Willem Dafoe Biography

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Willem Dafoe biography: William "Willem" Dafoe (born July 22, 1955) is an American film and stage actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group. He is best known for his roles in To Live and Die in L.A., Platoon, The Last Temptation of Christ, Shadow of the Vampire, Finding Nemo, Mississippi Burning, The Boondock Saints, American Psycho, the Spider-Man films and Antichrist.

Dafoe, the sixth of eight children, was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, the son of Muriel Isabel (née Sprissler), a nurse and Boston native, and Dr. William Alfred Dafoe, a surgeon. His birth name is William Dafoe; he changed it to "Willem" (Dutch for "William") so people would not call him "Billy". On occasion he is known as "Gabe" by close friends and relatives. He studied drama at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, but left before graduation in order to join the newly formed avant-garde group Theatre X.

Dafoe is one of the founding members of "The Wooster Group", the New York based experimental theatre collective. He has created and performed in the group's work since 1977, both in the U.S. and internationally.

Dafoe married Italian director and actress Giada Colagrande on March 25, 2005.

Willem Dafoe quote:[On his role in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)]: "To this day, I can't believe I was so brazen to think I could pull off the Jesus role."
I don't think people want to see me as a regular guy, besides, I'm a regular guy in real life. I guess I just want to be reckless in my work.
Casting people feel that they have to get someone who looks a certain way, and I think that the jury is still out whether people find me attractive or not.
I wish to Christ I could make up a really great lie. Sometimes, after an interview, I say to myself, 'Man, you were so honest - can't you have some fun? Can't you do some really down and dirty lying?' But the puritan in me thinks that if I tell a lie, I'll be punished.
Weirdness is not my game. I'm just a square boy from Wisconsin.The worst thing is to get involved with people who aren't passionate about what they're doing.
I'm one of those people who when I go over a bridge, I want to jump. It's just this intense tickle in the back of my throat. It's like I'm on the verge the whole time I'm walking over that bridge, and I'm not going to get a release until I jump.

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Career Highlights

Non-acting careers:Before It Had a Name (2005) (writer)
... aka The Black Widow (USA: DVD title)

New Rose Hotel (1998) (co-producer)

Big break:Heaven's Gate (1980) (uncredited) .... Extra
The Loveless (1982) .... Vance

Defining characters:

Best movies:Daybreakers (2010)
Antichrist (2009)
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Fireflies in the Garden (2009)
Adam Resurrected (2008)
Anamorph (2008)
Go Go Tales (2008)
The Dust of Time (2008)
Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)
Paris, I Love You (2007)
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
The Walker (2007)
American Dreamz (2006)
Inside Man (2006)
Manderlay (2006)
Bullfighter (2005)
Control (2005)
Ripley Under Ground (2005)
XXX: State of the Union (2005)
Ashtanga, NY (2004)
Rockets Redglare! (2004)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
The Aviator (2004)
The Before it Had a Name (2004)
The Clearing (2004)
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
The Reckoning (2004)
Finding Nemo (2003)
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
Auto Focus (2002)
Spider-Man (2002)
Edges of the Lord (2001)
Pavilion of Women (2001)
American Psycho (2000)
Animal Factory (2000)
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
Victory (2000)
The Boondock Saints (2000)
Existenz (1999)
New Rose Hotel (1999)
Affliction (1998)
Lulu on the Bridge (1998)
Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
Basquiat (1996)
The English Patient (1996)
Victory (1995)
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Tom & Viv (1994)
The Night & the Moment (1994)
The Night and the Moment (1994)
Body of Evidence (1993)
Faraway, So Close (1993)
Light Sleeper (1992)
White Sands (1992)
Flight of the Intruder (1991)
Cry Baby (1990)
Wild At Heart (1990)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Triumph of the Spirit (1989)
Dear America: Letters Homes From Vietnam (1988)
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Off Limits (1988)
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
Platoon (1986)
O Panama (1985)
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Roadhouse 66 (1984)
Streets of Fire (1984)
The Communists Are Comfortable (And Three Other Stories) (1984)
The Loveless (1984)
The Hunger (1983)
New York Nights (1982)

