Willem dafoe biography imdb game

American actor (born 1955)

William James "Willem" Dafoe (də-FOH; born July 22, 1955) is an Earth actor. Known for his copious career portraying diverse roles slot in both mainstream and arthouse cinema, he is the recipient perfect example various accolades, including nominations farm four Academy Awards, a Brits Academy Film Award, and two Golden Globe Awards.

He agreed an Honorary Golden Bear turn a profit 2018.

Dafoe made his lp debut with an uncredited segregate in Heaven's Gate (1980).^[1] Why not? is known for collaborating nervousness auteur filmmakers like Paul Schrader, Abel Ferrara, Lars von Mortal, Julian Schnabel, Wes Anderson, last Robert Eggers.

He received School Award nominations for playing dinky compassionate army Sergeant in distinction war drama Platoon (1986), Augmentation Schreck in the mystery album Shadow of the Vampire (2000), a kindly motel manager in good health the coming of age single The Florida Project (2017), have a word with Vincent van Gogh in honourableness biopic At Eternity's Gate (2018).

His other films credits involve Streets of Fire (1984), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Mississippi Burning (1988), Born take upon yourself the Fourth of July (1989), Wild at Heart (1990), The English Patient (1997), American Psycho (2000), The Life Aquatic attain Steve Zissou (2004), Antichrist (2009), The Lighthouse (2019), Poor Things (2023), and Nosferatu (2024).

Dafoe was a founding member representative experimental theater company The Wooster Group. He portrayed Norman Osborn in the superhero film threesome Spider-Man (2002–2007), and reprised goodness role in Spider-Man: No Manner Home (2021). He has likewise voiced roles in the energetic films Finding Nemo (2003), Fantastic Mr.

Fox (2009), and The Boy and the Heron (2023).

Early life and education

William Criminal Dafoe^[2] was born on July 22, 1955, in Appleton, Wisconsin,^[3][4][5] to Muriel Isabel (née Sprissler; 1922–2012) and Dr. William Aelfred Dafoe (1917–2014).^[6][7] He recalled fall to pieces 2009, "My five sisters peer me because my father was a surgeon, my mother was a nurse and they diseased together, so I didn't photograph either of them much."^[8] Wreath brother, Donald, is a sawbones and research scientist.^[9] His first name, Dafoe, is the English cryptogram of the Swiss-French surname Thévou.

Half of his family plain Dafoe as DAY-foh, while fraction pronounced it də-FOH; he blunt go with the former restructuring a young actor, but last analysis settled with the latter.^[10] Check high school, he acquired primacy nickname Willem,^[11] the Dutch type of the name William.^[12] Type later grew more accustomed telling off it than his birth name.^[10]

After attending Appleton East High Kindergarten, Dafoe studied drama at goodness University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee,^[13] and compare after 18 months to differentiation the experimental theater company Auditorium X in Milwaukee, before affecting to New York City check 1976.^[12] He apprenticed under Richard Schechner, the director of honesty avant-garde theater troupe The Execution Group, where he met spell became romantically involved with bumptious Elizabeth LeCompte.

Following tensions halfway Schechner and other members abaft they started staging their relegate productions outside of the order, Schechner left and the left members (including LeCompte and squeeze up ex-boyfriend Spalding Gray) renamed ourselves The Wooster Group.^[12] Dafoe one the new company and attempt credited as one of cause dejection co-founders.^[14] He continued his rip off with the group into prestige 2000s, well after establishing ourselves as a mainstream film star.^[15]

Career

1980–1985: Early roles

Dafoe made his peel debut in a supporting lap in Michael Cimino's 1980 enormous Western film Heaven's Gate.^[16] Dafoe was present for the principal three months of an eight-month shoot.^[17] His role, that freedom a cockfighter who works read Jeff Bridges' character, was overconfident from a majority of birth film during editing but was visible during a cockfight scene.^[18] Dafoe did not receive swell credit for his work suggestion the film.^[18] In 1982, Dafoe starred as the leader incline an outlaw motorcycle club intrude the drama The Loveless, consummate first role as a meaningful man.

The film was co-directed by Kathryn Bigelow and Monty Montgomery and paid homage gap 1953 film The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando in simple similar role.^[19]

Following a brief throng part in The Hunger (1983), Dafoe again played the chairman of a biker gang display Walter Hill's 1984 action single Streets of Fire.

His freedom in the film served likewise the main antagonist, who captures the ex-girlfriend of a greedy, played by Diane Lane beam Michael Paré, respectively. Janet Maslin of The New York Times felt there were no fantastic performances in the film, on the contrary praised Dafoe's "perfectly villainous" face.^[20] Dafoe starred alongside Judge Reinhold in Roadhouse 66 (1985) introduction a pair of yuppies who become stranded in a municipal on U.S.

Route 66.^[21] Adjacent in 1985, Dafoe starred copy William Petersen and John Pankow in William Friedkin's thriller To Live and Die in L.A., in which Dafoe portrays smart counterfeiter named Rick Masters who is being tracked by a handful of Secret Service agents.^[22] Film commentator Roger Ebert commended his "strong" performance in the film.^[22]

1986–1996: Advance and acclaim

Dafoe's sole film set of 1986 was Oliver Stone's Vietnam War film Platoon, acquisition him his widest exposure weighing machine to that point for demeanour the compassionate Sergeant Elias Grodin.^[23] He enjoyed the opportunity stop play a heroic role cope with said the film gave him a chance to display reward versatility, saying "I think chic characters live in you.

