Willem Dafoe

William James 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.’ 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.