JW
John Waters
Actor, Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Composer, Additional CreditsBorn April 22, 1946 (79 years)
John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including Multiple Maniacs (1970), Pink Flamingos (1972) and Female Trouble (1974). Waters wrote and directed the comedy film Hairspray (1988), which was later adapted into a hit Broadway musical and a 2007 musical film. Other films he has written and directed include Desperate Living (1977), Polyester (1981), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), Pecker (1998), and Cecil B. Demented (2000). His films contain elements of post-modern comedy and surrealism.
As an actor, Waters has appeared in Sweet and Lowdown (1999), 'Til Death Do Us Part (2007), Mangus! (2011), Excision (2012), Suburban Gothic (2014), and has appeared in the Child's Play franchise with Seed of Chucky (2004) and third season of the television series Chucky (2024). He hosted and produced the television series John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You (2006). Throughout his career, Waters has often collaborated with actor and drag queen Divine and his regular cast of the Dreamlanders. More recently, he performs in his touring one-man show This Filthy World.
Waters also works as a visual artist and across different media, such as installations, photography, and sculpture. The audiobooks he narrated for his books Carsick and Mr. Know-It-All were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2015 and 2020, respectively. In 2018, Waters was named an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in France. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.
As an actor, Waters has appeared in Sweet and Lowdown (1999), 'Til Death Do Us Part (2007), Mangus! (2011), Excision (2012), Suburban Gothic (2014), and has appeared in the Child's Play franchise with Seed of Chucky (2004) and third season of the television series Chucky (2024). He hosted and produced the television series John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You (2006). Throughout his career, Waters has often collaborated with actor and drag queen Divine and his regular cast of the Dreamlanders. More recently, he performs in his touring one-man show This Filthy World.
Waters also works as a visual artist and across different media, such as installations, photography, and sculpture. The audiobooks he narrated for his books Carsick and Mr. Know-It-All were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2015 and 2020, respectively. In 2018, Waters was named an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in France. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
John Waters Filmography
| 2025 | Sarah Squirm: Live + in the Flesh · as Stage Manager |
| 2024 | The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 2023 | Digman! (TV Series) · as Magnus (voice) |
| 2022 | Monster High (2022) (TV Series) · as Scarecrow Von Twolegs |
| 2022 | Lynch/Oz · as Host (chapter 3: 'kindred') (voice) |
| 2022 | Charles Band's Full Moon Freakshow (TV Series) |
| 2021 | Chucky (TV Series) · as Wendell Wilkins |
| 2020 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2019 | Helluva Boss (TV Series) · as Rolando (voice) |
| 2018 | Liverspots and Astronots (TV Series) · as O-Dor |
| 2018 | Explained (TV Series) · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2018 | The Fancy Gentleman · as Wadworth Thorndyke The Third |
| 2017 | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV Series) · as Lazarus |
| 2017 | Feud (TV Series) · as William Castle |
| 2016 | Search Party (2016) (TV Series) · as Sheffield |
| 2016 | Wall Writers · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2015 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip · as First Class Passenger |
| 2015 | |
| 2014 | Suburban Gothic · as Cornelius |
| 2013 | King Star King (TV Series) · as God Star God |
| 2013 | Mr. Pickles (TV Series) · as Dr. Kelton |
| 2013 | Clarence (2014) (TV Series) · as Captain Tom (voice) |
| 2013 | Mickey Mouse (TV Series) · as Wadworth Thorndyke The Third |
| 2012 | |
| 2011 | The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia (TV Series) · as J.w. |
| 2011 | Mangus! · as Jesus Christ |
| 2010 | Fish Hooks (TV Series) · as Ezekiel Freshwater / Hair Man (voice) |
| 2010 | Offspring (TV Series) |
| 2010 | |
| 2008 | The Wild World of Ted V. Mikels · as Narrator |
| 2007 | The Junior Defenders · as Narrator |
| 2007 | Hairspray · as Flasher |
| 2007 | Superjail! (TV Series) · as Quetzalpacatlan |
| 2007 | In the Land of Merry Misfits · as Narrator |
| 2007 | Each Time I Kill · as Movie Watcher |
| 2006 | 'Til Death Do Us Part (TV Series) |
| 2006 | Bubble Guppies (TV Series) · as Baron Von Bland |
| 2006 | The Henry Rollins Show (TV Series) |
| 2005 | My Name Is Earl (TV Series) · as Walter Hamerick |
| 2004 | Seed of Chucky · as Pete Peters |
| 2003 | Abby Singer · as John Waters (uncredited) |
| 2002 | Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat · as The Reverend |
| 2000 | Cecil B. Demented · as Reporter |