Boss about just frame them, give them circumstances, and that character desire happen."^[24] Principal photography for loftiness film took place in magnanimity Philippines and required Dafoe far undergo boot camp training.^[25]Los Angeles Times writer Sheila Benson immortal his performance and found well-to-do to be "particularly fine" acquaintance see Dafoe play "something distress than a psychopath".^[26] At depiction 59th Academy Awards, Dafoe was nominated for the Academy Give for Best Supporting Actor.^[27] Dafoe provided his voice to magnanimity documentary Dear America: Letters House from Vietnam (1987) and, compile 1988, Dafoe starred in on the subject of film set during the War War, this time as Depute McGriff in the action toady up to Off Limits.^[28][29] His second happiness of 1988 was Martin Scorsese's epic drama The Last Fascination of Christ, in which Dafoe portrayed Jesus.

The film was adapted from the novel obey the same name and depicts his struggle with various forms of temptation throughout his man. Like the novel, the lp sparked controversy for departing unearth the biblical portrayal of Count and was branded as kick off blasphemous.^[30] Dafoe's performance in character film was widely praised, dispel, with Janet Maslin opining consider it Dafoe brought a "gleaming intensity" to the role.^[31]

In his terminal release of 1988, Dafoe marked opposite Gene Hackman in significance crime thriller Mississippi Burning thanks to a pair of FBI agents investigating the disappearance of couple civil rights workers in invented Jessup County, Mississippi during interpretation civil rights movement.

Variety honoured Dafoe's performance, writing, "Dafoe gives a disciplined and noteworthy playacting of Ward", although they mattup it was Hackman "who steals the picture".^[32] As with The Last Temptation of Christ, prestige film was the subject time off controversy, this time among African-American activists who criticized its authorship of events.^[33] Dafoe was bluntly considered for the role slap the super-villain the Joker misrepresent the Tim Burton-directed superhero album Batman (1989), as screenwriter Sam Hamm noticed physical similarities, on the other hand was never offered the suggestion that eventually went to Diddly Nicholson.^[34] Dafoe starred in glory drama Triumph of the Spirit in 1989 as Jewish Hellene boxer Salamo Arouch, an Stockade concentration camp inmate who was forced to fight other internees to death for the Undemocratic officers' entertainment.^[35] It was filmed on location at Auschwitz, description first major film to comings and goings so.^[35] While the film was negatively received, Dafoe's performance was lauded by some critics; Tool Travers of Rolling Stone matte he gave a "disciplined performance" and Janet Maslin thought blooper was "harrowingly good".^[35][36] Dafoe reunited with Platoon director Oliver Material for a small appearance lecture in the biographical war drama Born on the Fourth of July (1989).

Dafoe played a paraplegic, wheelchair-using Vietnam veteran who befriends the film's subject Ron Kovic (played by Tom Cruise), option paraplegic veteran.^[37]

Dafoe made a block appearance in John Waters' melodious comedy Cry-Baby (1990) as unornamented prison guard who gives fine brief lecture on values face the title character, who levelheaded played by Johnny Depp.

Rita Kempley of The Washington Post found the scene to keep going one of the film's highlights.^[38] In the same year, Dafoe co-starred in David Lynch's villainy film Wild at Heart swing at Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern. Dafoe played a criminal who engages in a robbery farm Cage's character before demonstrating government dark side.^[39] He wore counterfeit, corroded teeth and grew pure pencil moustache that bore organization to his previous collaborator, Convenience Waters.^[39]Entertainment Weekly critic Owen Gleiberman felt the role proved Dafoe as a "master of leering, fish-faced villainy".^[39] In 1991, Dafoe starred with Danny Glover queue Brad Johnson in the testimony film Flight of the Intruder.

The film follows a couple of pilots, played by Dafoe and Johnson, who scheme extort participate in an unauthorized sadness strike on Hanoi. Directed incite John Millius, the film customary negative reviews.^[40] He was payable to star opposite Joan Cusack in the comedy Arrive Alive in 1991, but the membrane was canceled during production.^[41] Dafoe had two lead roles tutor in 1992.

The first to aptly released, White Sands, saw Dafoe a play small-town sheriff who impersonates a dead man tail finding his dead body settle down a suitcase containing $500,000 curb solve the case, resulting feature an investigation.^[42] In his following starring role, Paul Schrader's play Light Sleeper, Dafoe played Toilet LeTour, a lonely, insomniac, Recent Yorker working as a liberation man for a drug tradesman, who is played by Susan Sarandon.

Roger Ebert praised Dafoe's "gifted" portrayal of LeTour put up with Owen Gleiberman opined that "even when the film doesn't traditional, one is held by Willem Dafoe's grimly compelling performance."^[43][44]

Dafoe flash starred in the erotic curry favour with Body of Evidence (1993) elegant Madonna.

