Portrait of John Waters

John Waters

Directing

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). 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.

Born: April 22, 1946

Place of Birth: Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Filmography

2025
2025
Everybody's Live with John Mulaney

as Self - Writer and Film Director

2024
TURA!

as Self (archive footage)

2024
2024
Scala!!!

as Self

2023
Lynch/Oz

as Host (Chapter 3: 'Kindred') (voice)

2023
Digman!

as Magnus (voice)

2022
2022
2021
Chucky

as Wendell Wilkins

2021
Pride

as Self

2020
Helluva Boss

as Rolando (voice)

2018
Mugworth

as Sir Butler

2018
Explained

as Narrator (voice)

2018
The Fancy Gentleman

as Wadworth Thorndyke the Third

2017
FEUD

as William Castle

2017
2016
Search Party

as Sheffield

2016
Wall Writers

as Narrator (voice)

2015
2014
Suburban Gothic

as Cornelius

2014
Clarence

as Captain Tom (voice)

2014
2013
The Blacklist

as John Waters

2012
Frankenstein: A Modern Myth

as Self - Director

2012
Excision

as William

2012
Mansome

as Self

2011
Blank City

as Self

2011
Mangus!

as Jesus Christ

2010
Fish Hooks

as Ezekiel Freshwater / Hair Man (voice)

2010
Fish Hooks

as The Yeti Lobster (voice)

2009
RuPaul's Drag Race

as Self - Guest Judge

2009
RuPaul's Drag Race

as Self - Special Guest

2007
2007
Jessica the Hippo

as Narrator (Voice)

2007
Indie Sex

as Self

2007
Hairspray

as Flasher

2007
Each Time I Kill

as Movie Watcher

2006
Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea

as Self - Narrator (voice)

2006
This Film Is Not Yet Rated

as Self - Director of 'A Dirty Shame'

2005
My Name Is Earl

as Walter Hamerick

2004
Seed of Chucky

as Pete Peters

2004
2003
Abby Singer

as John Waters (uncredited)

2003
2002
2002
2001
2000
Welcome to Hollywood

as John Waters

2000
2000
1999
Sweet and Lowdown

as Mr. Haynes

1999
1998
Pecker

as Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited)

1998
So Graham Norton

as Self - Guest

1997
Anthem

as Self

1996
1994
Family Album

as Vincent

1994
Serial Mom

as Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited)

1993
Frasier

as Roger (voice)

1993
Homicide: Life on the Street

as R. Vincent Smith

1989
The Simpsons

as John (voice)

1989
Homer and Eddie

as Robber #1

1988
Hairspray

as Dr. Fredrickson

1987
21 Jump Street

as Mr. Bean

1986
Something Wild

as Used Car Guy

1985
1975
Saturday Night Live

as Self - Cameo (uncredited)

1972
Pink Flamingos

as Mr. J (voice) (uncredited)

1969
Mondo Trasho

as Reporter (voice) (uncredited)

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter