--- name: "John Malkovich" canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-malkovich" fi1m_id: "john-malkovich" imdb_id: "nm0000518" tmdb_id: 6949 wikidata_id: "Q172261" roles: ["Actor","Producer"] born: "9 December 1953" reviewed_on_fi1m: 25 average_fi1m_score: 67 average_as: "actor" average_over: 20 updated: "2026-10-22T04:22:36.704593+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # John Malkovich ## Identity John Malkovich - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-malkovich - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** john-malkovich - **IMDb ID:** nm0000518 - **TMDB ID:** 6949 - **Wikidata ID:** Q172261 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Malkovich, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172261, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000518/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6949 Actor and producer. Born 9 December 1953 in Christopher, Illinois, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor, Producer - **Born:** 9 December 1953, Christopher, Illinois, USA - **Active:** 1984–present - **Also known as:** John Gavin Malkovich - **Titles on Fi1m:** 25: 20 acting, 4 producing, 1 other - **Frequently works with:** [Lianne Halfon](https://film.one/person/lianne-halfon.md), [Russell Smith](https://film.one/person/russell-smith.md), [Christian Bale](https://film.one/person/christian-bale.md), [Clint Eastwood](https://film.one/person/clint-eastwood.md), [Jeremy Irons](https://film.one/person/jeremy-irons.md), [John Cusack](https://film.one/person/john-cusack.md), [Miranda Richardson](https://film.one/person/miranda-richardson.md), [Steve Buscemi](https://film.one/person/steve-buscemi.md) - **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 67, as actor, over 20 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 81 (5), 1990s 74 (6), 2000s 67 (8), 2010s 61 (5), 2020s 52 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 66 to 62 across 18 titles - **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 7 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 5 of 20 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 14, Action 8, Adventure 6, Comedy 5, Crime 3, Romance 3 - **Screen time:** 41 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $3,116m across 17 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Malkovich, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172261, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000518/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6949 ## Coming up - *Wild Horse Nine* (2026-11-04), as Chris — [page](https://film.one/film/wild-horse-nine.md) ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Ghost World*](https://film.one/film/ghost-world.md) (84), [*Places in the Heart*](https://film.one/film/places-in-the-heart.md) (80), [*The Perks of Being a Wallflower*](https://film.one/film/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower.md) (76), [*Deepwater Horizon*](https://film.one/film/deepwater-horizon.md) (71), [*The Libertine*](https://film.one/film/the-libertine.md) (56) - **The Roku Channel:** [*The Killing Fields*](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md) (82) - **Pluto TV:** [*The Man in the Iron Mask*](https://film.one/film/the-man-in-the-iron-mask.md) (54) - **Netflix:** [*Bird Box*](https://film.one/film/bird-box.md) (53) - **Apple TV:** [*Transformers: Dark of the Moon*](https://film.one/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon.md) (46) - **Disney+:** [*Eragon*](https://film.one/film/eragon.md) (35) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on John Malkovich > John Malkovich's deliberate drawl can make refinement sound threatening. We rate him most highly when his precise delivery serves dark comedy, and when a film gives us more to watch than a familiar sinister presence. In *Being John Malkovich* (1999), Malkovich lets us see how humiliating it is to have other people interfere with his life. He does not protect the version of himself on screen from looking ridiculous. He does give the man enough dignity for the ridicule to hurt. We value that willingness to be put at a disadvantage in an actor whose reedy drawl and deliberate cadence so often suggest control. The familiar voice has more to do than make somebody sound dangerous. His early film work runs from Mr. Will in *Places in the Heart* (1984) to the Vicomte de Valmont in *Dangerous Liaisons* (1988). The latter helped establish the refined, morally dubious presence that later roles would repeatedly call upon. Mitch Leary, the calculating assassin in *In the Line of Fire* (1993), and Cyrus Grissom in *Con Air* (1997) belong to that subsequent run of sinister parts. There is a limitation here: menace can become something a film expects him to supply simply by turning up. We prefer it when the writing gives that controlled voice something more particular to do. Director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman provide that opportunity in *Being John Malkovich*, treating the borrowing of an actor's identity with a straight face. Malkovich takes the interference