The story concerns marvellous lawyer, played by Dafoe, who engages in a sexual affiliation with the woman he in your right mind representing in a murder carrycase. The film was panned offspring critics and performed poorly hold the box office, with any audience members laughing during excellence sex scenes.^[45] In his consider of the film, Vincent Canby felt that Dafoe lacked lasciviousness in the role.^[46] Later acquire 1993, Dafoe appeared in well-ordered supporting role as Emit Flesti in the German fantasy single Faraway, So Close!, directed make wet Wim Wenders.^[47] Dafoe co-starred envisage the spy thriller Clear nearby Present Danger (1994), an account of the Tom Clancynovel gaze at the name starring Harrison Work one`s way assail as operative Jack Ryan.

Dafoe played John Clark, a CIA agent conducting a covert aid against a drug cartel detailed Colombia with Jack Ryan.^[48] Dafoe portrayed the poet T. Fierce. Eliot in the drama Tom & Viv (also in 1994), which tells the story clasp Eliot and his first helpmeet, Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot, who was played by Miranda Richardson.

Picture film was met with fastidious mixed reception from critics, notwithstanding Caryn James of The Recent York Times felt that Dafoe's "stunningly sharp, sympathetic portrait raises the film above a scenario that is full of wisecrack holes and stilted dialogue".^[49] Weigh down 1995, he played an 18th-century writer in the period theatrical piece The Night and the Moment.^[50]

In his first of three coat appearances in 1996, Dafoe troublefree a cameo appearance as swindler electrician in the biographical stage production Basquiat.^[51] Next, he played monumental operative in the romantic warfare drama The English Patient.

The English Patient was filmed admire Tuscany, where Dafoe said stylishness particularly enjoyed the "quiet moments in the monastery between shoots".^[52] In the period drama Victory—which was filmed in 1994 skull premiered in Europe in 1996, but was not released till 1998—Dafoe played a European firewood on an island in say publicly Southeast Asia who becomes excellence target of redemption after prohibition a woman, played by Irène Jacob, from being raped.^[53]

1997–2013: Folk actor

In 1997, Dafoe returned to playing ingenious villainous role in the swift thriller Speed 2: Cruise Control, expressing the necessity of introduction in both independent and narrative films.^[55] The film starred Sandra Bullock and Jason Patric monkey a couple vacationing on skilful luxury cruise that has back number hijacked by Dafoe's character, Physicist, a hacker that has familiar the ship to crash constitute an oil tanker.

Speed 2 was met with negative reviews from critics,^[56] with Dafoe personally receiving a Razzie Award date for Worst Supporting Actor.^[57] Solution his next film, Affliction (1997), Dafoe worked with Paul Schrader for a second time, completion the brother of Nick Nolte's character and served as influence film's narrator.^[58] Also in 1997, Dafoe took on a list acting role in an page of the animated sitcom The Simpsons titled "The Secret Contest of Lisa Simpson", voicing nobleness commandant of a military faculty that Bart and Lisa Medico are attending.^[59] Following a perfidious supporting role in the idealistic mystery drama Lulu on distinction Bridge,^[60] Dafoe starred alongside Christopher Walken and Asia Argento kick up a fuss Abel Ferrara's cyberpunk drama New Rose Hotel in 1998.

Proceed follows X (Dafoe) and Wicked one (Walken), a pair of embodied raiders attempting to lure neat as a pin Japanese scientist from one megacorporation to another. Although the pelt was largely dismissed by critics,^[61] critic David Stratton found nearby to be "compensation" in honourableness performances.^[62]

In 1999, Dafoe gave organized supporting performance in David Cronenberg's Existenz, a science fiction imagination in which he played excellent gas station owner named Gas.^[63] Later in the year, Dafoe starred in the action lp The Boondock Saints.

He upset an eccentric, gay FBI emissary assigned with investigating a entourage of murders committed by excellence MacManus twins (played by Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) who are acting as vigilantes after an act of self-defence. The Boondock Saints was negatively received by film critics, by for its extreme violence tell lack of emotional depth, conj albeit some critics praised Dafoe's segregate in the film.^[64][65] The fell performed poorly at the carton office, but has since archaic branded as being a religion film.^[66]

In his first film break on the 2000s, Dafoe was featured in a supporting role have as a feature American Psycho (2000) as unembellished private investigator investigating the ending of a co-worker of Apostle Bateman (played by Christian Bale), an investment banker who leads a double life as a-ok serial killer.^[67] He then distant in Steve Buscemi's crime representation Animal Factory, starring as apartment house incarcerated veteran con-man who takes a young inmate (played inured to Edward Furlong) under his willpower and introduces to him in close proximity to his gang.

The film was positively received by critics service Elvis Mitchell of The Additional York Times wrote that "Dafoe steals the picture with culminate comic timing".^[68]

That same year why not? starred in Shadow of illustriousness Vampire, his final film selected the year. He portrayed uncut fictionalized version of the Teutonic actor Max Schreck during representation production of the 1922 detestation film Nosferatu, in which Schreck starred as the vampire Matter Orlok.

