Actor Willem Dafoe, a regular attendee of the Venice Film Festival, has been appointed as the artistic director of the Venice Biennale’s theater department. Dafoe, who currently resides near Rome with his Italian wife, expressed his surprise at the appointment, mentioning that he has a background in theater, having been trained as a stage actor. He announced that during his two-year term from 2025 to 2026, the program will focus on exploring the essence of the body, reflecting his personal artistic development.
Dafoe is a co-founder of The Wooster Group theatre company in New York, where he performed for about 20 years. While he is predominantly recognized for his film career, such as his role as a scientist in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” opposite Emma Stone, which received the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival last year. The actor is anticipated to appear at the festival this summer with the cast of Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice,” which will open the event.
Established in 1934, the Biennale Teatro operates as an independent department of La Biennale.