seriously rather than inviting us to congratulate him for joining in. We were embarrassed by our own laughter, because his visible indignity makes the other characters' wish to escape themselves look cruel. The film sometimes lets its ingenious plotting hurry past the characters' feelings. His performance keeps us interested in what this arrangement does to a person, even when the screenplay is busy finding the next complication. The Coen brothers' *Burn After Reading* (2008), in which he plays Osborne Cox, offers another use for his comic timing. That is a direction we would welcome more of, rather than another part built chiefly around how unsettling he can sound. Start with *Being John Malkovich* for an actor willing to make himself ridiculous without letting us forget that being laughed at can hurt. ## Biography John Gavin Malkovich (born 9 December 1953) is an American actor. He began his career as a charter member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago in 1976. He moved to New York, where he appeared in a Steppenwolf production of Sam Shepard's *True West* (1982) and made his Broadway debut as Biff in the 1984 revival of Arthur Miller's *Death of a Salesman*. Malkovich received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for *Places in the Heart* (1984) and *In the Line of Fire* (1993). His other film roles include *The Killing Fields* (1984), *Dangerous Liaisons* (1988), *Con Air* (1997), *Being John Malkovich* (1999), *Burn After Reading* (2008) and *Red* (2010). For television, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance in the 1985 adaptation of *Death of a Salesman*. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, metacritic.com.* ## On Fi1m (25) ### Performed in (20) — the average rests on these - *Sacrifice* (2026), Fi1m 52, as Gunnar — [page](https://film.one/film/sacrifice.md) - *Bird Box* (2018), Fi1m 53, as Douglas — [page](https://film.one/film/bird-box.md) - *Deepwater Horizon* (2016), Fi1m 71, as Donald Vidrine — [page](https://film.one/film/deepwater-horizon.md) - *Penguins of Madagascar* (2014), Fi1m 58, as Dave (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/penguins-of-madagascar.md) - *Transformers: Dark of the Moon* (2011), Fi1m 46, as Bruce Brazos — [page](https://film.one/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon.md) - *Burn After Reading* (2008), Fi1m 72, as Osborne Cox — [page](https://film.one/film/burn-after-reading.md) - *Changeling* (2008), Fi1m 68, as Rev. Gustav Briegleb — [page](https://film.one/film/changeling.md) - *Eragon* (2006), Fi1m 35, as King Galbatorix — [page](https://film.one/film/eragon.md) - *The Libertine* (2004), Fi1m 56, as Charles II — [page](https://film.one/film/the-libertine.md) - *Johnny English* (2003), Fi1m 60, as Pascal Sauvage — [page](https://film.one/film/johnny-english.md) - *Being John Malkovich* (1999), Fi1m 89, as John Horatio Malkovich — [page](https://film.one/film/being-john-malkovich.md) - *Time Regained* (1999), Fi1m 80, as Baron de Charlus — [page](https://film.one/film/time-regained.md) - *The Man in the Iron Mask* (1998), Fi1m 54, as Athos — [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-in-the-iron-mask.md) - *Con Air* (1997), Fi1m 74, as Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom — [page](https://film.one/film/con-air.md) - *The Portrait of a Lady* (1996), Fi1m 68, as Gilbert Osmond — [page](https://film.one/film/the-portrait-of-a-lady.md) - *In the Line of Fire* (1993), Fi1m 78, as Mitch Leary — [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-line-of-fire.md) - *Dangerous Liaisons* (1988), Fi1m 84, as Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont — [page](https://film.one/film/dangerous-liaisons.md) - *Empire of the Sun* (1987), Fi1m 81, as Basie — [page](https://film.one/film/empire-of-the-sun.md) - *Places in the Heart* (1984), Fi1m 80, as Mr. Will — [page](https://film.one/film/places-in-the-heart.md) - *The Killing Fields* (1984), Fi1m 82, as Al Rockoff — [page](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md) ### Produced (4) - *The Perks of Being a Wallflower* (2012), Fi1m 76, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower.md) - *Juno* (2007), Fi1m 81, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/juno.md) - *Ghost World* (2001), Fi1m 84, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/ghost-world.md) - *The Accidental Tourist* (1988), Fi1m 78, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-accidental-tourist.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Adaptation.* (2002), Fi1m 83, as John Malkovich (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md) ## Complete filmography (160) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Wild Horse Nine* (2026), as Chris — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/film/wild-horse-nine.md) - *In the Hand of Dante* (2026), as Joe Black - *Sacrifice* (2026), as Gunnar — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/sacrifice.md) - *The Yellow Tie* (2025), as Sergiu Celibidache — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/film/the-yellow-tie.md) - *The Life of Mirrors* (2025), Actor - *Opus* (2025), as Alfred Moretti - *The Line* (2024), as Beach Miller - *Bad Monkey* (2024), series, as Spencer - *Unsinkable* (2024), series, as Chief Engineer Pollard - *RIPLEY* (2024), series, as Reeves Minot — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/ripley.md) - *The New Look* (2024), series, as Lucien Lelong - *Mr. Blake at Your Service!