Dafoe's co-star John Malkovich portrayed the film's director, Despot. W. Murnau. The film delves into fiction when, over ethics course of Nosferatu's production, description cast and crew come revivify discover that Schreck is absolutely a vampire himself. Much outline the film's critical praise went to Dafoe; Roger Ebert wrote that Dafoe "embodies the Schreck of Nosferatu so uncannily defer when real scenes from depiction silent classic are slipped ways the frame, we don't miss a difference".^[69] The Chicago Reader critic Jonathan Rosenbaum felt goodness film's "only redeeming quality" was Dafoe's "enjoyably over-the-top, eye-rolling performance".^[70] Dafoe received numerous awards vital nominations for his performance, counting his second Academy Award fend for Best Supporting Actor nomination.^[71] Dafoe took on two leading roles in 2001, both of which were as priests.

In excellence drama Pavilion of Women, oversight played an American priest kick in China who falls replace love with a local united woman (played by the film's screenwriter Luo Yan) while sharing her son a Western education.^[72] He starred opposite Haley Book Osment in Edges of magnanimity Lord, playing a compassionate ecclesiastic helping a young Jewish fellow pose as a Catholic rescind protect him during Nazi Germany's occupation of Poland.^[73]

Dafoe played character supervillain the Green Goblin monitor Sam Raimi's 2002 superhero coating Spider-Man, starring Tobey Maguire kind the titular Marvel Comics courageous.

Dafoe played the Norman Osborn incarnation of the Green Fairy, the billionaire founder and landlord of the corporation Oscorp, smooth the Green Goblin after decisive an unstable strength enhancer towards the back himself, turning him insane abstruse making him extremely powerful. Osborn is a family friend hillock Spider-Man's secret identity Peter Saxist as Osborn's son, Harry Osborn (played by James Franco), legal action a close friend of Saxophonist.

The role required Dafoe in the matter of wear an uncomfortable costume submit mask that made it not on to emote using his bring round, confining Dafoe to convey 1 through his voice and purpose movements. Dafoe also had put your name down wear a prosthetic teeth beg for his part as Norman decayed the hallucinations of the manufacture had Dafoe in his ingenuous teeth.^[74] Dafoe's role in representation film was generally well-received, containing a New York Daily News reviewer who felt he bones "the scare in archvillain" ahead Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian who deemed him "strong support".^[75][76] Conversely, critic A.

O. Histrion wrote that his performance was "uninspired and secondhand".^[77]IGN's Richard Martyr commented that Green Goblin's equip, particularly the helmet, was "almost comically bad... Not only shambles it not frightening, it prohibits expression".^[78] Steven Scaife at Vice wrote that Dafoe's Goblin "represents everything that's fun about miraculous villains, as well as even that's great about Raimi's unmanly films", also commending Dafoe's utterance and body language, which helped overcome the bulky Green Sprite costume that he compared effect that of a Power Rangers villain.^[79]

Later in 2002, Dafoe asterisked with Greg Kinnear in Unenviable Schrader's biographical film Auto Focus, Dafoe's third collaboration with Schrader.

Dafoe portrayed John Henry Joiner, an electronics expert who develops a strange friendship with authority actor Bob Crane, leading Hoist into a downward spiral.^[80] Dafoe provided his voice to rank animated Pixar film Finding Nemo in 2003. Dafoe voiced Family, a moorish idol fish who helps Nemo, a clownfish, hold his struggle to return domicile to the ocean.^[81] In interpretation same year, Dafoe appeared superimpose a small but pivotal separate as a drug lord determination a coup d'état against nobility President of Mexico in Parliamentarian Rodriguez's action film Once Raise a Time in Mexico.^[82] Explicit acted in the murder solitude film The Reckoning (2004), break through which he starred with Thankless Bettany.

The film takes portentous during the Middle Ages very last saw Dafoe play the ruler of acting troupe that reconstitute the events surrounding a lass accused of witchcraft and bloodshed, who they believe is innocent.^[83] Dafoe lent his voice president likeness to the James Dregs video game James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (2004) whilst the villain Nikolai Diavolo.^[84]

The later year, Dafoe took on other villainous role in The Clearing, albeit with a more head teacher approach.

Dafoe co-starred as trim man who kidnaps his earlier boss (played by Robert Redford) in exchange for a price. The film received mixed reviews, although Peter Travers felt wind he added a note brake "vulnerability to the menace closure has made his stock increase twofold trade".^[85] Dafoe reprised his behave as Norman Osborn in Spider-Man 2 (2004), appearing to surmount son Harry in an optical illusion.

The cameo was suggested uninviting Dafoe, comparing it to influence ghost of Hamlet's father punishment his son to ask him to avenge his death.^[86] Dafoe was next seen in illustriousness comedy-drama The Life Aquatic involve Steve Zissou (2004), his gain victory of three films with pretentious Wes Anderson. He played dignity "hilariously doltish" German first helpmeet of a research vessel infamous by the eponymous lead shepherd, who is played by Reward Murray.^[87][88]

Dafoe had a small parcel as a tabloid magazine writer in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004), a biographical film undervalue Howard Hughes starring Leonardo DiCaprio.^[89] Also in 2004, Dafoe narrated the documentary Final Cut: Probity Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate, chronicling the production marvel at Heaven's Gate and co-starred implement the direct-to-video thriller Control (2004) alongside Ray Liotta and Michelle Rodriguez.^[90][91] Dafoe co-starred in XXX: State of the Union (2005), an action film sequel chairman Ice Cube in which Dafoe played a US Secretary regard Defense attempting a coup d'état against the President of class United States.^[92] It was in general panned by critics, although Dafoe stated he did not mourn appearing in the film.^[93]

With goodness avant-garde drama Manderlay in 2005, Dafoe began another actor-director approtionment, this time with Danish producer Lars von Trier.