| 1999 | Sweet and Lowdown · as Mr. Haynes |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) · as Pornmonger Man |
| 1998 | Pecker · as Pervert On Phone (voice) (uncredited) |
| 1998 | |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) |
| 1994 | Family Album (TV Series) · as Vincent |
| 1994 | Serial Mom · as Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited) |
| 1993 | Frasier (TV Series) · as Roger (voice) |
| 1993 | Homicide: Life on the Street (TV Series) · as R. Vincent Smith |
| 1992 | HBO First Look (TV Series) |
| 1989 | The Simpsons (TV Series) · as John (voice) |
| 1989 | Homer and Eddie · as Robber #1 |
| 1988 | Hairspray · as Dr. Fredrickson |
| 1987 | 21 Jump Street (TV Series) · as Mr. Bean |
| 1986 | Something Wild · as Used Car Guy |
| 1977 | The Getting of Wisdom · as Rev. Shepherd |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos · as Mr. J (voice) (uncredited) |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho · as Reporter (voice) (uncredited) |
| 2025 | The Rock Prophet: Link Wray · as Self |
| 2025 | Everybody's Live with John Mulaney (TV Series) · as Self - Writer And Film Director |
| 2024 | Tura! · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2024 | Doc of Chucky · as Self |
| 2024 | Devo · as Self - Director |
| 2023 | |
| 2023 | Little Richard: I Am Everything · as Self |
| 2022 | A Summer with Joe, Liz & Richard · as Self |
| 2022 | Johnny Depp: The Love of the Bizarre · as Self |
| 2022 | All the Beauty and the Bloodshed · as Self - Filmmaker |
| 2022 | Don't Fall in Love with Yourself · as Self (archival) |
| 2022 | Fragments of Paradise · as Self |
| 2022 | Living with Chucky · as Self |
| 2022 | The Book of Harth · as Self |
| 2022 | The Andy Warhol Diaries (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | Blood, Guts and Sunshine · as Self [archival] |
| 2021 | The Velvet Underground · as Self |
| 2021 | Pride (2021) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2021 | Gutfeld! (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 2020 | The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo · as Himself |
| 2019 | Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | At the Video Store · as Self |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | 34th Film Independent Spirit Awards · as Self |
| 2018 | JablinskiGames (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | Sickies Making Films · as Self |
| 2017 | Queercore: How To Punk A Revolution · as Self |
| 2017 | The Public Image is Rotten · as Self |
| 2017 | Mansfield 66/67 · as Self |
| 2016 | Whatever Happened to Gelitin · as Self |
| 2015 | |
| 2015 | Tab Hunter Confidential · as Self |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | The New Yorker Presents (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards · as Self |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | HitRECord on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | Jingle Bell Rocks! · as Self |
| 2013 | The Last Impresario · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2013 | The Blacklist (TV Series) · as John Waters |
| 2013 | A Life in Dirty Movies · as Self |
| 2013 | I Am Divine · as Self |
| 2013 | The 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2012 | Mansome · as Self |
| 2012 | |
| 2012 | |
| 2012 | Of Dolls and Murder · as Self - Narrator |
| 2012 | Finding Your Roots (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | The 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Announcer |
| 2011 | The Advocate for Fagdom · as Self |
| 2011 | These Amazing Shadows · as Self |
| 2010 | Blank City · as Self |
| 2010 | William S. Burroughs: A Man Within · as Self |
| 2010 | |
| 2010 | Beautiful Darling · as Self |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | It Came from Kuchar · as Self |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | |
| 2009 | The 2009 Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2009 | RuPaul's Drag Race (TV Series) · as Self - Guest Judge |
| 2008 | Starz Inside: Ladies or Gentlemen · as Self - Filmmaker |
| 2008 | Celebrity Ghost Stories (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2008 | Starz Inside: In the Gutter · as Self |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | The 62nd Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2008 | Sex: The Revolution (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2008 | Guest of Cindy Sherman · as Self |
| 2008 | CQC: Custe o Que Custar (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2008 | Speechless · as Self |
| 2007 | Obscene · as Self |
| 2007 | |
| 2007 | Indie Sex (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Here's Looking at You, Boy · as Self |
| 2007 | |
| 2006 | This Filthy World · as Self |
| 2006 | |
| 2006 | Jackass Number Two · as Self |
| 2006 | This Film Is Not Yet Rated · as Self - Director Of 'a Dirty Shame' |
| 2006 | The Wire: It's All Connected · as Self |
| 2006 | Ace Of Cakes (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | 50 Films to See Before You Die · as Self |
| 2006 | I Love The 70s Volume 2 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | |
| 2006 | Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema · as Self |
| 2005 | I Love the Holidays · as Self |
| 2005 | I Love The 80s 3-D (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | The Colbert Report (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2005 | |
| 2005 | The Bigger Picture with Graham Norton (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | It Came from... Baltimore!! · as Self |
| 2005 | All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame' · as Self |
| 2005 | Inside Deep Throat · as Self |
| 2005 | The 20th IFP Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2005 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2005 | That Man: Peter Berlin · as Self |
| 2004 | George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2004 | Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea · as Self - Narrator (voice) |
| 2004 | Le grand journal de Canal+ (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The Graham Norton Effect (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2004 | The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Host |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | Totally Gay! · as Self |
| 2003 | Hollywood High · as Self |
| 2003 | Real Time with Bill Maher (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | A History of Sex · as Self |
| 2002 | V Graham Norton (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2002 | The 2002 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Host |
| 2002 | The Cockettes · as Self |
| 2002 | Last Call with Carson Daly (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | art21 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | Dinner for Five (TV Series) · as Self - Special Guest |
| 2001 | Memories of Oz · as Self |
| 2001 | The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Host |
| 2001 | Indie Sex: Taboos · as Self |
| 2000 | Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story · as Self |
| 2000 | In Bad Taste · as Self |
| 1999 | The 20th Century: Yesterday's Tomorrows · as Self |
| 1999 | Forever Hollywood · as Self |
| 1998 | SexTV (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | Welcome to Hollywood · as John Waters |
| 1998 | Save Our History (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | So Graham Norton (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1998 | Divine Trash · as Self |
| 1997 | The Roseanne Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1997 | Behind the Music (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | Anthem · as Self |
| 1997 | Split Screen (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | Tracks (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1995 | American Cinema (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Eurotrash (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1993 | Politically Incorrect (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | Late Show with David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | Ricki Lake (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | Movie Days (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 1990 | The Word (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1990 | Intimate Portrait (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | The Incredibly Strange Film Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | Biography (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1985 | Divine Waters · as Self |
| 1982 | Late Night With David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1979 | CBS Sunday Morning With Jane Pauley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live (TV Series) · as Self - Cameo (uncredited) |
| 1973 | Tomorrow with Tom Snyder (TV Series) · as Self - Director |
| 1956 | Tony Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Presenter |
| 2015 | |
| 2007 | Hairspray · as Original Film Writer |
| 2006 | This Filthy World · as Screenplay |
| 2004 | |
| 2000 | |
| 1998 | Pecker · as Screenplay |
| 1994 | |
| 1990 | |
| 1988 | Hairspray · as Screenplay |
| 1981 | Polyester · as Screenplay |
| 1977 | |
| 1974 | Female Trouble · as Screenplay |
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| 2016 | Hairspray Live! · as Associate Producer |
| 1988 | Hairspray · as Co-Producer |
| 1981 | |
| 1977 | |
| 1974 | |
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| 1970 | |
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| 1969 | |
| 1968 |
| 1970 | Multiple Maniacs · as Original Music Composer |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho · as Original Music Composer |
| 2016 | Hairspray Live! · as Original Story |
| 1977 | Desperate Living · as Cinematographer |
| 1974 | Female Trouble · as Director Of Photography |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos · as Director Of Photography |
| 1970 | The Diane Linkletter Story · as Director Of Photography |
| 1970 | Multiple Maniacs · as Director Of Photography |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho · as Director Of Photography |
| 1968 | Eat Your Makeup · as Director Of Photography |