* (2023), as Andrew Blake - *Fool's Paradise* (2023), as Ed Cote - *One Ranger* (2023), as Geddes - *Breaking Rachmaninoff* (2023), Actor - *Seneca* (2023), as Seneca - *Mindcage* (2022), as The Artist - *Savage Salvation* (2022), as Peter - *White Elephant* (2022), as Glen Follett - *Chariot* (2022), as Dr. Karn - *Shattered* (2022), as Ronald · Producer - *The Survivalist* (2021), as Aaron Ramsey - *Ten Year Old Tom* (2021), series, as Mr. B (voice) - *Rogue Hostage* (2021), as Sam Nelson - *Last Call* (2020), as Dr. Felton · Producer - *Valley of the Gods* (2020), as Wes Tauros - *Ava* (2020), as Duke - *Home Movie: The Princess Bride* (2020), series, as The Impressive Clergyman - *Space Force* (2020), series, as Dr. Adrian Mallory - *Arkansas* (2020), as Bright - *The New Pope* (2020), series, as Giovanni Paolo III / Sir John Brannox - *Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile* (2019), as Judge Edward D. Cowart - *Gotta Get Down to It* (2019), Sound Mixer - *Velvet Buzzsaw* (2019), as Piers - *The ABC Murders* (2018), series, as Hercule Poirot - *Bird Box* (2018), as Douglas — Fi1m 53, [page](https://film.one/film/bird-box.md) - *The Music Critic* (2018), as The Narrator - *Mile 22* (2018), as Bishop - *Supercon* (2018), as Sid Newberry - *Casanova Gene* (2018), Actor - *Bullet Head* (2017), as Walker - *Ryuichi Sakamoto: CODA* (2017), as Port (archive footage) - *The Wilde Wedding* (2017), as Laurence · Executive Producer - *I Love You, Daddy* (2017), as Leslie Goodwin - *About Love. Adults Only* (2017), as Ed - *Just Call Me God* (2017), as Satur Diman Cha - *Unlocked* (2017), as Bob Hunter - *Deepwater Horizon* (2016), as Donald Vidrine — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/deepwater-horizon.md) - *Psychogenic Fugue* (2016), as All characters - *Demolition* (2016), Producer - *Zoolander 2* (2016), as Chazz Spencer - *Billions* (2016), series, as Grigor Andolov - *Penguins of Madagascar* (2014), as Dave (voice) — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/penguins-of-madagascar.md) - *Cut Bank* (2014), as Sheriff Vogel - *Casanova Variations* (2014), as Giacomo - *The Penguins of Madagascar - Operation: Penguin Takeover* (2014), as Dave / Dr. Octavius Brine (voice) - *Jack Unterweger - The Charming Serial Killer* (2014), Actor - *Crossbones* (2014), series, as Blackbeard - *Cesar Chavez* (2014), as Bogdanovitch - *Strap Hanging* (2014), Director - *RED 2* (2013), as Marvin Boggs - *Ecstasy* (2013), as Vinny - *Siberian Education* (2013), as Grandfather Kuzya - *Warm Bodies* (2013), as Colonel Grigio - *Lines of Wellington* (2012), as General Wellington - *The Perks of Being a Wallflower* (2012), Producer — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower.md) - *Drunkboat* (2012), as Mort - *Young Adult* (2011), Executive Producer - *Transformers: Dark of the Moon* (2011), as Bruce Brazos — Fi1m 46, [page](https://film.one/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon.md) - *Butterflies* (2011), as Man - *RED* (2010), as Marvin Boggs - *Secretariat* (2010), as Lucien Laurin - *Jonah Hex* (2010), as Turnbull - *The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer* (2010), as Jack Unterweger - *Abel* (2010), Executive Producer - *SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas* (2009), as (archive footage) - *Which Way Home* (2009), Executive Producer - *Gardens of the Night* (2008), as Michael - *Changeling* (2008), as Rev. Gustav Briegleb — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/changeling.md) - *Afterwards* (2008), as Joseph Kay - *Bloody Mondays & Strawberry Pies* (2008), as Narrator - *Snow Angel* (2008), Writer - *Disgrace* (2008), as David Lurie - *Burn After Reading* (2008), as Osborne Cox — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/burn-after-reading.md) - *Mutant Chronicles* (2008), as Constantine - *In Tranzit* (2008), as Pavlov - *The Great Buck Howard* (2008), as Buck Howard - *Juno* (2007), Producer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/juno.md) - *Beowulf* (2007), as Unferth (Voice) - *Polis Is This: Charles Olson and the Persistence of Place* (2007), Actor - *Eragon* (2006), as King Galbatorix — Fi1m 35, [page](https://film.one/film/eragon.md) - *Art School Confidential* (2006), as Professor Sandiford · Producer - *Klimt* (2006), as Gustav Klimt - *Colour Me Kubrick* (2005), as Alan Conway - *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* (2005), as Humma Kavula - *The Libertine* (2004), as Charles II · Producer — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/the-libertine.md) - *A Talking Picture* (2003), as Comandante John Walesa - *Kill the Poor* (2003), Producer - *Johnny English* (2003), as Pascal Sauvage — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/johnny-english.md) - *Adaptation.