With a career spanning over four decades, Willem Dafoe remains one of his generation’s most talented actors. Over the years, the veteran actor has demonstrated his versatility on screen and stage, playing numerous roles, including protagonist, villain, and antihero. For most of his career, he has been associated with dark, eccentric characters. However, unlike many others, Willem Dafoe never shies away from any role, whether in an indie or big-budget film.
Strangely, while he has had four Oscar nominations (including being the only actor nominated for portraying a vampire), Dafoe has never won an Oscar. However, this hasn’t stopped the septuagenarian actor, as he continues to take on more roles. With over 160 roles to his credit, 2025 is one of the actor’s busiest years as he stars in seven movies. Here’s a look at every project Willem Dafoe starred in 2025.
The Legend of Ochi
In Isaiah Saxon’s 2025 fantasy adventure film, The Legend of Ochi, Willem Dafoe plays Maxim, the father of the film’s young heroine, Yuri (played by Helena Zengel). In the story, Maxim is the leader of a hunting party dedicated to tracking down the elusive Ochi creatures. The villagers fear these primate-like beings. While mostly clothed in full Viking-inspired armor, Dafoe’s character exudes a kind of buffoonish bravado.
He’s unnecessarily loud, theatrical, and takes his role as hunter to almost absurd extremes. For Dafoe’s Maxim, his motivations against the Ochi are deeply personal. He views the Ochi as responsible for his wife’s disappearance. As such, he has instilled this fear into his childhood, molding them into a small army of hunters. The Legend of Ochi received generally positive reviews from critics, and also stars Emily Watson and Finn Wolfhard.
The Phoenician Scheme
Willem Dafoe appears in Wes Anderson’s espionage black comedy The Phoenician Scheme in a rather brief but visually and tonally significant cameo as Knave. His role is part of a surreal, almost dreamlike sequence, set in a heavenly or otherworldly realm. In the realm, Dafoe’s Knave is the protagonist’s, Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda (Benicio del Toro), defense attorney. In the scene, Dafoe’s Knave stands alongside divine or mythic figures, such as Bill Murray’s portrayal of God and F. Murray Abraham’s prophet character. Although only in a cameo role, he joins the star-studded cast of the critically acclaimed The Phoenician Scheme.
Grande Envie
If there’s one 2025 project from Willem Dafoe that mainstream cinema missed, it has to be Catherine Martin’s short film Grande Envie. In the film, Dafoe plays The Count, a widower who presides over an opulent château in the South of France. The film is set around the late 1920s and early 1930s. The film’s plot follows Dafoe’s mysterious Count as he encounters three young, adventurous strangers, whom he invites into his home. The Count is subtly haunted by the presence of his late wife, the Countess (Daisy Ridley). Her memory lingers through images captured on film and through a camera lens.
The Birthday Party
Willem Dafoe led the cast of Miguel Ángel Jiménez’s drama as a Greek billionaire. He plays Marcos Timoleon, a Greek tycoon who hosts an extravagant birthday celebration for his daughter, Sofia Timoleon (Vic Carmen Sonne), on his private island. As Marcos, Dafoe delivers a commanding and intense performance. While it may never receive a nod from the Academy, it was yet another masterclass performance from the seasoned actor.
Late Fame
Willem Dafoe led the cast of the indie drama Late Fame as Ed Saxberger. The movie premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. His character is that of a poet who found fame in his later years. However, his newfound fame among a younger audience attracts a young female fan, Gloria (Greta Lee), who seeks his attention. Although yet to get a theatrical release, Late Fame received generally positive reviews from critics.
The Souffleur
The Souffleur is another indie film that Willem Dafoe starred in 2025. In the dark comedy, Dafoe plays Lucius, the long-serving and devoted hotel manager of an iconic hotel. Lucius has dedicated decades to the hotel, treating it as both workplace and home. However, he’s thrown into a spiral of absurd paranoia when he learns the new owner and developer plans to demolish and rebuild the iconic establishment. Through Dafoe’s performance, Lucius becomes a tragicomic figure whose struggle against change takes on an almost fantastical resonance.
The Man in My Basement
In Nadia Latif’s horror thriller The Man in My Basement, Willem Dafoe plays Anniston Bennet. His character is a mysterious and unsettling businessman who appears on Charles Blakey’s (Corey Hawkins) doorstep, seeking to rent the basement of his ancestral home. Charles, who’s neck deep in debt, accepts the financially generous offer to prevent foreclosure on his home. However, Charles soon discovers Dafoe’s character is far more than just a tenant. The Man in My Basement is a must-watch for true horror thriller fans. The film also stars Anna Diop and Tamara Lawrance. As of September 2025, The Man in My Basement is the last Willem Dafoe film scheduled for release in 2025.
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