Best TV:

Stage credits:

Endorsements:

Other notable appearances/credits:

Top awards:Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 14 nominations

Other:

Willem Dafoe Relationships

Family:parents muriel & william
brother donald
son jack
wife giada

Romance(s):

Frequent collaborator(s):

Other affiliations:

Fun Facts About Willem Dafoe

He has a son, Jack, born in 1982, with Elizabeth LeCompte.His high school nickname, Willem, stuck with him.Says he feels like he's missed out on more conventional roles because he's perceived as an eccentric actor in dark little films, kind of the boy-next-door type - if you lived next door to a mausoleum.He attended Einstein Junior High School in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he was known as "Billy."He did practically all of his own stunts on the glider in Spider-Man (2002). So when you see the Green Goblin moving around on it, when it's not CG, then it's Willem pretty much the whole time.He was delirious for 24 hours after coming down with yellow fever on the set of Platoon (1986).Attended Appleton East High School in Appleton, Wisconsin.Quite possibly has the most on-screen deaths of any mainstream actor. His death scenes include Platoon (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997), eXistenZ (1999), Shadow of the Vampire (2000), Spider-Man (2002), and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), among others.The only actor to ever be nominated for an Oscar for playing a vampire, for his role as Max Schrek in Shadow of the Vampire (2000).Often portrays soldiers or eccentric characters.John Malkovich, Nicolas Cage, and Dafoe were all approached to play the Green Goblin in Spider-Man (2002). Dafoe and Malkovich starred in Shadow of the Vampire (2000) together, while Cage produced the film. Dafoe ended up getting the Spider-Man role.Practices Yoga regularly.Was under consideration for Dennis Hopper's role (Frank Booth) in Blue Velvet (1986).While doing a blocking run-through on Wild at Heart (1990) (for the scene in which Dafoe's character threatens to rape Laura Dern's character), Dafoe playfully sang his lines. Director David Lynch loved this, and wanted Dafoe to actually sing his lines in the scene, when they shot it. The idea did not actually go through, however.Brother, Donald Dafoe, is an accomplished transplant surgeon.Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2006 Razzie Award nominating ballot. He was listed as a suggestion in the Worst Supporting Actor category for his performance in the film xXx: State of the Union (2005) However, he failed to receive a nomination. (Had he gotten the nomination, it would have been his third overall. He was previously nominated for Worst Supporting Actor at the 1998 Razzie Awards for his role in Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997), and for Worst Actor at the 1994 Razzie Awards for his performance in Body of Evidence (1993).)Was offered the role of Senator Roark in Sin City (2005).Visited Sarajevo Film Festival (in post-war Bosnia) together with Steve Buscemi in year 2000.Sticks to an all-organic diet.Was a candidate for the role of the Joker in Batman (1989).Member of Jury for 2007 Berlin International Film Festival.Was involved for decades (from 1977) with theater director and actress Elizabeth LeCompte, who was also a member and director of the Wooster Group. He later married an Italian writer/director in 2005.Provided his voice on Lou Reed's 2003 album "The Raven". On it, he performs a re-written and reworked, spoken-word version of Edgar Allan Poe's poetry.To date he has shot 18 films in Europe. [2007]Built sets and acted with experimental theatre group Theatre X, before moving to New York in 1977, where he worked with the Wooster Group at the Performing Garage.

Willem Dafoe's Awards & Honors

Year	Award	Category/Recipient(s)	Result

Willem Dafoe's Upcoming Projects

The Wild Bunch (2010) (in production) (voice) .... Field Marshall
John Carter of Mars (2012) (pre-production) .... Tars Tarkas
A Woman (2010) (post-production) .... Max
Miral (2010) (post-production) .... Eddie

The Miso Soup

Willem Dafoe Links

adefwebserver.com/jcolger/ (fansite)

Last update: Nov 18 2009, 11:32 AM EST by Petes1234567 (content history | content tools) (help)

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