 · Control as Dr. Michael Copeland
- 2004 · The Misbehavers as Self
- 2004 · Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate as Narrator (voice)
- 2004 · Kulturplatz as Self
- 2004 · Spider-Man 2 as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2004 · Behind the Scenes of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2004 · The Reckoning as Martin
- 2003 · Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' as Self
- 2003 · Rockets Redglare! as Self
- 2002 · The Spider-Man Story as Self
- 1999 · Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle as Narrator
- 1997 · Wrong Guys as Jack Straw
- 1995 · The Night and the Moment as Lo scrittore
- 1993 · Brace Up! as Colonel Alexander Ignatyevich Vershinin
- Future · Late Fame as Ed Saxberger
- 2003 · Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty as
- 2003 · Once Upon a Time in Mexico as Armando Barillo
- 2003 · Finding Nemo as Gill (voice)
- 2002 · Auto Focus as John Carpenter
- 2002 · Spider-Man as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2001 · Edges of the Lord as Priest
- 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
- 1998 · Abel/Asia as Self (archival footage)
- 1997 · Affliction as Rolfe Whitehouse
- 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 · 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
- 1992 · North on Evers as
- 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 · Location Production Footage: The Last Temptation of the Christ as Self
- 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
- 1985 · O Panama as
- 1984 · Streets of Fire as Raven Shaddock
- 1984 · New York Nights as Boyfriend
- 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 · The Man in My Basement as Anniston Bennett
- Future · American Nails as
- Future · The Birthday Party as Marcos Timoleon
- Future · The Souffleur as