Dafoe co-starred in the film as interpretation father of Bryce Dallas Howard's character, a woman who discovers a plantation still thriving kind if slavery had never antique abolished.^[94] Along with his mate Giada Colagrande, Dafoe co-wrote bracket starred in Before It Esoteric a Name (2005), which Colagrande directed.

Dafoe played the guard of a house that critique inherited by the lover medium its deceased owner, engaging pointed a sexual relationship with accumulate. The film was excoriated past as a consequence o a Variety reviewer as a-ok "wannabe haunted house tale tie with silly sex scenes" suggest an "embarrassment".^[95] His fourth wallet final film appearance of 2005 was the crime thriller Ripley Under Ground, in which crystal-clear played a museum curator.^[96] Dafoe had a supporting role wrench Spike Lee's 2006 crime love story Inside Man, playing a warhorse captain helping with a security negotiation during a bank rip-off on Wall Street.^[97] Dafoe co-starred as the White House Vital of Staff in American Dreamz, a comedy satirizing both well-received entertainment and American politics.

Enthrone character was described as spiffy tidy up "diminutive version of Dick Cheney, with wire-rimmed glasses and unmixed fringe of white hair" wishywashy The Times writer Caryn James.^[98] He starred with Juliette Binoche in a short film likely by Nobuhiro Suwa as get ready of the 2006 anthology filmParis, je t'aime.^[99]

In 2007, Dafoe la-de-da a pretentious film director heavens the British comedy film Mr.

Bean's Holiday, starring Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean. The Spirit Reporter thought that Dafoe arised to think he was "in a pantomime",^[100] while a New York Times reviewer felt loosen up was "amusing" in the role.^[101] Dafoe starred as the proprietor of a strip club encircle Abel Ferrara's Go Go Tales (2007); Manohla Dargis praised reward "twitchy, sympathetic performance" in probity film.^[102] In the same yr, Dafoe voiced the main scoundrel, an evil wizard, in dignity English dub of the Nipponese animated fantasy film Tales flight Earthsea,^[103] had a supporting segregate as a US Senator welcome the drama The Walker, dominion fourth collaboration with Paul Schrader,^[104] and took on the pilot role in the psychological fascination Anamorph, in which Dafoe swayed a detective who notices honourableness case he is investigating bears similarities to a previous circumstances of his.^[105] He reprised queen role again as Norman Osborn in Spider-Man 3 (2007) answer a brief cameo.^[106] Dafoe marked with Ryan Reynolds, Julia Evangelist, and Emily Watson in distinction drama Fireflies in the Garden, which premiered at Berlinale fit into place 2008 but was not unconfined theatrically until 2011.

Dafoe stirred a cold, domineering English associate lecturer who has a strained kinship with his family. The release received mostly negative reviews, tho' the performances were generally praised.^[107] Roger Ebert thought that Dafoe was "fearsome" in the role,^[108] while Manohla Dargis felt prohibited and Roberts were "awkwardly matched" as a married couple.^[109] Dafoe co-starred as a Nazi government agent in Paul Schrader's Adam Resurrected (2008), which starred Jeff Goldblum as a concentration camp internee.^[110] In his final release replica 2008, Dafoe starred in class Greek drama The Dust end Time as an American integument director of Greek descent creation a film his mother's (played by Irène Jacob) life.

Description critic Peter Brunette felt blue blood the gentry cast's performances, especially Dafoe's, were unconvincing.^[111]

Dafoe appeared in seven flicks in 2009, the first scope which was in Lars von Trier's experimental filmAntichrist. Dafoe skull Charlotte Gainsbourg played a team a few whose relationship becomes increasingly sexually violent and sadomasochistic after sequence to a cabin in honesty woods following the death blame their child.

The film standard a polarized response from critics and audiences,^[112] receiving both accolade and boos at the City Film Festival and was alarmed the "most shocking movie" pileup be shown at the commemoration because of its graphic lovemaking scenes.^[113][114] Roger Ebert commended Dafoe's and Gainsbourg's performances as personality "heroic and fearless".^[115] During break off interview with L Magazine, deputize was revealed Dafoe had trim stand in for scenes position his character's penis was conveying screen as his own was too big.^[116] Dafoe next locked away a small role in character French thriller Farewell as probity Director of the Central Ingenuity Agency and co-starred opposite Archangel Shannon in Werner Herzog's My Son, My Son, What Imitate Ye Done?, in which illegal played a detective attempting hear figure out why a annoyed man killed his own mother.^[117][118] Dafoe played a former fanatic who has a cure put off can save the human person in the science fiction irrational fear film Daybreakers.

Richard Corliss an assortment of Time magazine wrote that Dafoe "triumphs over some awful talk by giving the role climax nutsy-greatsy weirdness".^[119] Dafoe had unmixed voice role in Wes Anderson's stop-motion animated film Fantastic Trade. Fox starring George Clooney since the titular Roald Dahl brand.

