Dafoe, Willem

William James "Willem" Dafoe ( də-FOH; 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 a Volpi Cup Award for Best Actor, with nominations for four Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and four Golden Globe Awards. He received an Honorary Golden Bear in 2018. Born in Appleton, Wisconsin, Dafoe made his film debut with an uncredited role in Heaven's Gate (1980). He is known for collaborating with both mainstream and auteur filmmakers such as Paul Schrader, Abel Ferrara, Lars von Trier, Julian Schnabel, Wes Anderson, and Robert Eggers. He received Academy Award nominations for playing a compassionate army sergeant in the war drama Platoon (1986), Max Schreck in the mystery film Shadow of the Vampire (2000), a kindly motel manager in the coming of age film The Florida Project (2017), and Vincent van Gogh in the biopic At Eternity's Gate (2018). He portrayed Jesus Christ in Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Norman Osborn in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy (2002–2007), reprising the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). He has also voiced roles in the animated films Finding Nemo (2003) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). His other films credits include To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Mississippi Burning (1988), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Wild at Heart (1990), Light Sleeper (1992), The English Patient (1996), The Boondock Saints (1999), American Psycho (2000), Animal Factory (2000), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Inside Man (2006), Antichrist (2009), The Hunter (2011), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), John Wick (2014), Aquaman (2018), The Lighthouse (2019), Togo (2019), Poor Things (2023), and Nosferatu (2024). A lifelong performer in experimental theatre, Dafoe founded the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group in 1975.