James Spader
Biography
James Todd Spader is an American actor born on February 7, 1960, in Boston, Massachusetts. He is the son of teachers Jean and Stoddard Greenwood Todd Spader. Spader attended Phillips Academy in Andover, where he was a classmate of director Peter Sellars, before dropping out in the eleventh grade. Throughout his career, he has become known for portraying eccentric, deviant, and morally ambiguous characters. His work has earned him significant professional recognition, including three Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and ten Screen Actors Guild Awards. Spader is credited with 73 known acting roles across his film and television career.
Career overview
Spader began his acting career in youth-oriented films during the mid-1980s, appearing in Tuff Turf and The New Kids in 1985, followed by Pretty in Pink in 1986 and Mannequin in 1987. He also appeared in the 1987 film Wall Street. His breakthrough role occurred in the 1989 Steven Soderbergh drama sex, lies, and videotape, which earned him recognition at the Cannes Film Festival. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, his filmography expanded to include roles in Stargate and Wolf in 1994, Crash in 1996, and Secretary in 2002.
Transitioning into television, Spader achieved prominence for his work in long-running series. He starred in Boston Legal, which aired from 2004 to 2008, and appeared in the television series The Office. He later starred in The Blacklist, which ran from 2013 to 2023. His career is characterized by a shift from critically acclaimed independent films to successful television projects, earning him multiple industry accolades for his performances.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- VisionQuest (2026) as Ultron
- BRATS (2024) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) as Ultron (voice)
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- The Homesman (2014) as Aloysius Duffy
- The Blacklist (2013) as Raymond 'Red' Reddington
- The Blacklist (2013) Executive Producer
- The Blacklist (2013) Co-Executive Producer
- The Frame (2013) as James Ballard
- Lincoln (2012) as W.N. Bilbo
- Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen (2012) as (archive footage)
- The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009) as Self - Guest
- Shorts (2009) as Carbon Black
- Discovery Atlas (2006)
- Discovery Atlas: China Revealed (2006) as Narrator (voice)
- The Office (2005) as Robert California
- The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005) as Self
- The Reichen Show (2005) as Self - Guest
- Boston Legal (2004) as Alan Shore
- Shadow of Fear (2004) as William Ashbury
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- Alien Hunter (2003) as Julian Rome
- The Pentagon Papers (2003) as Daniel Ellsberg
- I Witness (2003) as Douglas Draper
- Celebrities Uncensored (2003) as Self
- Secretary (2002) as Mr. Grey
- The Stickup (2002) as John Parker
- Speaking of Sex (2001) as Dr. Roger Klink
- The Watcher (2000) as FBI Special Agent Joel Campbell
- Supernova (2000) as Nick Vanzant
- Slow Burn (2000) as Marcus
- Curtain Call (1998) as Stevenson Lowe
- The View (1997) as Self
- The Practice (1997) as Alan Shore
- Critical Care (1997) as Dr. Werner Ernst
- Keys to Tulsa (1997) as Ronnie Stover
- Driftwood (1997) as The Man
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self - Guest
- Crash (1996) as James Ballard
- 2 Days in the Valley (1996) as Lee Woods
- Stargate (1994) as Dr. Daniel Jackson
- Wolf (1994) as Stewart Swinton
- Frasier (1993) as Steven (voice)
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
- Dream Lover (1993) as Ray Reardon
- The Music of Chance (1993) as Jack Pozzi
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) as Self - Guest
- Bob Roberts (1992) as Chuck Marlin
- Storyville (1992) as Cray Fowler
- True Colors (1991) as Tim Gerrity
- White Palace (1990) as Max Baron
- Bad Influence (1990) as Michael Boll
- Seinfeld (1989) as Jason 'Stanky' Hanky
- sex, lies, and videotape (1989) as Graham Dalton
- The Rachel Papers (1989) as Deforest
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988)
- Jack's Back (1988) as John Allen Wesford / Richard Wesford
- Greasy Lake (1988) as Digby
- Wall Street (1987) as Roger Barnes
- Mannequin (1987) as Mr. Richards
- Less Than Zero (1987) as Rip
- Baby Boom (1987) as Ken Arrenberg
- Pretty in Pink (1986) as Steff McKee
- Tuff Turf (1985) as Morgan Hiller
- The New Kids (1985) as Eddie Dutra
- Starcrossed (1985) as Joey Callaghan
- Family Secrets (1984) as Lowell Everall
- A Killer in the Family (1983) as Donny Tison
- Diner (1983) as Fenwick
- Cocaine: One Man's Seduction (1983) as Buddy Gant
- The Family Tree (1983)
- Endless Love (1981) as Keith
- Team-Mates (1978) as Jimmy
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee