Willem Dafoe
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- July 22, 1955 in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA
- Active Years
- 1953–2026 (74 Years)
- Total Credits
- 257 credits in database
Acting Born Jul 22, 1955 Appleton, Wisconsin, USA 257 credits
Biography
William James Dafoe, born on July 22, 1955, in Appleton, Wisconsin, is an American actor recognized for his prolific career and versatility. Throughout his professional life, he has portrayed diverse roles in both mainstream and arthouse cinema. Dafoe has received numerous accolades, including a Volpi Cup Award for Best Actor and an Honorary Golden Bear, which he was awarded in 2018. His work has also earned him nominations for four Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and a British Academy Film Award. Internationally respected for his bold performances, Dafoe remains a prominent figure in the film industry with over 248 known credits and a career spanning more than one hundred fifty films.
Sources & verification
Willem Dafoe — The Movie Database (TMDB)
Willem Dafoe — The Movie Database (TMDB)
Willem Dafoe - Wikipedia
Michael Douglas And Willem Dafoe Reunite With Oliver Stone
Willem Dafoe - IMDb
Willem Dafoe | Nosferatu, Movies, Lighthouse, & Facts | Britannica
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Career overview
Willem Dafoe began his film career with an uncredited role in the 1980 production Heaven's Gate. Over the following decades, he established himself as a versatile performer known for his willingness to take on complex and sometimes controversial roles. His filmography includes notable appearances in Platoon, released in 1986, and The Last Temptation of Christ, released in 1988. Dafoe is recognized for his frequent collaborations with a wide range of mainstream and auteur filmmakers, including Paul Schrader, Abel Ferrara, Sam Raimi, Yorgos Lanthimos, Lars von Trier, Julian Schnabel, and Oliver Stone. His ability to navigate different genres and production scales has contributed to his reputation as a bold actor in contemporary cinema.
Dafoe continues to be active in the industry, with recent reports indicating his involvement in upcoming projects such as Oliver Stone's White Lies. Throughout his career, he has worked alongside various notable actors, including Michael Douglas, Yvonne Chapman, Ellen Barkin, and Homer Gere. His extensive body of work, which encompasses over one hundred fifty films, demonstrates a consistent commitment to his craft and a long-standing influence within the international film community.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
The SouffleurWerwulfThe Birthday PartyThe Resurrection of ChristTenzing
The Phoenician SchemeZeroThe Legend of OchiThe Man in My BasementThe Man in My Basement · Executive Producer
NosferatuBeetlejuice BeetlejuiceKinds of KindnessSaturday NightFinally Dawn
Poor ThingsAsteroid CityInsideGonzo GirlWillem Dafoe
The NorthmanStasera c’è Cattelan su RaidueSpider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way HomeMostra, VeniseDead for a Dollar
Spider-Man: No Way HomeZack Snyder's Justice LeagueThe French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening SunNightmare AlleyThe Card Counter
The Last Thing He WantedSiberiaWim Wenders - Von Filmen und TräumenWim Wenders, DesperadoThe Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale
The LighthouseTogoMotherless BrooklynLove, AntoshaManou the Swift
AquamanThe House That Jack Built · ThanksAt Eternity's GateVox LuxFriedkin Uncut
Murder on the Orient ExpressWhat Happened to MondayThe Florida ProjectDeath NoteNHK WORLD PRIME
Finding DoryThe Great WallA Family ManSculptDog Eat Dog
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertClose Up with The Hollywood ReporterDon't F*#% With John WickFukushima: A Nuclear StoryJohn Wick: Calling in the Cavalry
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonLate Night with Seth MeyersLate Night with Seth MeyersVariety Studio: Actors on ActorsOff Camera with Sam Jones
Nymphomaniac: Vol. IIOdd ThomasOut of the FurnaceLove's RoutineThe Smile Man
John CarterTomorrow You're Gone4:44 Last Day on EarthBob Wilson's Life & Death of Marina Abramovic
The Hunter
ConanDaybreakersMy Son, My Son, What Have Ye DoneMiralA Woman
Fantastic Mr. FoxAntichristCirque du Freak: The Vampire's AssistantThe Boondock Saints II: All Saints DayFarewell
Fireflies in the GardenAdam ResurrectedGo Go TalesThe Dust of Time
The Graham Norton ShowSpider-Man 3Mr. Bean's HolidayCannes: All AccessWintergasten
Inside ManParis Je T'aimeAmerican Dreamz
The Colbert ReportxXx: State of the UnionManderlayJiminy Glick in LalawoodThis Is an Adventure
KulturplatzSpider-Man 2The AviatorThe Life Aquatic with Steve ZissouThe Reckoning
Finding NemoOnce Upon a Time in MexicoOvernightAbel Ferrara: Not GuiltyRockets Redglare!
