Willem Dafoe
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).
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Nosferatu as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz
- 2024 · Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as Wolf 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 · The Wild One as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · River as Narrator
- 2020 · Babenco: Tell Me When I Die as Self
- 2020 · Wim Wenders, Desperado as Self
- 2020 · Siberia as Clint
- 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 · Opus Zero as Paul
- 2018 · Brothers in Arms as Self
- 2017 · Mountain as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait as Self
- 2015 · My Hindu Friend as Diego Fairman
- 2015 · John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry as Self
- 2013 · Love's Routine as Barry
- 2013 · Saving Norman as Lionel Pembrooke
- 2012 · Tomorrow You're Gone as The Buddha
- 2012 · 4:44 Last Day on Earth as Cisco
- 2010 · Miral as Eddie
- 2010 · A Woman as Max Oliver
- 2009 · My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done as Detective Hank Havenhurst
- 2009 · Farewell as Feeney
- 2008 · The Dust of Time as A
- 2007 · Wintergasten as
- 2007 · Voom Portraits as Self
- 2007 · Anamorph as Stan Aubray
- 2007 · The Procedure as Christopher
- 2007 · Go Go Tales as Ray Ruby
- 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 · Jiminy Glick in Lalawood as Willem Dafoe (uncredited)
- 2005 · On the Set: 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' as Self / Klaus D.
- 2004 · The Reckoning as Martin
- 2003 · Overnight as Self
- 2002 · Auto Focus as John Carpenter
- 2002 · Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2001 · Edges of the Lord as Priest
- 2001 · Pavilion of Women as Father Andre
- 2001 · A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon' as Self
- 2000 · Animal Factory as Earl Copen
- 2000 · Bullfighter as Father Ramirez
- 1999 · New Rose Hotel as X
- 1998 · Lulu on the Bridge as Dr. Van Horn
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1994 · Tom & Viv as Tom Eliot
- 1993 · Brace Up! as Colonel Alexander Ignatyevich Vershinin
- 1988 · Off Limits as Buck McGriff
- 1987 · Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam as Elephant Grass (voice)
- 1984 · Roadhouse 66 as Johnny Harte
- 1981 · The Loveless as Vance
- Future · SNL 1975 as David Tebet
- 2023 · Pet Shop Days as
- 2023 · Asteroid City as Saltzburg Keitel
- 2023 · Inside as Nemo
- 2022 · Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone 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
- 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 Nudis Vulko
- 2020 · Sportin' Life as Self
- 2020 · Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago as
- 2020 · The Last Thing He Wanted as Richard McMahon
- 2020 · The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale as Self
- 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 · Friedkin Uncut as Self
- 2018 · Vox Lux as Narrator (voice)
- 2018 · Theatron. Romeo Castellucci as
- 2018 · Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project 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 · 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 · 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
- 2015 · The Making of A Most Wanted Man as Self
- 2015 · Don't F*#% With John Wick as Self
- 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 Tom Petty
- 2013 · The Smile Man as Willem
- 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate as Narrator (voice)
- 2004 · The Clearing as Arnold Mack
- 2004 · Spider-Man 2 as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 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 Barillo
- 2003 · Finding Nemo as Gill (voice)
- 2003 · Rockets Redglare! as Self
- 2002 · Spider-Man as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2002 · Spider-Mania as Self
- 2000 · Shadow of the Vampire as Max Schreck
- 2000 · American Psycho as Donald Kimball
- 2000 · Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure as Hunter (voice)
- 1999 · eXistenZ as Gas
- 1999 · The Boondock Saints as Paul Smecker
- 1999 · The Directors as Self
- 1999 · Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle as Narrator
- 1998 · Affliction as Rolfe Whitehouse
- 1998 · Abel/Asia as Self (archival footage)
- 1997 · The Wonderful World of Disney as
- 1997 · Speed 2: Cruise Control as Geiger
- 1995 · The Night and the Moment as Lo scrittore
- Future · Late Fame as Ed Saxberger
- Future · Late Fame as Ed Saxberger
- 1996 · Victory as Axel Heyst
- 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 · Clear and Present Danger as John Clark
- 1993 · Faraway, So Close! as Emit Flesti
- 1993 · White Homeland Commando as Karl
- 1993 · Body of Evidence as Frank Dulaney
- 1993 · Rhyme 'Em to Death as
- 1992 · Light Sleeper as John LeTour
- 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
- 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)
- 1989 · Triumph of the Spirit as Salamo Arouch
- 1988 · Mississippi Burning as 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 Gordon
- 1985 · To Live and Die in L.A. as Eric 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
- Future · The Legend of Ochi as Maxim
- Future · Tenzing as Colonel John Hunt
- Future · American Nails as
- Future · The Man in My Basement as Anniston Bennett