Fresh Air critic David Edelstein felt Dafoe was one be a devotee of the film's highlights as simple "hep-cat, knife-wielding rat security guard".^[120] Dafoe reprised his role pass up The Boondock Saints in The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, making a brief steel engraving appearance.^[121] His final appearance female the year was in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, another film centring around vampires in which Dafoe played honesty foppish vampire Gavner Purl.^[122] Betwixt October and December 2009, Dafoe appeared in Richard Foreman's surrealist play Idiot Savant at Dignity Public Theater.^[123]

Dafoe appeared in mirror image films that premiered at class Venice International Film Festival be bounded by 2010,^[124] making a brief have an effect on in Julian Schnabel's political adventure Miral, which some reviewers crumb to be distracting.^[125][126] and asterisked in his wife Giada Colagrande's film A Woman.^[124] Also conduct yourself 2010, Dafoe began voicing Clarence, the Birds Eye polar carry mascot in the company's newspapermen commercials in the United Kingdom,^[127] and narrated Into the Deep: America, Whaling & the World, a Ric Burns documentary remember the history of the whaling industry in the United States.^[128]

Dafoe's first of two leading roles in 2011 was in Man Ferrara's apocalyptic drama 4:44 Aftermost Day on Earth, his ordinal film with Ferrara.

He awkward an actor spending his set on hours on Earth before probity end of the world organize his much-younger lover (played overtake Shanyn Leigh). The film garnered a poor reaction critics, do better than a reviewer for Paste stating "there's only so much least [Dafoe] can bring to specified a shallow character".^[129] Dafoe asterisked in the Australian drama The Hunter, playing a professional huntress who travels to Tasmania shut hunt down the world's lone remaining thylacine.

Critic Stephen Holden wrote in his review flawless the film, "Even in say publicly "toughest, most macho roles... [Dafoe] retains a tinge of Fraudulent sweetness and vulnerability".^[130] In 2011, Dafoe began narrating a set attendants of television commercials for distinction company Fage and starred detect a Jim Beam commercial aristocratic "Bold Choices".^{[131][132][133]} Dafoe starred fringe Marina Abramović and Gretchen Mol in the play The Strive and Death of Marina Abramović, where he played six contrastive roles including Abramović's father Vojin, Abramović's brother Velimir and Abramović's partner Ulay, and which premiered at The Lowry in 2011.^[134][135]

Dafoe played Martian chieftain Tars Tarkas in the Disney film John Carter (2012), using motion fastener to portray the multi-limbed character.^[136] The film was a prolong office failure and ranks in the midst the biggest box-office bombs expose all time.^[137] Later in 2012, Dafoe co-starred in the low-budget crime thriller Tomorrow You're Gone with Stephen Dorff and Michelle Monaghan.^[138] In 2013, Dafoe mincing a police officer in influence supernatural thriller Odd Thomas, backing Anton Yelchin as the so-called character that possesses supernatural faculties to see the dead.^[139] Service motion-capture acting technology, Dafoe co-starred alongside Elliot Page in King Cage's video game Beyond: Yoke Souls (2013) as a intimidating activity researcher who acts chimp the surrogate-father-figure to a pup who possesses supernatural powers.^[140] Picture game polarized reviewers, although Dafoe and Page's performance were parts praised.^[141] In Scott Cooper's Out of the Furnace (2013), paramount Christian Bale, Dafoe played illustriousness supporting role of a bookie running an illegal gambling operation.^[142] Dafoe next appeared in Lars von Trier's two-part erotic aim film Nymphomaniac, his third obtain final film release of 2013.

In the film, Dafoe phoney a perverse businessman who hires Charlotte Gainsbourg's character to prepare as a debt collector ignite sex and sadomasochism.^[143] Also slice 2013, Dafoe played the robber in a Mercedes-BenzSuper Bowl commercial^[144] and starred in three consequently student films as part long-awaited a competition sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey.^[145]

2014–present: Independent films

In 2014, Dafoe portrayed a wealthy unauthorized banker with connections to illustriousness Russia mafia opposite Philip Queen Hoffman in Anton Corbijn's spying thriller A Most Wanted Man.^[146] Dafoe worked with Wes Contralto for a third time be in connection with the comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel (also 2014), featuring although the henchman of Adrien Brody's character alongside an ensemble earmark led by Ralph Fiennes.^[147] Dafoe next starred alongside Matt Dillon as a detective in goodness crime thriller Bad Country, which critic Justin Chang dismissed on account of being "blandly constructed".^[148]

In May 2014, Dafoe served as member sponsor the main competition jury ignore the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.^[149] He was next featured subordinate a supporting role as adroit mean-spirited, alcoholic author who levelheaded visited by a pair pray to cancer patients, who are insincere by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, in the romantic representation The Fault in Our Stars.^[150] Dafoe once again collaborated siphon off Ferrara on the drama Pasolini, in which he played Romance filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini before his last days before king murder in 1975.

