DAFOE, Willem 1955–

PERSONAL

Original name, William Dafoe, Jr.; born July 22, 1955, in Appleton, WI; son of William Dafoe (a surgeon); mother, a nurse; children: (with Elizabeth LeCompte, a theatre company director) Jack. Education: Attended University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Avocational Interests: Yoga.

Addresses: Agent—Michelle Bohan, William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Manager—Artists Independent Network, 270 Lafayette St., Suite 402, New York, NY 10012. Publicist—I/D Public Relations, 8409 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069.

Career: Actor, voice performer, and producer. Theatre X (experimental theatre group), Milwaukee, WI, performed on tour in the United States and Europe, 1975–76; Performance Group, New York City, member of company; Wooster Group, New York City, founding member of company, 1977—. Appeared in print advertisements and voice artist for commercials. Appeared in merchandise from the Spider–Man films.

Awards, Honors: Academy Award nomination and Independent Spirit Award nomination, both best supporting actor, 1987, for Platoon; Independent Spirit Award nomination, best supporting actor, 1991, for Wild at Heart; Sant Jordi Award, best foreign actor, 1995, for Light Sleeper; Screen Actors Guild Award nomination (with others), outstanding performance by a cast, 1997, for The English Patient; Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award and Phoenix Film Critics Society Award, both best supporting actor, President Award, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, outstanding creative performance, and Gran Angular Award, Catalonian International Film Festival, best actor, all 2000, Independent Spirit Award, best supporting actor, Golden Satellite Award, International Press Academy, best performance by a supporting actor in a comedy or musical, International Fantasy Film Award, Fantasporto, best actor, Saturn Award, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, best supporting actor in a motion picture, all 2001, Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe Award nomination, Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, Chicago Film Critics Association Award nomination, and Online Film Critics Society Award nomination, all best supporting actor, all 2001, all for Shadow of the Vampire; Camerimage Special Award, "immense contribution to the art of the film," 2002; Chicago Film Critics Association Award nomination, best supporting actor, 2003, for Auto Focus; MTV Movie Award nomination, best villain, 2003, for Spider–Man; Mexican MTV Movie Award nomination, "most divine miracle in a movie," 2004, for The Last Temptation of Christ.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

(Uncredited) Extra, Heaven's Gate (also known as Johnson County Wars), United Artists, 1981.

Vance, The Loveless (also known as Breakdown), Mainline Releasing, 1982.

Second youth in phone booth, The Hunger, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1983.

Johnny Harte, Roadhouse 66, Atlantic, 1984.

Punk boyfriend, New York Nights, Bedford Entertainment, 1984.

Raven Shaddock, Streets of Fire, Universal/RKO Radio Pictures, 1984.

Himself, The Communists Are Comfortable (and Three Other Stories), 1984.

Eric "Rick" Masters, To Live and Die in L.A., Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1985.

O Panama, 1985.

Sergeant Elias Grodin, Platoon, Orion, 1986.

Agent Ward, Mississippi Burning, Orion, 1988.

Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), The Last Temptation of Christ, Universal, 1988.

Sergeant first class Buck McGriff, Off Limits (also known as Saigon), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1988.

Charlie, Born on the Fourth of July, Universal, 1989.

Salamo Arouch, Triumph of the Spirit, Triumph, 1989.

Bobby Peru, Wild at Heart (also known as David Lynch's Wild at Heart), Samuel Goldwyn, 1990.

Hateful guard, Cry–Baby, Universal, 1990.

Himself, The Making of "Triumph of the Spirit," 1990.

Lieutenant commander Virgil "Tiger" Cole, Flight of the Intruder, Paramount, 1991.

Deputy sheriff Ray Dolezal, White Sands, Warner Bros., 1992.

John LeTour, Light Sleeper, Fine Line, 1992.

Himself, North on Evers, 1992.

Emit Flesti, Faraway, So Close! (also known as In weiter Ferne, so nah!), Sony Pictures Classics, 1993.

Frank Dulaney, Body of Evidence (also known as Deadly Evidence), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1993.

John Clark, Clear and Present Danger, Paramount, 1994.

T. S. "Tom" Eliot, Tom & Viv, Miramax, 1994.

The writer, The Night and the Moment (also known as La notte e il momento and La nuit et le moment), Miramax, 1994.

Axel Heyst, Victory, Miramax, 1995.

David Caravaggio, The English Patient, Miramax, 1996.

The electrician, Basquiat (also known as Build a Fort and Set It on Fire and Build a Fort, Set It on Fire), Miramax, 1996.

John Geiger, Speed 2: Cruise Control, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1997.

Rolfe Whitehouse, Affliction, Largo Entertainment, 1997.

Dr. Van Horn, Lulu on the Bridge, Trimark Pictures, 1998.

Narrator, What Is Yoga? (documentary), Mystic Fire Productions, 1998.

X, New Rose Hotel, Rose Releasing, 1998.

Conundrum, c. 1998.

Gas, eXistenZ, Dimension Films, 1999.

Donald Kimball, American Psycho, Lions Gate Films, 2000.

Father Ramirez, Bullfighter, Phaedra Cinema, 2000.

Max Schreck (Count Orlok), Shadow of the Vampire, Lions Gate Films, 2000.

Paul Smecker, The Boondock Saints, Indican Pictures, 2000.

Father Andre, Pavilion of Women (also known as Ting yuan li de nu ren), Universal, 2001.

Priest, Edges of the Lord (also known as Boze skrawki), Miramax, 2001.

John Carpenter, Auto Focus, Sony Pictures Classics, 2002.

Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Spider–Man, Columbia, 2002.

