Willem Dafoe young
Birth Date
July 22, 1955
Nationality
United States
Sun Sign
Cancer
Natural hair color
Dark Brown
Eye color
Blue
Height
5 ft 9 in | 175 cm
Weight
78 kg | 172 pounds
Chest
42 in | 107 cm
Shoe size
Not available
Waist
38 in | 96.5 cm
Early acting career First film Breakthrough
Willem Dafoe was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States, on July 22, 1955, is an American actor.
Young Willem Dafoe began his professional acting career on stage, with experimental theater company "Theatre X" in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
He is one of the founding members of experimental theatre collective "The Wooster Group" in New York.
He made his big screen debut in Western movie Heaven's Gate (1980) in uncredited role as Willy, directed by Michael Cimino.
He landed his first major role as Vance in outlaw biker drama film The Loveless (1982).
He got his television debut in HBO mystery horror anthology series The Hitchhiker (1986) in episode "Ghostwriter", in role as Jeffrey Hunt.
Willem's breakthrough performance came as Sergeant Elias in anti-war film Platoon (1986), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
New Movies
Tropico (2020) thriller in role as Raymond, opposite Pedro Pascal and Morena Baccarin
The French Dispatch (2020) comedy drama, directed by Wes Anderson
The Last Thing He Wanted (2020) political thriller in role as Dick McMahon, with Anne Hathaway and Ben Affleck
Siberia (2020) drama in role as Clint
The Lighthouse (2019) psychological horror in role as Thomas Wake, opposite Robert Pattinson
Tommaso (2019) Italian drama in role as Tommaso
Motherless Brooklyn (2019) neo-noir crime in role as Paul Randolph, with Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Alec Baldwin
Togo (2019) drama in role as Leonhard Seppala
He voiced Yves in animated adventure movie Swift (2019).
Best Movies
He was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in movies:
Shadow of the Vampire (2000) horror in role as Max Schreck
The Florida Project (2017) drama in role as Bobby Hicks
He was nominated for the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role as Vincent van Gogh in biographical drama film At Eternity's Gate (2019).
He played Norman Osborn / Green Goblin in superhero film Spider-Man (2002) opposite Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.
He portrayed Nuidis Vulko in superhero film Aquaman (2018) opposite Jason Momoa and Amber Heard.
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) epic drama directed by Martin Scorsese
John Wick (2014) neo-noir action thriller opposite Keanu Reeves
The Boondock Saints (1999) action thriller with Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery
Mississippi Burning (1988) crime thriller opposite Gene Hackman and Frances McDormand
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) action thriller with John Turturro
Inside Man (2006) heist thriller opposite Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) comedy drama with Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Cate Blanchett
Clear and Present Danger (1994) spy thriller opposite Harrison Ford and Anne Archer
eXistenZ (1999) science fiction horror with Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh
Antichrist (2009) horror directed by Lars von Trier
Streets of Fire (1984) crime thriller opposite Diane Lane and Michael Paré
The Fault in Our Stars (2014) romantic tragedy with Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort
The English Patient (1996) romantic war drama opposite Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche and Kristin Scott Thomas
Daybreakers (2009) science fiction action with Ethan Hawke and Sam Neill
Out of the Furnace (2013) drama with Christian Bale, Casey Affleck and Woody Harrelson
Murder on the Orient Express (2017) mystery thriller opposite Johnny Depp, Kenneth Branagh and Daisy Ridley
White Sands (1992) thriller action with Mickey Rourke and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
A Most Wanted Man (2014) thriller opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rachel McAdams
TV Shows
He voiced The Commandant / Mr. Lassen in animated sitcom The Simpsons in 1997 and 2014.
He voiced Hunter in animated television film Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure (2000).
Facts
Attended Einstein Junior High School and Appleton East High School in Appleton, Wiscons.
Studied drama at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
He in one of eight children.
Has English, French, German, Irish and Scottish ancestry.
He voiced Gill in animated adventure films Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016).
He is a vegetarian.
He voiced Tars Tarkas in science fiction action film John Carter (2012).
Practicing ashtanga yoga regularly.
He was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear lifetime achievement Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 2018.
Lives in Rome, New York City and Los Angeles.
Relationships
He was in a relationship with Elizabeth LeCompte (1977-2004), they have one son, Jack.
He married Italian actres Giada Colagrande in 2005.
He dated Wendy Witt (1970-1972).
Quotes
I try to do as many of my own stunts as possible. If you keep on taking yourself out of the role you play, you lose the thread of the character.
One of the pleasures of being an actor is quite simply taking a walk in someone else's shoes. And when I look at the roles I've played, I'm kind of amazed at all the wonderful adventures I've had and the different things I've learned.
I don't have a preference between theatre and film; I like to do both. But I will say that there's something about theatre that is more nourishing and sustaining than film ever can be.
When I was a kid I was very interested in the idea of the will, finding out what you're capable of. I liked those kind of challenges.
It's true in the beginning I started playing villains, and I think that's pretty clear, because if you don't conventionally look a certain way and you've got a certain kind of presence when you're young, then what's available to you is character roles, and the best character roles when you're young tend to be villains.
I set myself challenges every time I work. Ideally, I approach everything as though it's the first time - with a beginner's mind and an amateur's love.
The director's very important to me, particularly when the director has a recognizable style.
