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John Waters
Director

John Waters

22 Apr 1946Born
80Age
90Credits
Baltimore, Maryland, USABirthplace

Biography

John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including Multiple Maniacs (1970), Pink Flamingos (1972) and Female Trouble (1974). Waters wrote and directed the comedy film Hairspray (1988), which was later adapted into a hit Broadway musical and a 2007 musical film. Other films he has written and directed include Desperate Living (1977), Polyester (1981), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), Pecker (1998), and Cecil B. Demented (2000).

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His films contain elements of post-modern comedy and surrealism.

As an actor, Waters has appeared in Sweet and Lowdown (1999), 'Til Death Do Us Part (2007), Mangus! (2011), Excision (2012), Suburban Gothic (2014), and has appeared in the Child's Play franchise with Seed of Chucky (2004) and third season of the television series Chucky (2024). He hosted and produced the television series John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You (2006). Throughout his career, Waters has often collaborated with actor and drag queen Divine and his regular cast of the Dreamlanders. More recently, he performs in his touring one-man show This Filthy World.

Waters also works as a visual artist and across different media, such as installations, photography, and sculpture. The audiobooks he narrated for his books Carsick and Mr. Know-It-All were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2015 and 2020, respectively. In 2018, Waters was named an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in France. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 90 credits.

  1. TBABaltigoreFilm: The Broker
  2. TBAMamie Exposed! The Life and Loves of the Last Blonde BombshellFilm
  3. TBALiarmouth: A Feel-Bad RomanceFilm: Director
  4. 2026Vincent Price: What Keeps Us AliveFilm
  5. 2026KevinSeries: Armando (voice) (8 episodes)
  6. 2026Gays Against GunsFilm
  7. 2025Sarah Squirm: Live + in the FleshFilm: Stage Manager
  8. 2024As Time Goes ByFilm
  9. 2023Lynch/OzFilm: Host (Chapter 3: 'Kindred') (voice)
  10. 2023Digman!Series: Magnus (voice) (1 episode)
  11. 2021ChuckySeries: Wendell Wilkins (1 episode)
  12. 2020Helluva BossSeries: Rolando (voice) (1 episode)
  13. 2020Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and CampFilm: Host
  14. 2020Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-FiFilm: Host
  15. 2020Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight MadnessFilm: Host
  16. 2020Joel Calls Indie Film Type DudesFilm
  17. 201930/30 Vision: Three Decades of Strand ReleasingFilm: Director
  18. 2018MugworthFilm: Sir Butler
  19. 2018Liverspots and AstronotsSeries: O-Dor (21 episodes)
  20. 2018Crime and Beauty: Making ‘Female Trouble’Film
  21. 2018Female Trouble: On-Set FootageFilm
  22. 2018ExplainedSeries: Narrator (voice) (1 episode)
  23. 2017FEUDSeries: William Castle (1 episode)
  24. 2016Search PartySeries: Sheffield (2 episodes)
  25. 2016Wall WritersFilm: Narrator (voice)
  26. 2015Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road ChipFilm: First Class Passenger
  27. 2015The 1000 Eyes of Dr MaddinFilm
  28. 2015Kiddie FlamingosFilm: Director, Writer
  29. 2014Suburban GothicFilm: Cornelius
  30. 2014ClarenceSeries: Captain Tom (voice) (1 episode)
  31. 2013The BlacklistSeries: John Waters (1 episode)
  32. 2012ExcisionFilm: William
  33. 2011American Horror StorySeries: Mr. Phibes (3 episodes)
  34. 2011Mangus!Film: Jesus Christ
  35. 2010Fish HooksSeries: Ezekiel Freshwater / Hair Man (voice), The Yeti Lobster (voice) (1 episode)
  36. 2010Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of GoreFilm
  37. 2008The Wild World of Ted V. MikelsFilm: Narrator
  38. 2007The Junior DefendersFilm: Narrator
  39. 2007Jessica the HippoFilm: Narrator (Voice)
  40. 2007HairsprayFilm: Flasher
  41. 2007Each Time I KillFilm: Movie Watcher
  42. 2007'Til Death Do Us PartSeries (13 episodes)
  43. 2006This Filthy WorldFilm: Screenplay
  44. 2006Mommie Dearest: Joan Lives OnFilm
  45. 2006Footlight Parade: Music for the DecadesFilm
  46. 2006Busby Berkeley's Kaleidoscopic EyesFilm
  47. 2006Meet The Kuchar BrothersFilm
  48. 2006I, of the CyclopsFilm
  49. 2005My Name Is EarlSeries: Walter Hamerick (1 episode)
  50. 2004Seed of ChuckyFilm: Pete Peters
  51. 2004A Dirty ShameFilm: Director, Writer
  52. 2003Abby SingerFilm: John Waters (uncredited)
  53. 2002Blood Feast 2: All U Can EatFilm: The Reverend
  54. 2000Welcome to HollywoodFilm: John Waters
  55. 2000Cecil B. DementedFilm: Reporter, Director, Writer
  56. 1999Sweet and LowdownFilm: Mr. Haynes
  57. 1999Law & Order: Special Victims UnitSeries: Pornmonger Man (2 episodes)
  58. 1998PeckerFilm: Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited), Director, Screenplay
  59. 1998Anarchy TVFilm
  60. 1996E! True Hollywood StorySeries (1 episode)
  61. 1996Ballyhoo: The Hollywood Sideshow!Film
  62. 1995God Save the QueensFilm
  63. 1994Family AlbumSeries: Vincent (2 episodes)
  64. 1994Serial MomFilm: Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited), Director, Writer
  65. 1993The Big WetFilm: Narrator
  66. 1993EurotrashSeries (1 episode)
  67. 1993FrasierSeries: Roger (voice) (1 episode)
  68. 1993Homicide: Life on the StreetSeries: R. Vincent Smith (2 episodes)
  69. 1992HBO First LookSeries (1 episode)
  70. 1991Gastronomic GetawayFilm
  71. 1990Cry-BabyFilm: Director, Writer
  72. 1989The SimpsonsSeries: John (voice) (1 episode)
  73. 1989Homer and EddieFilm: Robber #1
  74. 1988HairsprayFilm: Dr. Fredrickson, Director, Writer
  75. 1988Way USA!Film
  76. 198721 Jump StreetSeries: Mr. Bean (1 episode)
  77. 1986Something WildFilm: Used Car Guy
  78. 1985The Ballad of Sexual DependencyFilm
  79. 1982Nuart Theatre No Smoking PSAFilm: Director
  80. 1981PolyesterFilm: Director, Writer

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.