Spider-ManAuto FocusThe Spider-Man StorySpider-ManiaBehind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man'
Pavilion of WomenEdges of the LordA Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon'
American PsychoShadow of the VampireAnimal FactoryBullfighter
The DirectorsThe Boondock SaintseXistenZNew Rose HotelNew Rose Hotel · Co-Producer
AfflictionLulu on the Bridge
The Wonderful World of DisneySpeed 2: Cruise ControlWrong Guys
Full Filmography
257 titles- The Souffleur (2026) as Lucius
- Werwulf (2026)
- The Birthday Party (2026) as Marcos Timoleon
- The Resurrection of Christ (2026)
- Tenzing (2026) as Colonel John Hunt
- Late Fame (2026) as Ed Saxberger
- The Phoenician Scheme (2025) as Knave
- Zero (2025) as (voice)
- The Legend of Ochi (2025) as Maxim
- The Man in My Basement (2025) as Anniston Bennett
- The Man in My Basement (2025) Executive Producer
- Pet Shop Days (2025) as Francis
- Grande Envie (2025) as Count
- Avrio Vrady (2025) as Dancing man
- Nosferatu (2024) as Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) as Jackson
- Kinds of Kindness (2024) as Raymond / George / Omi
- Saturday Night (2024) as David Tebet
- Finally Dawn (2024) as Rufo Priori
- run 002 (2024)
- Jesus Goes to Hollywood (2024) as Self (archive footage)
- Nosferatu: An Inside Look (2024) as Self
- Can Creativity Save the World? (2024) as Self
- Poor Things (2023) as Godwin Baxter
- Asteroid City (2023) as Saltzburg Keitel
- Inside (2023) as Nemo
- Gonzo Girl (2023) as Walker Reade
- Willem Dafoe (2023)
- Interior (The Spectator) (2023) as Narrator
- The Wild One (2023) as Narrator (voice)
- The Northman (2022) as Heimir the Fool
- Stasera c’è Cattelan su Raidue (2022) as Self
- Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home (2022) as Self
- Mostra, Venise (2022) as Self
- Dead for a Dollar (2022) as Joe Cribbens
- Creation of the Kingdom of Exodus (2022) as Self / Grand Duc
- Finding Satoshi (2022) as Narrator
- Il coraggio di essere Franco (2022) as Sé stesso
- Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious (2022) as Self
- 7 Deaths of Maria Callas (2022) as Film Actor
- Franco Battiato - La voce del padrone (2022)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin
- Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) as Vulko
- The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun (2021) as Albert 'the Abacus'
- Nightmare Alley (2021) as Clem Hoatley
- The Card Counter (2021) as Gordo
- Maresco / Pasolini (2021) as Self
- Why Are We (Not) Creative? (2021) as Self
- River (2021) as Narrator
- The Last Thing He Wanted (2020) as Richard McMahon
- Siberia (2020) as Clint
- Wim Wenders - Von Filmen und Träumen (2020) as Self
- Wim Wenders, Desperado (2020) as Self
- The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale (2020) as Self
- Babenco: Tell Me When I Die (2020) as Self
- Babenco: Tell Me When I Die (2020) Associate Producer
- Tommaso (2020) as Tommaso
- Sportin' Life (2020) as Self
- Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago (2020)
- The Lighthouse (2019) as Thomas Wake
- Togo (2019) as Leonhard Seppala
- Motherless Brooklyn (2019) as Paul Randolph
- Love, Antosha (2019) as Self
- Manou the Swift (2019) as Manou's Father (voice)
- Vincent van Gogh Superstar (2019) as Vincent van Gogh (archive footage)
- Aquaman (2018) as Nuidis Vulko
- The House That Jack Built (2018) Thanks
- At Eternity's Gate (2018) as Vincent van Gogh
- Vox Lux (2018) as Narrator (voice)
- Friedkin Uncut (2018) as Self
- Brothers in Arms (2018) as Self
- Theatron. Romeo Castellucci (2018)
- Opus Zero (2018) as Paul
- Under the Rainbow: Making The Florida Project (2018) as Self
- Murder on the Orient Express (2017) as Gerhard Hardman
- What Happened to Monday (2017) as Terrence Settman
- The Florida Project (2017) as Bobby
- Death Note (2017) as Ryuk (voice)
