Willem Dafoe

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q188772: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by the only person by that name on Wikidata.

Counted as actor. The films the hosts said they acted in, which the two lists below run through too: To Live and Die in L.A. (1985); Platoon (1986); The Last Temptation of Christ (1988); Body of Evidence (1993); Spider-Man (2002); The Florida Project (2017); Aquaman (2018); The Lighthouse (2019); Nightmare Alley (2021); Poor Things (2023); Animal Factory; At Eternity's Gate; Death Note; Shadow of the Vampire.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Alasdair Gray: 1 line

  1. lineage (source novel) · through Poor Things (2023), which they acted in: Alasdair Gray ⇒ Poor Things (the host's read). The film is based on the Scottish author's novel, from which Lanthimos took liberties.
    “this is actually based on a novel by Alice Dare Gray, the Scottish author.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 1:18:42 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)

Barbara Hershey: 1 line

  1. lineage (origin of project) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: Barbara Hershey ⇒ The Last Temptation of Christ (the host's read). Hershey also planted the book in Scorsese's head and told him to let her audition as Mary Magdalene.
    “But it's planted in his head by her.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 0:44:30 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Basic Instinct (1992): 1 line

  1. theme (genre copy) · through Body of Evidence (1993), which they acted in: Basic Instinct ⇒ Body of Evidence (the host's read). Mid-90s sexy noir all followed Basic Instinct; Madonna's version was a spoof-level bust.
    “That was literally like a basic instinct spoof.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘The Edge’ With Bill Simmons and Van Lathan · 0:22:30 · Van Lathan (0.60 sure it was them)

Ben-Hur (1959): 1 line

  1. unmapped (accent convention) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: Ben-Hur ⇒ The Last Temptation of Christ (the host's read). Scorsese made the Romans British, as in Ben-Hur, with everyone else American.
    “He said the big thing was to give let the Romans be British.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 1:02:57 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

Boxcar Bertha (1972): 1 line

  1. unmapped (production method) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: Boxcar Bertha ⇒ The Last Temptation of Christ (the maker said so). Scorsese's Corman-style Boxcar Bertha experience let him storyboard and time every shot to make Last Temptation cheaply.
    “I never would have been able to make this movie if I didn't have my Corman background and experience a boxcar Bertha specifically”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 0:54:52 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Bride of Frankenstein (1935): 1 line

  1. lineage (influence) · through Poor Things (2023), which they acted in: Bride of Frankenstein ⇒ Poor Things (the host's read). Sean says the Frankenstein novel and the first two Frankenstein movies are major influences on Poor Things.
    “the Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein are, like, huge influences on this movie.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 1:14:03 · Sean Fennessey (0.75 sure it was them)

Darkman (1990): 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Spider-Man (2002), which they acted in: Darkman ⇒ Spider-Man (the host's read). Raimi's Spider-Man strengths start in Darkman.
    “all the stuff that is cool about the Remy Spider-Man movies starts here”
    The Big Picture · The 1990 Movie Draft · 1:31:21 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Dogtooth (2009): 1 line

  1. lineage (sequel in spirit) · through Poor Things (2023), which they acted in: Dogtooth ⇒ Poor Things (the host's read). Both are about who gets to dictate the rules; Poor Things is described as a sequel to Dogtooth's fathers-and-language themes.
    “It's like the sequel to that movie in some ways because the Godwin character”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:41:25 · Sean Fennessey (0.55 sure it was them)

Nightmare Alley (1947): 1 line

  1. lineage (remake) · through Nightmare Alley (2021), which they acted in: Nightmare Alley ⇒ Nightmare Alley (the host's read). The 1947 film is a neutered version given 1940s moviemaking; the new one is bigger, bolder and better.
    “It's an interesting movie, a neutered version of the story, I would say, given the circumstances of movie making back in the 40s.”
    The Big Picture · ‘Nightmare Alley’ and Our Favorite Films Noir, With Patton Oswalt! · 0:03:35 · Sean Fennessey (0.95 sure it was them)

Onibaba (1964): 1 line

  1. unmapped (Criterion Closet) · them, directly: Onibaba ⇒ Willem Dafoe (the maker said so: Dafoe's Criterion Closet video). In a Criterion Closet video, Dafoe says he tried to remake Onibaba.
    “He was like, I tried to remake Oni Baba.”
    The Big Picture · Oscar Nomination Predictions, ‘Mean Girls,’ and ‘All of Us Strangers’ With Andrew Scott · 0:20:20 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)

