Willem Dafoe Appointed Artistic Director of Venice Biennale Theatre Section

Willem Dafoe, the renowned actor born in the USA in 1955, has been named the artistic director for the Teatro sector of La Biennale di Venezia for the 2025–2026 period, as announced by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, the president of Biennale. Having co-founded The Wooster Group in 1977, Dafoe makes his return to the festival after conducting a masterclass in 2016. His theatrical journey began at the age of 19 with Theatre X in Milwaukee and extended to performances across Europe. Dafoe has worked with prominent artists and received the Coppa Volpi at the Venice Film Festival in 2018. He has garnered four nominations for both the Oscars and Golden Globes, including a nomination for "Poor Things" in 2024, and will base his direction on personal training and body exploration.