
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 · Late Fame as Ed Saxberger
- 2025 · The Birthday Party as Marcos Timoleon
- 2025 · Grande Envie as Count
- 2024 · Jesus Goes to Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- 2024 · run 002 as
- 2023 · Gonzo Girl as Walker Reade
- 2022 · Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus as Self / Grand Duc
- 2022 · Stasera c’è Cattelan su Raidue as Self
- 2022 · Mostra, Venise as Self - "Tapis Rouge" Guest
- 2022 · Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious as Self
- 2021 · River as Narrator
- 2020 · Babenco: Tell Me When I Die as Self
- 2020 · Siberia as Clint
- 2020 · Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago as
- 2019 · Motherless Brooklyn as Paul Randolph
- 2019 · Manou the Swift as Manou's Father (voice)
- 2018 · Vox Lux as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · NHK WORLD PRIME as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · A Family Man as Ed Blackridge
- 2015 · Don't F*#% With John Wick as Self
- 2014 · Bad Country as Bud Carter
- 2014 · A Most Wanted Man as Tommy Brue
- 2013 · The Benaki Museum as Narrator (voice)
- 2012 · Tomorrow You're Gone as The Buddha
- 2011 · The Hunter as Martin David
- 2010 · Miral as Eddie
- 2010 · Daybreakers as Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac
- 2009 · The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day as Paul Smecker
- 2007 · To Each His Own Cinema as (segment "Occupations") (archive footage)
- 2007 · Anamorph as Stan Aubray
- 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
- 2004 · The Clearing as Arnold Mack
- 2004 · The Reckoning as Martin
- 2002 · Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure as Hunter (voice)
- 2002 · The Spider-Man Story as Self
- 1997 · Wrong Guys as Jack Straw
- 1992 · North on Evers as
- Future · Cuddle as Dante
- 2006 · Paris Je T'aime as Le cow-boy (Place des Victoires)
- 2002 · Auto Focus as John Carpenter
- 2000 · Animal Factory as Earl Copen
- 2000 · Shadow of the Vampire as Max Schreck
- 1997 · Affliction as Rolfe Whitehouse
- 1996 · Victory as Axel Heyst
- 1996 · Basquiat as The Electrician
- 1995 · The Night and the Moment as Lo scrittore
- 1994 · Tom & Viv as Tom Eliot
- 1993 · Faraway, So Close! as Emit Flesti
- 1993 · Body of Evidence as Frank Dulaney
- 1992 · Light Sleeper as John LeTour
- 1992 · White Sands as Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal
- 1991 · Flight of the Intruder as Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'Tiger' Cole
- 1989 · Triumph of the Spirit as Salamo Arouch
- 1985 · O Panama as
- 1984 · Atalanta Strategy as Immigration Staff
- 1980 · Heaven's Gate as Willy (uncredited)
- Future · The Sleeping Shepherd as
- Future · Tropico as Raymond
- 2025 · The Souffleur as
- 2025 · Avrio Vrady as Dancing man
- 2025 · The Phoenician Scheme as Knave
- 2025 · The Legend of Ochi as Maxim
- 2025 · Zero as (voice)
- 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 · Da Suisa - Tributo as Himself
- 2024 · Can Creativity Save the World? as Self
- 2024 · Finally Dawn as Rufo Priori
- 2023 · Poor Things as Godwin Baxter
- 2023 · Interior (The Spectator) as Narrator
- 2023 · Willem Dafoe as
- 2023 · Pet Shop Days as Francis
- 2023 · Asteroid City as Saltzburg Keitel
- 2023 · The Wild One as Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · Inside as Nemo
- 2022 · Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone as
- 2022 · Dead for a Dollar as Joe Cribbens
- 2022 · 7 Deaths of Maria Callas as Film Actor
- 2022 · Il coraggio di essere Franco as Sé stesso
- 2022 · Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home as Self
- 2022 · The Northman as Heimir the Fool
- 2022 · Finding Satoshi as Narrator
- 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 · The Last Thing He Wanted as Richard McMahon
- 2020 · The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale as Self
- 2020 · Tommaso as Tommaso
- 2019 · Togo as Leonhard Seppala
- 2019 · Vincent van Gogh Superstar as Vincent van Gogh (archive footage)
- 2019 · The Lighthouse as Thomas Wake
- 2019 · Love, Antosha as Self
- 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 · Friedkin Uncut as Self
- 2018 · Theatron. Romeo Castellucci as
- 2018 · Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project as Self
- 2017 · Mountain as Narrator (voice)
- 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
- 2017 · Ballad of a Righteous Merchant as Self
- 2017 · Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait 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 · Sculpt as
- 2016 · Finding Dory as Gill (voice)
- 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 · 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 · John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry as Self
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · John Wick as Marcus
- 2014 · Pasolini as Pier Paolo Pasolini
- 2014 · SPYMASTER: John le Carré in Hamburg as (archive footage)
- 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
- 2013 · The Smile Man as Willem
- 2013 · Saving Norman as Lionel Pembrooke
- 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
- 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
- 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 · The Dust of Time as A
- 2008 · Adam Resurrected as Commandat Klein
- 2008 · Fireflies in the Garden as Charles Waechter
- 2007 · Wintergasten as
- 2007 · Cannes: All Access as Self
- 2007 · Voom Portraits 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 · Inside Man as John Darius
- 2005 · Ripley Under Ground as Neil Murchison
- 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 · Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal as Self
- 2005 · Jiminy Glick in Lalawood as Willem Dafoe (uncredited)
- 2005 · xXx: State of the Union as Gen. George Octavius Deckert
- 2005 · On the Set: 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' as Self / Klaus D.
- 2004 · The Aviator as Roland Sweet
- 2004 · The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou as Klaus Daimler
- 2004 · Control as Dr. Michael Copeland
- 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 · Kulturplatz as Self
- 2004 · Spider-Man 2 as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2004 · Behind the Scenes of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2003 · Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' as Self
- 2003 · Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty as
- 2003 · Once Upon a Time in Mexico as Armando Barillo
- 2003 · Overnight as Self
- 2003 · Finding Nemo as Gill (voice)
- 2003 · Rockets Redglare! 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
- 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 · Bullfighter as Father Ramirez
- 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
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1991 · Fishing with John as Self
- Future · Tenzing as Colonel John Hunt
- 1998 · Lulu on the Bridge as Dr. Van Horn
- 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 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1994 · The Kingdom as Grand Duc
- 1994 · Clear and Present Danger as John Clark
- 1993 · Brace Up! as Colonel Alexander Ignatyevich Vershinin
- 1993 · White Homeland Commando as Karl
- 1993 · Rhyme 'Em to Death as
- 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
- 1988 · Off Limits as Buck McGriff
- 1987 · Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam as Elephant Grass (voice)
- 1986 · Platoon as Sergeant Elias Grodin
- 1985 · To Live and Die in L.A. as Rick Masters
- 1984 · Roadhouse 66 as Johnny Harte
- 1984 · Streets of Fire as Raven Shaddock
- 1984 · New York Nights as Boyfriend
- 1984 · The Loveless as Vance
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Jeffrey Hunt
- 1983 · The Hunger as 2nd Phone Booth Youth
- 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 · American Nails as
- Future · A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge