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
- 2026 · The Birthday Party as Marcos Timoleon
- 2026 · Late Fame as Ed Saxberger
- 2025 · Pet Shop Days as Francis
- 2025 · The Man in My Basement as Anniston Bennett
- 2025 · Zero as (voice)
- 2024 · Jesus Goes to Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- 2022 · 7 Deaths of Maria Callas as Film Actor
- 2022 · Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home as Self
- 2021 · The Card Counter as Gordo
- 2020 · Wim Wenders - Von Filmen und Träumen as Self
- 2020 · Wim Wenders, Desperado as Self
- 2020 · Siberia as Clint
- 2020 · The Last Thing He Wanted as Richard McMahon
- 2020 · Tommaso as Tommaso
- 2019 · Love, Antosha as Self
- 2019 · Manou the Swift as Manou's Father (voice)
- 2018 · Vox Lux as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait as Self
- 2016 · Dog Eat Dog as Mad Dog
- 2016 · Father as James Verdun
- 2016 · A Family Man as Ed Blackridge
- 2016 · Mind the Gap as Self
- 2014 · A Most Wanted Man as Tommy Brue
- 2013 · Love's Routine as Barry
- 2013 · Saving Norman as Lionel Pembrooke
- 2013 · Odd Thomas as Wyatt Porter
- 2011 · The Hunter as Martin David
- 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
- 2008 · Fireflies in the Garden as Charles Waechter
- 2008 · Go Go Tales as Ray Ruby
- 2007 · To Each His Own Cinema as (segment "Occupations") (archive footage)
- 2007 · The Walker as Larry Lockner
- 2006 · Paris Je T'aime as Le cow-boy (Place des Victoires)
- 2005 · Ripley Under Ground as Neil Murchison
- 2005 · Before It Had a Name as Leslie
- 2005 · This Is an Adventure as Self
- 2005 · Jiminy Glick in Lalawood as Willem Dafoe (uncredited)
- 2004 · Control as Dr. Michael Copeland
- 2004 · The Reckoning as Martin
- 2003 · Overnight as Self
- 2002 · Auto Focus as John Carpenter
- 2002 · Spider-Mania as Self
- 2001 · Pavilion of Women as Father Andre
- 2000 · Bullfighter as Father Ramirez
- 2000 · Shadow of the Vampire as Max Schreck
- 1999 · New Rose Hotel as X
- 1998 · Lulu on the Bridge as Dr. Van Horn
- 1998 · Affliction as Rolfe Whitehouse
- 1997 · Wrong Guys as Jack Straw
- 1996 · Basquiat as The Electrician
- 1993 · Faraway, So Close! as Emit Flesti
- 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
- 1984 · New York Nights as Boyfriend
- 1984 · The Loveless as Vance
- Future · Tenzing as Colonel John Hunt
- Future · Tropico as Raymond
- 1985 · O Panama as
- Future · A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge
- Future · Cuddle as Dante
- 2025 · The Souffleur as Lucius
- 2025 · Avrio Vrady as Dancing man
- 2025 · The Phoenician Scheme as Knave
- 2025 · Grande Envie as Count
- 2025 · The Legend of Ochi as Maxim
- 2024 · Nosferatu: An Inside Look as Self
- 2024 · Nosferatu as Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz
- 2024 · run 002 as
- 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 · Interior (The Spectator) as Narrator
- 2023 · Willem Dafoe as
- 2023 · Gonzo Girl as Walker Reade
- 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 · 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
- 2022 · Il coraggio di essere Franco as Sé stesso
- 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 of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun as Albert 'the Abacus'
- 2021 · Why Are We (Not) Creative? as Self
- 2021 · River as Narrator
- 2021 · Maresco / Pasolini as Self
- 2021 · Zack Snyder's Justice League as Vulko
- 2020 · Babenco: Tell Me When I Die as Self
- 2020 · Sportin' Life as Self
- 2020 · Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago as
- 2020 · The Lighthouse: A Dark & Stormy Tale as Self
- 2019 · Togo as Leonhard Seppala
- 2019 · Vincent van Gogh Superstar as Vincent van Gogh (archive footage)
- 2019 · Motherless Brooklyn as Paul Randolph
- 2019 · The Lighthouse as Thomas Wake
- 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 · 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 · 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
- 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
- 2015 · John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry 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 · 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 John Petty
- 2013 · The Smile Man as Willem
- 2012 · Tomorrow You're Gone as The Buddha
- 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 · Miral as Eddie
- 2010 · Into the Deep: America, Whaling & The World as Narrator
- 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 · The Dust of Time as A
- 2008 · Adam Resurrected as Commandat Klein
- 2007 · Wintergasten as
- 2007 · Cannes: All Access as Self
- 2007 · Voom Portraits as Self
- 2007 · Anamorph as Stan Aubray
- 2007 · The Procedure as Christopher
- 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
- 2006 · American Dreamz as Chief of Staff
- 2005 · The Colbert Report as
- 2005 · Manderlay as Grace's Father
- 2005 · Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal as Self
- 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 · 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 · The Clearing as Arnold Mack
- 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 · Finding Nemo as Gill (voice)
- 2003 · Rockets Redglare! as Self
- 2002 · Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure as Hunter (voice)
- 2002 · The Spider-Man Story as Self
- 2002 · Spider-Man as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
- 2002 · Behind the Ultimate Spin: The Making of 'Spider-Man' as Self
- 2001 · Edges of the Lord as Priest
- 2001 · A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon' as Self
- 2000 · Animal Factory as Earl Copen
- 2000 · American Psycho as Donald Kimball
- 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
- 1997 · The Wonderful World of Disney as
- 1997 · Speed 2: Cruise Control as Geiger
- 1996 · Victory as Axel Heyst
- 1996 · The English Patient as David Caravaggio
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1995 · The Night and the Moment as Lo scrittore
- 1994 · The Kingdom as Grand Duc
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1994 · Clear and Present Danger as John Clark
- 1994 · Tom & Viv as Tom Eliot
- 1993 · Brace Up! as Colonel Alexander Ignatyevich Vershinin
- Future · The Sleeping Shepherd as
- 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 · 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
- 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 · 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