- NHK WORLD PRIME (2017) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Ballad of a Righteous Merchant (2017) as Self
- Sanctuary (2017) as Narrator
- Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait (2017) as Self
- Mountain (2017) as Narrator (voice)
- Piazza Vittorio (2017) as Himself
- Finding Dory (2016) as Gill (voice)
- The Great Wall (2016) as Ballard
- A Family Man (2016) as Ed Blackridge
- Sculpt (2016)
- Dog Eat Dog (2016) as Mad Dog
- My Hindu Friend (2016) as Diego Fairman
- Nelson Algren Live (2016) as Role1 / Frankie Machine / Role2 / Blackie Cavanaugh
- Father (2016) as James Verdun
- Mind the Gap (2016) as Self
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Zylander Quark
- Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter (2015) as Self
- Don't F*#% With John Wick (2015) as Self
- Fukushima: A Nuclear Story (2015) as Narrator
- John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry (2015) as Self
- The Making of A Most Wanted Man (2015) as Self
- 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
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- Off Camera with Sam Jones (2014) as Self
- The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) as Jopling
- John Wick (2014) as Marcus
- The Fault in Our Stars (2014) as Peter van Houten
- A Most Wanted Man (2014) as Tommy Brue
- Bad Country (2014) as Bud Carter
- Pasolini (2014) as Pier Paolo Pasolini
- SPYMASTER: John le Carré in Hamburg (2014) as (archive footage)
- Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013) as L
- Odd Thomas (2013) as Wyatt Porter
- Out of the Furnace (2013) as John Petty
- Love's Routine (2013) as Barry
- The Smile Man (2013) as Willem
- Saving Norman (2013) as Lionel Pembrooke
- The Benaki Museum (2013) as Narrator (voice)
- John Carter (2012) as Tars Tarkas
- Tomorrow You're Gone (2012) as The Buddha
- 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2012) as Cisco
- Bob Wilson's Life & Death of Marina Abramovic (2012) as Self
- The Hunter (2011) as Martin David
- Conan (2010) as Self
- Daybreakers (2010) as Lionel 'Elvis' Cormac
- My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2010) as Detective Hank Havenhurst
- Miral (2010) as Eddie
- A Woman (2010) as Max Oliver
- The Making of Daybreakers (2010) as Self
- Into the Deep: America, Whaling & The World (2010) as Narrator
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) as Rat (voice)
- Antichrist (2009) as He
- Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009) as Gavner Purl
- The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009) as Paul Smecker (uncredited)
- Farewell (2009) as Feeney
- Fireflies in the Garden (2008) as Charles Waechter
- Adam Resurrected (2008) as Commandat Klein
- Go Go Tales (2008) as Ray Ruby
- The Dust of Time (2008) as A
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- Spider-Man 3 (2007) as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007) as Carson Clay
- Cannes: All Access (2007) as Self
- Wintergasten (2007)
- The Walker (2007) as Larry Lockner
- Anamorph (2007) as Stan Aubray
- To Each His Own Cinema (2007) as (segment "Occupations") (archive footage)
- Voom Portraits (2007) as Self
- The Procedure (2007) as Christopher
- Inside Man (2006) as John Darius
- Paris Je T'aime (2006) as Le cow-boy (Place des Victoires)
- American Dreamz (2006) as Chief of Staff
- The Colbert Report (2005)
- xXx: State of the Union (2005) as Gen. George Octavius Deckert
- Manderlay (2005) as Grace's Father
- Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (2005) as Willem Dafoe (uncredited)
- This Is an Adventure (2005) as Self
- Ripley Under Ground (2005) as Neil Murchison
- Before It Had a Name (2005) as Leslie
- Before It Had a Name (2005) Screenplay
- On the Set: 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' (2005) as Self / Klaus D.
- Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal (2005) as Self
- Kulturplatz (2004) as Self
- Spider-Man 2 (2004) as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- The Aviator (2004) as Roland Sweet
- The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) as Klaus Daimler
- The Reckoning (2004) as Martin
- Control (2004) as Dr. Michael Copeland
- The Clearing (2004) as Arnold Mack
- Love, Death, Elvis & Oz: The Making of Wild at Heart (2004)
- The Misbehavers (2004) as Self
- Behind the Scenes of 'Spider-Man' (2004) as Self
- Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate (2004) as Narrator (voice)
- Finding Nemo (2003) as Gill (voice)
- Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) as Armando Barillo
- Overnight (2003) as Self
- Abel Ferrara: Not Guilty (2003)
- Rockets Redglare! (2003) as Self
- Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' (2003) as Self
- Spider-Man (2002) as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- Auto Focus (2002) as John Carpenter
- The Spider-Man Story (2002) as Self
- Spider-Mania (2002) as Self
- Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' (2002) as Self
- Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure (2002) as Hunter (voice)
- Pavilion of Women (2001) as Father Andre
- Edges of the Lord (2001) as Priest
- A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon' (2001) as Self
- American Psycho (2000) as Donald Kimball
- Shadow of the Vampire (2000) as Max Schreck
- Animal Factory (2000) as Earl Copen
- Bullfighter (2000) as Father Ramirez
- The Directors (1999) as Self
- The Boondock Saints (1999) as Paul Smecker
- eXistenZ (1999) as Gas
- New Rose Hotel (1999) as X
- New Rose Hotel (1999) Co-Producer
- Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle (1999) as Narrator
- Affliction (1998) as Rolfe Whitehouse
- Lulu on the Bridge (1998) as Dr. Van Horn
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1997)
- Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997) as Geiger
- Wrong Guys (1997) as Jack Straw
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- The English Patient (1996) as David Caravaggio
- Basquiat (1996) as The Electrician
- Victory (1996) as Axel Heyst
- The Night and the Moment (1995) as The Writer
- The Kingdom (1994) as Grand Duc
- Clear and Present Danger (1994) as John Clark
- Inside the Actors Studio (1994) as Self
- Tom & Viv (1994) as Tom Eliot
- Body of Evidence (1993) as Frank Dulaney
- Faraway, So Close! (1993) as Emit Flesti
- White Homeland Commando (1993) as Karl
- Rhyme 'Em to Death (1993)
- Brace Up! (1993) as Colonel Alexander Ignatyevich Vershinin
- Light Sleeper (1992) as John LeTour
- White Sands (1992) as Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal
- Blast 'Em (1992) as Self (uncredited)
- North on Evers (1992)
- Flight of the Intruder (1991) as Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'Tiger' Cole
- Fishing with John (1991) as Self
- Wild at Heart (1990) as Bobby Peru
- Cry-Baby (1990) as Hateful Guard
- The Simpsons (1989) as The Commandant / Jack Lassen (voice)
- The Simpsons (1989) as Commandant (voice)
- Born on the Fourth of July (1989) as Charlie
- Triumph of the Spirit (1989) as Salamo Arouch
- The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) as Jesus
- Mississippi Burning (1988) as Agent Alan Ward
- Off Limits (1988) as Buck McGriff
- Location Production Footage: The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) as Self
- Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (1987) as Elephant Grass (voice)
- Platoon (1986) as Sergeant Elias Grodin
- To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) as Rick Masters
- O Panama (1985)
- Streets of Fire (1984) as Raven Shaddock
- Atalanta Strategy (1984) as Immigration Staff
- Roadhouse 66 (1984) as Johnny Harte
- The Loveless (1984) as Vance
- New York Nights (1984) as Boyfriend
- The Hitchhiker (1983) as Jeffrey Hunt
- The Hunger (1983) as 2nd Phone Booth Youth
- Heaven's Gate (1980) as Willy (uncredited)
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- The Oscars (1953) as Self - Presenter
- White Lies
- Cuddle as Dante
- Time Out
- Tropico as Raymond
- Tropico Producer
- The Sleeping Shepherd
- A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Willem Dafoe best known for?
Willem Dafoe is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Werwulf (2026), The Birthday Party (2026), Tenzing (2026), Late Fame (2026).
When and where was Willem Dafoe born?
Willem Dafoe was born on July 22, 1955 in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA.
How many credits does Willem Dafoe have?
Willem Dafoe has accumulated over 257 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1953 to 2026.
What is Willem Dafoe's background in cinema and television?
William James Dafoe, born on July 22, 1955, in Appleton, Wisconsin, is an American actor recognized for his prolific career and versatility. Throughout his professional life, he has portrayed diverse roles in both mainstream and arthouse cinema. Dafoe has received numerous accolades, including a Volpi Cup Award for Bes...
Willem Dafoe by the numbers
257credits
227films
30TV series
1953–2026active years
Age in their best-rated roles
- Stasera c’è Cattelan su Raidue (2022) as Self — aged about 66
- Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) as Vulko — aged about 65
- Togo (2019) as Leonhard Seppala — aged about 63
- The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) as Jopling — aged about 58
- The Simpsons (1989) as The Commandant / Jack Lassen (voice) — aged about 33
- The Simpsons (1989) as Commandant (voice) — aged about 33
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