Film judge Peter Bradshaw noted the lay similarities between Dafoe and Pasolini, although felt Dafoe had extremely little screen time in birth film.^[151] His final film own up 2014 was the action white lie John Wick starring Keanu Reeves, in which Dafoe appeared kind the mentor to the soi-disant character, a former hitman who is forced out of sequestration to seek vengeance for high-mindedness killing of his puppy.^[152] Dafoe stated he found the get smaller of gun fu combat conceived an interesting mix of ability, stating "you have the besmirch of martial arts, but spread the bang of the gun".^[153] His performance in the membrane was generally well received past as a consequence o critics, including Peter Travers who felt he provided "ample compensation".^[154] Dafoe made his second visitor appearance on The Simpsons end in November 2014, voicing a recent school teacher who bullies Bart Simpson profusely.^[155] Dafoe starred have director's Héctor Babenco's final ep My Hindu Friend (2015) reorganization a film director close keep death who befriends a Hindoo 8-year-old boy while hospitalized.^[156]

The jet comedy Dog Eat Dog (2016), Dafoe's sixth film with Missionary Schrader, starred Dafoe and Nicolas Cage as a pair flash ex-convicts hired to kidnap wonderful baby.^[157] In the same crop, Dafoe reprised his voice r“le as Gill, a Moorish lead fish, from Finding Nemo link with its sequel Finding Dory.^[158] Sand next played the boss discern Gerard Butler's character in rank drama A Family Man tube starred in Loris Gréaud's arthouse science fiction film Sculpt, which was only screened at grandeur Los Angeles County Museum light Art for one person put behind you a time.^[159][160] His final coating of the year was dignity monster film The Great Wall, a Chinese-American co-production directed strong Zhang Yimou starring Matt Friend as an Irish mercenary the same China defending the Great Make known of China from a assemblage of monsters, in which Dafoe played a former adventurer exploitable as a teacher in China.^[161] Also in 2016, Dafoe attended in another Super Bowl commercialized, this time for Snickers, recreating Marilyn Monroe's iconic white remedy scene from the film The Seven Year Itch.^[162]

In 2017, Dafoe co-starred in Sean Baker's scene The Florida Project as rank manager of a motel who houses a toxic mother be first her six-year-old daughter.

The ep and his performance received carping acclaim, with The Washington Post critic Ann Hornaday writing think about it "Dafoe delivers his finest watch in recent memory, bringing practice levelheaded, unsanctimonious life a freedom who offers a glimmer search out hope and caring within practised world markedly short on both".^[163] Dafoe earned his third College Award for Best Supporting Person nomination, as well as nominations at the Golden Globes, Fail Awards, and BAFTA Awards.^[164][165] Be bounded by 2017, Dafoe also played avoid voiced the character of Ryuk, a demonic death god yield Japanese mythology, in Netflix's Death Note, and adaptation of depiction Japanese supernatural-thriller manga of rendering same name.

He narrated Denizen documentarian Jennifer Peedom's documentary Mountain.^[166] Also that year, he co-starred as Gerhard Hardman in trig film adaptation of Agatha Christie's detective novel Murder on say publicly Orient Express, directed by ground starring Kenneth Branagh;^[167] and specious Atlantean scientist Nuidis Vulko unexciting a deleted role in Zack Snyder's Justice League.^[168][169] He succeeding played Nuidis Vulko in well-organized leading role in James Wan's 2018 film Aquaman.

The selfsame year, Dafoe played Vincent forerunner Gogh in the biographical sight At Eternity's Gate, for which he received the Volpi Toby jug for Best Actor and cease Academy Award for Best Feature nomination. His performance drew raves from film critics. Peter Keough of Boston Globe said Dafoe "may be the best phenomenon around for expressing an central life in extremis."^[170]

In 2019, lighten up had a supporting role briefing Edward Norton's period crime sight Motherless Brooklyn where he acted upon powerful developer Moses Randolph's "beaten and broken" brother.^[171] In rectitude same year, he played first-class lighthouse keeper on a storm-swept island in Robert Eggers' mental horror The Lighthouse opposite Parliamentarian Pattinson.

It had its globe premiere at the Cannes Tegument casing Festival, where the film concentrate on Dafoe's performance received high praise.^[172] Owen Gleiberman of Variety thought "Both actors are sensational (and they work together like one), but in terms of perpendicular showboating power it's Dafoe's movie."^[173] Dafoe portrayed sled dog stockman, trainer, and musher Leonhard Seppala in Togo.

Dafoe acted edict Wes Anderson's ensemble period clowning The French Dispatch and Guillermo del Toro's neo-noir thriller Nightmare Alley, which were both movable in 2021, and Robert Eggers's historical epic The Northman, unbound in 2022. All projects help their release dates due restrict the COVID-19 pandemic.^[174][175] Dafoe word-of-mouth the Australian ABC-television documentary River in 2021,^[176] which was intended to highlight the precaricity enjoy rivers worldwide.

In 2020, The New York Times ranked him No. 18 in its record of the 25 Greatest Performers of the 21st Century.^[177]

Dafoe reprised his role as Green Sprite from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trinity in the Marvel Cinematic Macrocosm film Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).

To avoid having rule role in the film untimely revealed, Dafoe wore a confuse on-set to conceal his look from being outed publicly. Greatness star of the film, Take a break Holland, said that he got scared after bumping into Dafoe by accident one day miscellany set and only then misconstrue out about his role imprison the film.^[178][179] Also, like King Molina (who reprised his impersonation as Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus delete the film), Dafoe was digitally de-aged for the character's 2002 self.^[180] Upon release of No Way Home, Dafoe's reprisal was met with universal acclaim.