* (2002), as John Malkovich (uncredited) — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md) - *Napoleon* (2002), series, as Charles de Talleyrand - *The Dancer Upstairs* (2002), as Abimael Guzman (uncredited) · Director, Producer - *Ripley's Game* (2002), as Tom Ripley - *Hideous Man* (2002), Narrator, Writer, Director - *Knockaround Guys* (2001), as Teddy Deserve - *Hotel* (2001), as Omar Jonnson - *Ghost World* (2001), Producer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/ghost-world.md) - *Savage Souls* (2001), as Monsieur Numance - *I’m Going Home* (2001), as John Crawford - *Les Misérables* (2000), series, as Javert - *Shadow of the Vampire* (2000), as F. W. Murnau - *Lady Behave* (2000), Director, Writer - *Ladies Room* (1999), as Roberto - *RKO 281* (1999), as Herman Mankiewicz - *Being John Malkovich* (1999), as John Horatio Malkovich — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/being-john-malkovich.md) - *The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc* (1999), as Charles VII - *Time Regained* (1999), as Baron de Charlus — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/time-regained.md) - *Rounders* (1998), as Teddy KGB - *The Man in the Iron Mask* (1998), as Athos — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-in-the-iron-mask.md) - *Con Air* (1997), as Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/con-air.md) - *The Portrait of a Lady* (1996), as Gilbert Osmond — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-portrait-of-a-lady.md) - *The Ogre* (1996), as Abel - *Mulholland Falls* (1996), as General Thomas Timms - *Mary Reilly* (1996), as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Edward Hyde - *Beyond the Clouds* (1995), as The Director - *The Convent* (1995), as Michael - *Heart of Darkness* (1994), as Kurtz - *In the Line of Fire* (1993), as Mitch Leary — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-line-of-fire.md) - *Alive* (1993), as Carlitos Páez / Narrator (uncredited) - *Jennifer Eight* (1992), as Agent St. Anne - *Of Mice and Men* (1992), as Lennie Small - *Annie Lennox: Totally Diva* (1992), Actor - *Shadows and Fog* (1991), as Clown - *Old Times* (1991), Actor - *Performance* (1991), series, as Deeley - *The Object of Beauty* (1991), as Jake Bartholomew - *Queens Logic* (1991), as Eliot - *The Sheltering Sky* (1990), as Port - *The Accidental Tourist* (1988), Executive Producer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/the-accidental-tourist.md) - *Dangerous Liaisons* (1988), as Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/dangerous-liaisons.md) - *Miles from Home* (1988), as Barry Maxwell - *Empire of the Sun* (1987), as Basie — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/empire-of-the-sun.md) - *Santabear's High Flying Adventure* (1987), as Santa Claus (voice) - *The Glass Menagerie* (1987), as Tom Wingfield - *Making Mr. Right* (1987), as Jeff Peters / Ulysses - *Rocket to the Moon* (1986), as Ben Stark - *Eleni* (1985), as Nicholas 'Nick' Gage - *Death of a Salesman* (1985), as Biff Loman - *The Killing Fields* (1984), as Al Rockoff — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-killing-fields.md) - *Places in the Heart* (1984), as Mr. Will — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/places-in-the-heart.md) - *True West* (1984), as Lee - *Say Goodnight, Gracie* (1983), as Steve - *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Lee, Ben Stark - *American Dream* (1981), Actor - *Word of Honor* (1981), as Gary - *A Wedding* (1978), as Wedding Guest (uncredited) - *Lost and Found in Paris*, as Wim Waldemar - *A Hero's Journey: The Making of Beowulf*, as Unferth - *A Winter's Journey*, as Leiermann - *Bishop*, series, as Lincoln Graves ## Gallery - ![John Malkovich](https://film.one/media/person/88381/gallery-8a3a0a8093ce.jpg) John Malkovich — Image via TMDB - ![John Malkovich](https://film.one/media/person/88381/gallery-ee8cbf4196cf.jpg) John Malkovich — Image via TMDB - ![John Malkovich](https://film.one/media/person/88381/gallery-db10a15f9eeb.jpg) John Malkovich — Image via TMDB - ![John Malkovich](https://film.one/media/person/88381/gallery-e28d702353ed.jpg) John Malkovich — Image via TMDB - ![John Malkovich](https://film.one/media/person/88381/gallery-75528dce8b97.jpg) John Malkovich — Image via TMDB - ![John Malkovich](https://film.one/media/person/88381/gallery-1f48a0889bc6.jpg) John Malkovich — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated - 1994: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *In the Line of Fire* - 1985: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Places in the Heart* ### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won - 1986: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (won), for *Death of a Salesman* ### Other awards — 3 won - Volpi Cup for Best Actor 2026: Volpi Cup for Best Actor (won), for *Wild Horse Nine* - Donostia Award 1998: Donostia Award (won) - Theatre World Award 1983: Theatre World Award (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/john-malkovich