Ron Perlman: 1 line

  1. lineage (origin of the project) · through Nightmare Alley (2021), which they acted in: Ron Perlman ⇒ Nightmare Alley (the host's read). Perlman reportedly put the Gresham book in Del Toro's hands in the mid 90s, so he is why the film exists.
    “he's the person, I believe, who, uh, who put the book in Del Toro's hands, I think in the mid 90s.”
    The Big Picture · ‘Nightmare Alley’ and Our Favorite Films Noir, With Patton Oswalt! · 0:39:39 · Sean Fennessey (0.80 sure it was them)

Steve Ditko and Stan Lee: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Spider-Man (2002), which they acted in: Steve Ditko and Stan Lee ⇒ Spider-Man (the host's read). Ditko and Lee made Spider-Man a teen hero for younger readers, not yet accepted by the Avengers or Fantastic Four.
    “I mean, like it was Steve, uh, Ditco and Stanley basically making a character that appealed to younger readers.”
    The Big Picture · ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’: One of the Best Superhero Movies Ever | Exit Survey (Ep. 108) · 0:09:39 · Micah Peters (0.80 sure it was them)

The Color of Money (1986): 1 line

  1. career (career enabler) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: The Color of Money ⇒ The Last Temptation of Christ (the host's read). The paycheck-gig hit stabilizes Scorsese's career and makes Last Temptation and Goodfellas possible.
    “Must admit though, it is the guarantor that allows him to immediately then make. Last temptation of Christ in Goodfellas.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Color of Money with Chris Ryan · 0:17:57 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

The Robe (1953): 1 line

  1. lineage (influence) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: The Robe ⇒ The Last Temptation of Christ (the host's read). The Robe is the first Christ movie Scorsese remembers seeing.
    “The 1st Christ movie he remembers seeing is the robe.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 0:45:07 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

The Wizard of Oz (1939): 1 line

  1. craft (visual echo) · through Poor Things (2023), which they acted in: The Wizard of Oz ⇒ Poor Things (the host's read). The black-and-white film turns to color once Bella discovers sex in Lisbon.
    “the movie turns to color once she knows about sex. So Wizard of Oz.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:46:39 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

After Hours (1985): 3 lines

  1. career (personal projection) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: The Last Temptation of Christ ⇒ After Hours (the maker said so: Scorsese quoted in an oral history). Scorsese worked Kafka's Before the Law into the club doorman scene to reflect his frustration over Last Temptation.
    “inspired by Franz Kafka's before the law. And Scorsese said the short story reflected his frustration toward the production of the Last Temptation of Christ.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 1:23:31 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. unmapped (cause) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: The Last Temptation of Christ ⇒ After Hours (the maker said so: a Scorsese quote on After Hours being a reaction to the Last Temptation ordeal). After Paramount collapsed Last Temptation, Scorsese wanted a cheap, personal film; After Hours is his reaction to the Hollywood ordeal.
    “it's a reaction against my year and a half into Hollywood trying to get last temptation to Christ made.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · After Hours with Alison Sivitz · 0:50:49 · unknown host (quoting Scorsese) (0.35 sure it was them)
  3. unmapped (sliding door) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: The Last Temptation of Christ ⇒ After Hours (the host's read). Paramount cancelling Last Temptation sent Scorsese to a small fast job; one of movie history's sliding doors.
    “it is one of the massive sliding doors in movie history because him not making it leads to him making this movie”
    The Rewatchables · ‘After Hours’ with Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey · 0:17:03 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)

Cape Fear (1991): 1 line

  1. industry (business deal) · through The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), which they acted in: The Last Temptation of Christ ⇒ Cape Fear (the host's read). Universal's deal to make Last Temptation obliged a bigger film later, resulting in the Spielberg swap and Cape Fear.
    “it gets fear is a direct result of his deal with Universal for this month.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 2:00:50 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Acting (19) everyone in acting

Other (2) everyone in other

What was said about them, by kind

career (1)