Barillo, Once upon a Time in Mexico, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2003.

Voice of Camel Cricket, Camel Cricket City (short film), 2003.

Voice of Gill, Finding Nemo (animated), Buena Vista, 2003.

Himself, Overnight (documentary), ThinkFilm, 2003.

Arnold "Arn" Mack, The Clearing, Twentieth Century–Fox, 2004.

Klaus Daimler, The Life Aquatic, Buena Vista, 2004.

Martin, The Reckoning (also known as Morality Play), Paramount, 2004.

Michael Copeland, Control, Lions Gate Films, 2004.

Murchison, Mr. Ripley's Return (also known as White on White), Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2004.

Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Spider–Man 2, Columbia, 2004.

Tabloid editor, The Aviator, Miramax/Warner Bros., 2004.

Himself, Rockets Redglare! (documentary), Small Planet Pictures, 2004.

George Deckert, XXX: State of the Union, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2005.

Grace's father, Manderlay, Trust Film Sales, 2005.

Film Work:

Coproducer, New Rose Hotel, Rose Releasing, 1998.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Earl Copen, Animal Factory, Cinemax, 2000.

Television Appearances; Specials:

(In archive footage) Raven Shaddock, Music Videos and Inside "Streets of Fire," 1984.

Narrator, Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (also known as Dear America), HBO, 1987.

Himself, The Making of "Speed 2: Cruise Control," 1997.

The Inside Reel: Digital Filmmaking, PBS, 2001.

Himself, Behind the Scenes: Spider–Man the Movie (also known as Behind the Ultimate Spin), 2002.

Himself, Spider–Mania, 2002.

Himself, Hollywood High, American Movie Classics, 2003.

Guest, Introducing Graham Norton, Comedy Central, 2004.

Narrator, Final Cut: The Making of Heaven's Gate and the Unmaking of a Studio (also known as Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of "Heaven's Gate"), Trio, 2004.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

The 61st Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1989.

Presenter, GQ Men of the Year Awards, VH1, 1998.

Presenter, The Seventh Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, TNT, 2001.

Himself, The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards, Independent Film Channel, 2001.

Presenter, The 45th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 2003.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Jeffrey, "Ghostwriter," The Hitchhiker, USA Network, 1985.

Himself, Fishing with John, Independent Film Channel, 1991.

Guest, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1992.

Voice of the commandant, "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1997.

Guest, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1997.

Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo, c. 1997.

Himself, The Directors: Martin Scorsese, Starz!, 2000.

Guest, "The English Patient," Page to Screen, 2002.

Guest, Festival Pass with Chris Gore, Starz!, 2002.

Guest, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 2002.

Guest, NY Graham Norton, 2004.

Stage Appearances:

Lieutenant Buchevski and first customer, Cop, Performance Group, Envelope Theatre, New York City, 1978.

Arthur, The Balcony, Performing Garage, New York City, 1979.

Colonel Lloyd Lud, North Atlantic, Wooster Group, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1985.

Miss Universal Happiness, Wooster Group, Performing Garage, 1985.

Yank, The Hairy Ape, Wooster Group, Performing Garage, 1996, then Selwyn Theatre, New York City, 1997.

Captain Chizzum, North Atlantic, Wooster Group, Performance Garage, 1999.

Theseus, To You, the Birdie!, Wooster Group, St. Ann's Warehouse Theatre, New York City, 2002.

With Wooster Group, appeared in Brace Up!, Emperor Jones, Hula, LSD … Just the High Points, Nayatt School, Point Judith, and The Road to Immortality.

Major Tours:

Yank, The Hairy Ape, Wooster Group, 1996.

With Theatre X, toured in Offending the Audience, Phaedre, and Razor Blades, U.S. and European cities.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Himself, Location Production Footage: The Last Temptation of Christ, Universal, 1988.

The Making of "American Psycho," Lions Gate Films, 2000.

Himself and Sergeant Elias Grodin in archive footage, A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting "Platoon," Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists Home Entertainment, 2001.

Himself, Counterfeit World: Making "To Live and Die in L.A.," Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer Home Entertainment, 2003.

(In archive footage) El Mariachi: 10 Years Later, Blue Sands Entertainment, 2003.

Himself, The Anti–Hero's Journey (documentary), Columbia/TriStar Home Entertainment, 2004.

Video Games:

Voice of Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Spider–Man: The Movie Game (also known as Spiderman), 2002.

Voice of Fill, Finding Nemo, THQ Inc., 2003.

Voice of Nikolai Diavolo, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (also known as Everything or Nothing), Electronic Arts, 2004.

Audiobooks:

Reader, One Past Midnight: The Langoliers, by Stephen King, Penguin–Highbridge, 1991.

Albums:

Contributor of dramatic reading, The Raven, by Lou Reed, 2003.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, 4th edition, St. James Press, 2000.

Periodicals:

Advocate, August 13, 1992, p. 66.

American Film, October, 1988, p. 50.

Biography, July, 2002.

Calgary Sun, May 1, 2002.

Empire, Issue 59, 1994, p. 7; October, 1997, p. 118.

Esquire, January, 1989, p. 78.

Glamour, February, 1990, p. 122.

Interview, June, 1988, p. 38; May, 1990, p. 98; January, 1993, p. 82; February, 1995, January/April, 2001, p. 89.

Mademoiselle, January, 1989, p. 42.

Newsday, August 9, 1994.

New York, August 27, 1990, p. 46.

Premiere, June, 2004, p. 126.

Times (London), March 6, 2003.

Utne Reader, September/October, 1996, pp. 94–95.