Willem Dafoe (American Actor) – Movies, Joker, Young, Net Worth

Willem Dafoe is an American film and voice actor, best known for portraying dark and unconventional characters in films. He is a versatile actor who chooses his roles more on the basis of their artistic merit than on their box office potential. He has acted in a variety of roles that range from that of an idealistic FBI agent in ‘Mississippi Burning’ to the villainous green goblin in ‘Spiderman.’ His well-defined cheekbones and strong jaws give him a look that suits the villainous roles that he often portrays. But he is also careful not to be typecast as villain and believes in exploring different kinds of roles that would help him develop as an actor. He played negative roles in ‘To Live and Die in L.A,’ ‘The Loveless,’ and ‘Streets of Fire’ during the 1980s. Desiring some variety in the kind of characters he played, Dafoe portrayed the kind-hearted ‘Sergeant Elias’ in Oliver Stone’s ‘Platoon’—a role which earned him an ‘Academy Award’ nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actor.’

Willem Dafoe Biography

Willem was born William James Dafoe on July 22, 1955, in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA, to William Alfred Dafoe, doctor, and his wife Muriel Isabel. He has five sisters and a brother. He is of mixed ancestry. After studying at ‘Appleton East High School,’ he enrolled at the ‘University of Wisconsin’ in Milwaukee to study drama when he was 17. However, he soon grew tired of the university’s theatre department. He left the university and joined the experimental theatre company ‘Theatre X’ in Milwaukee. He depicted Jewish boxer ‘Salamo Arouch,’ a holocaust survivor, in the film ‘Triumph of the Spirit.’ Soon, he became popular as a character actor. He is also a voice actor and has made several television appearances.

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Career: Dafoe was cast in a minor role in Michael Cimino’s ‘Heaven’s Gate’ in 1980, but his screen time was cut from the film during editing. He landed a role in an independent film titled ‘The Loveless’ in 1982 which was about a motorcycle gang. He played a minor part in the romantic horror ‘The Hunger’ in 1983. He acted in three movies in 1984, but none of them did well at the box office.

He got his breakthrough in the 1985 thriller film ‘To Live and Die in L.A’ where he played the role of counterfeiter ‘Rick Masters.’ The film was a success and Dafoe got noticed for his acting skills. Dafoe’s portrayal of ‘Sergeant Elias’ in the ‘Academy’ award-winning war film ‘Platoon’ (1986) cemented his place as a character actor. He was nominated for ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Supporting Actor.’