WD
Willem Dafoe
Actor, Producer, WriterBorn July 22, 1955 (70 years)
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).
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).
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Featured Videos
Willem Dafoe Filmography
| 2026 | |
| 2025 | The Man in My Basement · as Anniston Bennett |
| 2025 | The Souffleur · as Lucius |
| 2025 | Late Fame · as Ed Saxberger |
| 2025 | The Birthday Party · as Marcos Timoleon |
| 2025 | The Phoenician Scheme · as Knave |
| 2025 | The Legend of Ochi · as Maxim |
| 2024 | Zero · as (voice) |
| 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 |
| 2023 | Poor Things · as Godwin Baxter |
| 2023 | Gonzo Girl · as Walker Reade |
| 2023 | Pet Shop Days · as Francis |
| 2023 | Finally Dawn · as Rufo Priori |
| 2023 | The Boy and the Heron · as Noble Pelican |
| 2023 | Asteroid City · as Saltzburg Keitel |
| 2023 | Inside · as Nemo |
| 2022 | The Wild One · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2022 | Dead for a Dollar · as Joe Cribbens |
| 2022 | The Northman · as Heimir The Fool |
| 2022 | Finding Satoshi · as Narrator |
| 2021 | Nightmare Alley · as Clem Hoatley |
| 2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home · as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin |
| 2021 | The French Dispatch · as Albert 'the Abacus' |
| 2021 | The Card Counter · as Gordo |
| 2021 | River · as Narrator |
| 2021 | Zack Snyder's Justice League · as Vulko |
| 2021 | |
| 2020 | Siberia · as Clint |
| 2020 | |
| 2020 | The Last Thing He Wanted · as Richard Mcmahon |
| 2019 | Togo · as Leonhard Seppala |
| 2019 | Tommaso · as Tommaso |
| 2019 | Motherless Brooklyn · as Paul Randolph |
| 2019 | The Lighthouse · as Thomas Wake |
| 2019 | Swift · as Manou's Father (voice) |
| 2018 | Vox Lux · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2018 | Aquaman · as Nuidis Vulko |
| 2018 | At Eternity's Gate · as Vincent Van Gogh |
| 2017 | Opus Zero · as Paul |
| 2017 | The Florida Project · as Bobby |
| 2017 | Murder on the Orient Express · as Gerhard Hardman |
| 2017 | Mountain · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2017 | Death Note · as Ryuk (voice) |
| 2017 | What Happened to Monday · as Terrence Settman |
| 2017 | Piigs · as Narrator |
| 2017 | Do Donkeys Act? · as Narrator |
| 2016 | The Great Wall · as Ballard |
| 2016 | Dog Eat Dog · as Mad Dog |
| 2016 | |
| 2016 | A Family Man · as Ed Blackridge |
| 2016 | |
| 2016 | Finding Dory · as Gill (voice) |
| 2015 | My Hindu Friend · as Diego Fairman |
| 2015 | Fukushima: A Nuclear Story · as Narrator |
| 2014 | John Wick · as Marcus |
| 2014 | Bad Country · as Bud Carter |
| 2014 | Pasolini · as Pier Paolo Pasolini |
| 2014 | A Most Wanted Man · as Tommy Brue |
| 2014 | The Fault in Our Stars · as Peter Van Houten |
| 2014 | The Grand Budapest Hotel · as Jopling |
| 2013 | |
| 2013 | Out of the Furnace · as John Petty |
| 2013 | Odd Thomas · as Wyatt Porter |
| 2013 | The Smile Man · as Willem |
| 2012 | Tomorrow You're Gone · as The Buddha |
| 2012 | John Carter · as Tars Tarkas |
| 2011 | The Hunter · as Martin David |
| 2011 | 4:44 Last Day on Earth · as Cisco |
| 2010 | A Woman · as Max Oliver |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day · as Paul Smecker |
| 2009 | Fantastic Mr. Fox · as Rat (voice) |
| 2009 | Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant · as Gavner Purl |
| 2009 | Daybreakers · as Lionel 'elvis' Cormac |
| 2009 | Farewell · as Feeney |
| 2009 | My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done · as Detective Hank Havenhurst |
| 2009 | Antichrist · as He |
| 2008 | Adam Resurrected · as Commandat Klein |
| 2008 | The Dust of Time · as A |
| 2008 | Fireflies in the Garden · as Charles Waechter |
| 2007 | To Each His Own Cinema · as (segment "occupations") (archive Footage) |
| 2007 | Anamorph · as Stan Aubray |
| 2007 | The Walker · as Larry Lockner |
| 2007 | Go Go Tales · as Ray Ruby |
| 2007 | Spider-Man 3 · as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn |
| 2007 | Mr. Bean's Holiday · as Carson Clay |
| 2006 | Tales from Earthsea · as Cob |
| 2006 | Paris, Je T'aime · as Le Cow-Boy (place Des Victoires) |
| 2006 | American Dreamz · as Chief Of Staff |
| 2006 | Inside Man · as John Darius |
| 2005 | Ripley Under Ground · as Neil Murchison |
| 2005 | The Colbert Report (TV Series) |
| 2005 | Before It Had a Name · as Leslie |
| 2005 | Manderlay · as Grace's Father |
| 2005 | xXx: State of the Union · as Gen. George Octavius Deckert |
| 2004 | The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou · as Klaus Daimler |
| 2004 | The Aviator · as Roland Sweet |
| 2004 | |
| 2004 | Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2004 | Jiminy Glick in Lalawood · as Willem Dafoe (uncredited) |
| 2004 | The Clearing · as Arnold Mack |
| 2004 | Spider-Man 2 · as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn |
| 2003 | Once Upon a Time in Mexico · as Armando Barillo |
| 2003 | The Reckoning · as Martin |
| 2003 | Finding Nemo · as Gill (voice) |
| 2002 | Globehunters · as Hunter (voice) |
| 2002 | Auto Focus · as John Carpenter |
| 2002 | Spider-Man · as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn |
| 2001 | Pavilion of Women · as Father Andre |
| 2001 | Edges of the Lord · as Priest |
| 2000 | Bullfighter · as Father Ramirez |
| 2000 | Shadow of the Vampire · as Max Schreck |
| 2000 | Animal Factory · as Earl Copen |
| 2000 | American Psycho · as Donald Kimball |
| 1999 | The Boondock Saints · as Paul Smecker |
| 1999 | |
| 1998 | New Rose Hotel · as X |
| 1998 | ARTE Journal Clips (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1998 | Lulu on the Bridge · as Dr. Van Horn |
| 1997 | The Wonderful World of Disney (TV Series) |
| 1997 | Affliction · as Rolfe Whitehouse |
| 1997 | Speed 2: Cruise Control · as Geiger |
| 1996 | Victory · as Axel Heyst |
| 1996 | The English Patient · as David Caravaggio |
| 1996 | |
| 1994 | The Night and the Moment · as Lo Scrittore |
| 1994 | The Kingdom (1994) (TV Series) · as Grand Duc |
| 1994 | Clear and Present Danger · as John Clark |
| 1994 | Tom & Viv · as Tom Eliot |
| 1993 | Faraway, So Close! · as Emit Flesti |
| 1993 | Body of Evidence · as Frank Dulaney |
| 1992 | White Sands · as Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal |
| 1992 | Light Sleeper · as John Letour |
| 1992 | |
| 1991 | Flight of the Intruder · as Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'tiger' Cole |
| 1990 | Wild at Heart · as Bobby Peru |
| 1990 | Cry-Baby · as Hateful Guard |
| 1989 | Triumph of the Spirit · as Salamo Arouch |
| 1989 | Born on the Fourth of July · as Charlie |
| 1989 | The Simpsons (TV Series) · as Commandant (voice) |
| 1988 | Mississippi Burning · as Agent Alan Ward |
| 1988 | American Experience (TV Series) · as Narrator |
| 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 |
| 1983 | New York Nights · as Boyfriend |
| 1983 | The Hitchhiker (TV Series) · as Jeffrey Hunt |
| 1983 | The Hunger · as 2nd Phone Booth Youth |
| 1981 | The Loveless · as Vance |
| 1980 | Heaven's Gate · as Willy (uncredited) |
| 2025 | The Oscars · as Self - Presenter |
| 2025 | David Lynch: A Hollywood Enigma · as Self |
| 2024 | Jesus goes to Hollywood · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2024 | The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2024 | 81st Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2023 | Harvey Keitel: Unafraid of the Dark · as Self |
| 2023 | Can Creativity Save the World? · as Self |
| 2022 | Skabelsen af Riget Exodus · as Self / Grand Duc |
| 2022 | Stasera c'è Cattelan su Rai2 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Jesse Watters Primetime (TV Series) · as Self - At Golden Globes |
| 2022 | |
| 2021 | Why Are We (Not) Creative? · as Self |
| 2020 | Sportin' Life · as Self |
| 2020 | Wim Wenders: Desperado · as Self |
| 2020 | The 25th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2019 | Babenco: Tell Me When I Die · as Self |
| 2019 | Robert Redford: The Golden Look · as Self |
| 2019 | Love, Antosha · as Self |
| 2019 | Going Deep Into the World of 'Aquaman' · as Self |
| 2019 | Aquaman: Aqua-Tech · as Self |
| 2019 | Aquaman: Creating Undersea Creatures · as Self |
| 2019 | The Oscars · as Self - Nominee |
| 2019 | The 24th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self - Presenter & Nominee |
| 2019 | 2019 Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2018 | Platoon: Brothers in Arms · as Self |
| 2018 | Friedkin Uncut · as Self |
| 2018 | |
| 2018 | IMDb Me (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | The EE British Academy Film Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2018 | 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2018 | 75th Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2018 | Ballad of a Righteous Merchant · as Self |
| 2018 | The Oscars · as Self - Nominee |
| 2017 | Piazza Vittorio · as Himself |
| 2017 | Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait · as Self |
| 2016 | Harry (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2016 | Sunday Today with Willie Geist (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | The Timeline (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | The Late Late Show with James Corden (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | John Wick: Don't F*#% with John Wick · as Self |
| 2015 | John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry · as Self |
| 2014 | Variety: Actors on Actors (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | Off Camera with Sam Jones (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | |
| 2012 | Larry King Now (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2012 | The 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2011 | The Jonathan Ross Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | Conan (2010) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2010 | The Making of 'Daybreakers' · as Self |
| 2010 | Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy · as Self |
| 2009 | C à Vous (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Adam Resurrected: Behind the Scenes · as Self |
| 2008 | |
| 2007 | Bienvenue à Cannes · as Self |
| 2007 | On the Set: Spider-Man 3 · as Self |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Cómo conseguir un papel en Hollywood · as Self |
| 2006 | Premio Donostia a Matt Dillon · as Self |
| 2006 | El Hormiguero 3.0 (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2006 | Premio Donostia a Max Von Sydow · as Self |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | The Passion: Films, Faith & Fury · as Self |
| 2006 | The Ultimate Heist: Making 'Inside Man' · as Self |
| 2006 | 2006 Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2005 | Made In Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | |
| 2005 | Premio Donostia a Willem Dafoe · as Self - Honoree |
| 2005 | Entertainment Tonight Canada (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | This Is an Adventure · as Self |
| 2005 | Starz on the Set: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou · as Self / Klaus D. |
| 2005 | The Road to Manderlay · as Self |
| 2004 | The Misbehavers · as Self |
| 2004 | Kulturplatz (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Le grand journal de Canal+ (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | Che tempo che fa (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | |
| 2003 | Rockets Redglare! · as Self |
| 2003 | Hollywood High · as Self |
| 2003 | The 45th Annual Grammy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2002 | Reel Comedy (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | Behind the Scenes: Spider-Man the Movie · as Self |
| 2002 | The Spider-Man Story · as Self |
| 2002 | Spidermania · as Self |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | Last Call with Carson Daly (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | Lorraine (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | The 73rd Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2001 | The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2001 | 7th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2001 | The 58th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2001 · as Self - Nominee |
| 2001 | Anatomy of a Scene (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2000 | Altas Horas (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | The Guardian Interview with Willem Dafoe · as Self - Interviewee |
| 1997 | The Directors (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | HARDtalk (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | The Making of 'Speed 2: Cruise Control' · as Self |
| 1996 | Access Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Rosie O'Donnell Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | Whoever That Fails (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1995 | E! Live from the Red Carpet (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Inside the Actors Studio (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1993 | Madonna: The Name of the Game · as Self |
| 1992 | Blast 'Em · as Self |
| 1992 | HBO First Look (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | Fishing With John (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1991 | Movie Days (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 1991 | Charlie Rose (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1989 | The 61st Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1989 | The Arsenio Hall Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1988 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1987 | The 59th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1983 | Video Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Wogan (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | SAG Foundation Conversations (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | CBS Sunday Morning With Jane Pauley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1976 | Working in the Theatre (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1972 | ITV Lunchtime News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1965 | Tomorrow's World (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1957 | Zeit im Bild (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1953 | The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2025 | The Man in My Basement · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | Babenco: Tell Me When I Die · as Associate Producer |
| 1998 | New Rose Hotel · as Co-Producer |
| 2005 | Before It Had a Name · as Screenplay |