Willem Dafoe has crafted a career that defies easy categorization. Over the last few decades, he has proven himself as one of the most versatile and magnetic actors of his generation. Whether he’s leading a film as its tortured protagonist, stealing scenes as a supporting player, or diving into complex roles as the villain, Dafoe brings an intensity and charisma that few can match. His filmography is a testament to his ability to balance big-budget blockbusters with intimate, art-house dramas, effortlessly moving between genres and styles while leaving a mark on every project he touches.
Narrowing down Dafoe’s remarkable body of work to just ten films is no small feat. With over a hundred credits to his name, the challenge lies in identifying the roles that best encapsulate his range and impact. Some of these choices spotlight his leading performances, while others highlight the unmistakable impression he makes in supporting roles. Even in films where his screen time is limited, Dafoe has a knack for commanding attention, often becoming the most memorable part of the story.
From iconic villains to haunting character studies, these ten movies showcase the breadth of Willem Dafoe’s talent and the profound effect he’s had on the art of filmmaking. Here are the best movies starring Willem Dafoe:
10. Nosferatu (2024)
Robert Eggers might already be one of the greatest filmmakers of our time. Sure, it’s silly and hyperbolic to say that so early in his career, but few directors today can craft arthouse movies on the scale of his latest work, Nosferatu, and make it look so effortless. The subject matter feels like a natural progression from his earlier explorations of isolation and dread in The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman. Here, Eggers reimagines the classic vampire tale with precise, stomach-churning detail, delivering a vision that both honors the original and reinvents it as a sadistic, psychosexual nightmare.
Read our review of Nosferatu (2024).
9. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
8. Poor Things (2023)
At the heart of Poor Things is Emma Stone‘s exceptionally dedicated performance, making a compelling case for her second Oscar for Best Actress. Her willingness to embrace daring characters and collaborate with auteurs like Yorgos Lanthimos reinforces her status as one of the industry’s leading performers.
Read our review of Poor Things (2023).
7. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
6. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
5. Wild at Heart (1990)
Despite winning the Palme d’Or and starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, David Lynch’s Wild at Heart feels like the least acclaimed canonical Lynch film. It’s as if you have to mention it because of the controversy around it receiving the award in 1990, but it hasn’t been reclaimed the same way Lost Highway, Inland Empire, and a few of Lynch’s other movies have.
And while it may not achieve the same heights of those films, it operates in much of the same way. Wild at Heart is an angsty fever dream riddled with melodramatic energy. Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern play Sailor and Lula, respectively, as they try to escape the contract killers sent by Lula’s mom Marietta (played by Diane Ladd) to kill Sailor and bring her daughter home. Sailor and Lula go on the run, trailed by many eclectic characters, including Willem Dafoe‘s raggedy deadbeat Bobby Peru.
Read our review of Wild at Heart (1990).
4. Light Sleeper (1992)
Now later in life, there’s clearly a resemblance in the characters of Taxi Driver and Light Sleeper that Paul Schrader identifies with. It could be the need to redefine oneself with age, or examine the decisions made at a younger stage of life. Willem Dafoe stars as a guilt-riddled, lonely man journaling his thoughts away in privacy.
Read our review of Light Sleeper (1992).
3. The Lighthouse (2019)
2. Spider-Man (2002)
1. The Florida Project (2017)