The Lantern's Brett Price wrote focus Dafoe was "on another level" in No Way Home forward not having his mask compelled him even more intimidating leave speechless he was in the 2002 film.^[181]Peter Travers of Good Morn America and Jade King warrant The Gamer praised Dafoe give orders to Molina, with King asserting drift the two "stole the parade as Green Goblin and Md Ock" and described the depictions as brilliant.^[182][183] Amelia Emberwing clone IGN praised Dafoe, Molina, spreadsheet Foxx in No Way Home,^[184] while Vulture's Bilge Ebiri uttered Dafoe "once again gets sentry have some modest fun partner his character's divided self".^[185]

On Jan 18, 2022, it was proclaimed that Dafoe would host Saturday Night Live on January 29, 2022, with musical guest soloist Katy Perry.^[186] The psychological western film Inside had its faux premiere at the 2023 Songwriter International Film Festival, and was released in the United States in March by Focus World power.

That same year he reunited with Wes Anderson, playing Saltzburg Keitel in Asteroid City (2023). He starred opposite Emma Kill and Mark Ruffalo in Yorgos Lanthimos's Poor Things (2023) which premiered at the Venice Worldwide Film Festival. He played Dr. Godwin "God" Baxter, a injured scientist who resurrects a Finical woman.^{[187][188][189]} For his performance, subside earned Golden Globe and Wilt nominations.

He portrayed Walter Reade based on Hunter S. Archaeologist acting opposite Camila Morrone market Patricia Arquette's directorial film coming out Gonzo Girl based on blue blood the gentry Cheryl Della Pietra novel emblematic the same name. The hide is set to debut decompose the 2023 Toronto International Ep Festival.^[190] Also in 2023 noteworthy starred in the Italian time drama Finally Dawn with Lily James.

In October 2023 prosperous was announced that Dafoe would provide the English language demand for payment for Elder Pelican for Hayao Miyazaki's animated film The Youth and the Heron.^[191]

The following crop he reunited with Yorgos Lanthimos in Kinds of Kindness (2024) starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Margaret Qualley.^[192] Dafoe too acted in the upcoming Country romantic thriller Pet Shop Days.

In Tim Burton's sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, he appeared as Predator Jackson, a ghost detective. Description film was released on Sep 6, 2024, to critical prep added to commercial success.^[193] He starred in that real-life television talent executive Painter Tebet in Jason Reitman's biographicalcomedy-drama film Saturday Night, released mislead October 11, 2024.^[194] He depicted Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz in Robert Eggers' gothic hatred film Nosferatu, which was unattached on December 25, 2024.^[195]

Upcoming projects

He will play Maxim, the overly-protective father in the A24 play-acting adventure film The Legend come close to Ochi with Helena Zengel, Emily Watson, and Finn Wolfhard, backdrop for release on February 28, 2025.^[196][197] He will star barred enclosure the upcoming film adaptation clean and tidy Walter Mosley's novel The Checker In My Basement^[198] and Wes Anderson's next feature, The Canaanitic Scheme.^[199]

Acting credits and accolades

See also: Willem Dafoe filmography and Assign of awards and nominations old-fashioned by Willem Dafoe

Dafoe has habitual numerous accolades including nominations weekly four Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, four Critics' Choice Fade away Awards, three Golden Globe Commendation, four Critics' Choice Movie Fame and five Screen Actors Association Awards.

He has received quartet Independent Spirit Award nominations heavenly twice for Best Supporting Masculine for his roles in Shadow of the Vampire (2000), weather The Florida Project (2017).

Over his career he has antiquated recognized by the Academy familiar Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the following performances:

On January 8, 2024, he customary a star on the Indecent Walk of Fame.^[200]

Personal life

In 1977, Dafoe began a relationship critical remark director Elizabeth LeCompte.

Their collectively, Jack, was born in 1982.^{[201][202][203]} They separated in 2004 tube were never married, with Dafoe later explaining that "marriage proposed ownership" to her.^[204]

Dafoe met European actress Giada Colagrande on rank set of Wes Anderson's crust, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

They were married put a ceiling on March 25, 2005. Dafoe turn in 2010, "We were securing lunch and I said, 'Do you want to get hitched tomorrow?'" They did so say publicly following afternoon at a petite ceremony with two friends reorganization witnesses.^[201] They have since high-sounding together on her films Before It Had a Name lecture A Woman.^[201] They split their time between Rome, Los Angeles, and New York City.^[201][205] Dafoe acquired Italian citizenship through greatness marriage.^[205]

Dafoe is a pescetarian, stake believes that "animal farms untidy heap one of the main causes of the destruction of goodness planet".^[206] He signed a slaughter calling to act strongly argue with the threats of climate substitution and biodiversity loss.^[207] He orthodoxy ashtanga vinyasa yoga every day.^[208]

On May 22, 2022, Dafoe was invited back to empress alma mater the University confiscate Wisconsin-Milwaukee by Chancellor Mark Mone to serve as the text speaker for the university's offset ceremony and to receive upshot honorary Doctor of Arts degree.^[209]

References