
Willem Dafoe
Biography
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).
Acting (205 movies)

Finding Nemo
2003

Inside Man
2006

The English Patient
1996

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
2004

Wild at Heart
1990

Basquiat
1996

Spider-Man
2002

Spider-Man 3
2007

Spider-Man 2
2004

Mr. Bean's Holiday
2007

American Psycho
2000

Once Upon a Time in Mexico
2003

Body of Evidence
1993

Mississippi Burning
1988

Speed 2: Cruise Control
1997

Pet Shop Days
2025

Paris Je T'aime
2006

Fantastic Mr. Fox
2009

eXistenZ
1999

Manderlay
2005

Born on the Fourth of July
1989

The Clearing
2004

Faraway, So Close!
1993

Heaven's Gate
1980

Shadow of the Vampire
2000

The Last Temptation of Christ
1988

Asteroid City
2023

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
2009

New Rose Hotel
1999

xXx: State of the Union
2005

Fireflies in the Garden
2008

The Boondock Saints
1999

The Hunger
1983

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
2009

Affliction
1997

Cry-Baby
1990

American Dreamz
2006

The Reckoning
2004

Clear and Present Danger
1994

Animal Factory
2000

The Walker
2007

Control
2004

To Live and Die in L.A.
1985

The Legend of Ochi
2025

Farewell
2009

Auto Focus
2002

Anamorph
2007

Light Sleeper
1992

The Loveless
1984

Streets of Fire
1984

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam
1987

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
2010

Bullfighter
2000

Off Limits
1988

Miral
2010

Victory
1996

Ripley Under Ground
2005

Antichrist
2009

Tom & Viv
1994

Edges of the Lord
2001

Adam Resurrected
2008

John Carter
2012

Flight of the Intruder
1991

White Sands
1992

Daybreakers
2010

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
2024

Brothers in Arms
2018

Before It Had a Name
2005

The Dust of Time
2008

Go Go Tales
2007

Pavilion of Women
2001

The Hunter
2011

Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle
1999

4:44 Last Day on Earth
2012

The Grand Budapest Hotel
2014

Tomorrow You're Gone
2012

Roadhouse 66
1984

A Woman
2010

Inside
2023

A Most Wanted Man
2014

The Night and the Moment
1995

Out of the Furnace
2013

The Wild One
2023

John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry
2015

Don't F*#% With John Wick
2015

Why Are We (Not) Creative?
2021

The Smile Man
2013

Matthew Gray Gubler's Life Aquatic Intern Journal
2005

Il coraggio di essere Franco
2022

Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home
2022

Odd Thomas
2013

The Fault in Our Stars
2014

Rockets Redglare!
2003

John Wick
2014

Nymphomaniac: Vol. II
2013

Finding Satoshi
2022

Bad Country
2014

The Aviator
2004

Gonzo Girl
2023

Pasolini
2014
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Before It Had a Name | 2005 | Screenplay |
| The Man in My Basement | 2025 | Executive Producer |