  1. career (career): Willem Dafoe → The Florida Project. The win makes up for snubbing him for The Florida Project.
    “I didn't give him the Florida project one.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Fifth Annual Blank Check Awards with Joe Reid (Ad-Free) · 0:29:40 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

contrast (1)

  1. contrast (awards contrast): Mark Ruffalo → Willem Dafoe. Dafoe repeats what he has done before while Ruffalo breaks new ground, so Ruffalo's snub is odder.
    “whereas Ruffalo is doing something”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:23:15 · Sean Fennessey (0.55 sure it was them)

people (3)

  1. people (casting): Willem Dafoe → Platoon. Scorsese saw Dafoe's sensitive, spiritual-yet-scary Platoon role and thought of Jesus.
    “My understanding is that Scorsese had seen him in Platoon, where he plays a very sensitive...”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 0:03:48 · Jamelle Bouie (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. people (casting): Willem Dafoe → To Live and Die in L.A.. Platoon and To Live and Die in L.A. are what Scorsese knew Dafoe from.
    “He's also the villain to live and die in LA, which he's incredible in.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 0:56:44 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. people (casting reference): Willem Dafoe → The Lighthouse. Dafoe's Godwin is described as a craggy, monstrous creature, a lighthouse meets Shadow of the Vampire.
    “like a lighthouse meets shadow of the vampire.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:23:34 · Sean Fennessey (0.55 sure it was them)

theme (1)

  1. theme (persona): Willem Dafoe → Spider-Man. Dafoe's mania under a calm surface links Norman Osborn and his Jesus.
    “There is a little mania inside that guy.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 0:42:24 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

unmapped (1)

  1. unmapped (Criterion Closet): Willem Dafoe → Onibaba. In a Criterion Closet video, Dafoe says he tried to remake Onibaba.
    “He was like, I tried to remake Oni Baba.”
    The Big Picture · Oscar Nomination Predictions, ‘Mean Girls,’ and ‘All of Us Strangers’ With Andrew Scott · 0:20:20 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)

verdict (1)

  1. verdict (verdict): Willem Dafoe → The Lighthouse. Flipped into Best Supporting Actor in a year of two-handers and given the win as the 'Dafoe of the decade pick'.
    “I feel like this is this is the Defoe of the decade pick for me.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Fifth Annual Blank Check Awards with Joe Reid (Ad-Free) · 0:29:42 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

what-if (1)

  1. what-if (what-if): Willem Dafoe → The Last Temptation of Christ. Dafoe was nearly Doc Holliday but Buena Vista balked over Last Temptation.
    “we're not casting the guy who was... was in Last Temptation of Christ 5 years earlier.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Tombstone’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:41:38 · Sean Fennessey (0.40 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

  1. fun, about Willem Dafoe: Opening bit: the podcast says 'If I was a woodcutter, I'd cut' (the Norman Osborn line), prompting an old-Willem versus young-Willem riff.
    “I'm something of a woodcutter myself.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 0:00:41 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. fun, about Willem Dafoe: Dafoe first declined; at a second meeting Scorsese's explanation within minutes convinced him he was the only person who could play Jesus.
    “I think I'm the only person who can play Jesus”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 0:57:50 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  3. fun, about Willem Dafoe: Sign-off bit: a long run of alternative 'Willem de ...' names (Redeemer, Bread of Life, Carpenter) ending in a Trinity joke.
    “Willem de Redeemer, Willem de Bread of Life, Willem DeLord, Willem de Son of the Living God.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · The Last Temptation of Christ with Jamelle Bouie · 2:25:23 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. fun, about Willem Dafoe: His Criterion Closet video, in which he says he tried to remake Onibaba, is Sean's recommendation: this guy is the man.
    “I sent you his criterion closet video last night and I was like, this rocks.”
    The Big Picture · Oscar Nomination Predictions, ‘Mean Girls,’ and ‘All of Us Strangers’ With Andrew Scott · 0:20:15 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
  5. fun, about Willem Dafoe: The geek monologue, how you make someone a geek, is taken from the novel and reads like a handbook for online edge-lords.
    “that's the handbook for being a shit posting edge lord”
    The Big Picture · ‘Nightmare Alley’ and Our Favorite Films Noir, With Patton Oswalt! · 0:23:01 · Patton Oswalt (0.85 sure it was them)