James Woods

Biography

James Howard Woods (born April 18, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for starring in films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and Hercules, as well as in the television legal drama Shark. He has won two Emmy Awards, and earned two Academy Award nominations.

Career Overview

James Woods has 151 screen credits in a career dating back to 1953. Their work spans 11 cinematic universes — most prominently Hercules (Disney) Collection with 2 titles. Signature works include Once Upon a Time in America, Hercules, Contact. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For

Acting

Gender

male

Known Credits

151

Birth Date

1947-04-18 00:00:00

Birth Place

Vernal, Utah, USA

Known For

• 

  Once Upon a Time in America
• 

  Hercules
• 

  Contact
• 

  Hercules
• 

  Casino
• 

  John Q

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 11 universes

• Hercules (Disney) Collection (2 titles)
• Family Guy Trilogy Collection: Laugh It Up, Fuzzball! (1 titles)
• Surf's Up Collection (1 titles)
• Chili Palmer Collection (1 titles)
• Stuart Little Collection (1 titles)
• Scary Movie pentalogy (1 titles)
• Scary Movie Collection (1 titles)
• Recess Collection (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

• Robert De Niro (2 collaborations)
• Joe Pesci (2 collaborations)
• Clem Caserta (2 collaborations)
• Paul Herman (2 collaborations)
• Tate Donovan (2 collaborations)
• Matt Frewer (2 collaborations)
• Corey Burton (2 collaborations)
• Frank Welker (2 collaborations)
• Bobcat Goldthwait (2 collaborations)
• Larry King (2 collaborations)

Credits

• actors (149 credits)

  • Eddington

    James Woods (uncredited)

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • Once Upon a Studio

    Hades (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • A Journey to Sundance

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Dean Martin: King of Cool

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • First Contact

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Bling

    Victor (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Justice League Action

    - Race Against Crime (2017) ... Lex Luthor (voice) actor actors

    - The Brain Buster (2017) ... Lex Luthor (voice) actor actors

    - Superman Red vs Superman Blue (2017) ... Lex Luthor (voice) actor actors

    - Best Day Ever (2017) ... Lex Luthor (voice) actor actors

    - Inside Job (2017) ... Lex Luthor (voice) actor actors
    2016
  • Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau

    Self (archive footage)

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Jamesy Boy

    Lt. Falton

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Any Given Tuesday

    self

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Jobs

    Jack Dudman

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • White House Down

    Walker

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Mary and Martha

    Mary's Father

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Officer Down

    Captain Verona

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • Ray Donovan

    - Same Exactly (2013) ... Patrick "Sully" Sullivan actor actors

    - Fite Nite (2013) ... Patrick "Sully" Sullivan actor actors

    - Road Trip (2013) ... Patrick "Sully" Sullivan actor actors

    - Bridget (2013) ... Patrick "Sully" Sullivan actor actors

    - New Birthday (2013) ... Patrick "Sully" Sullivan actor actors
    2013
  • Too Big to Fail

    Dick Fuld

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Straw Dogs

    Tom Heddon

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

    Owlman (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Family Guy Presents: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side

    James Woods as General Veers (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • An American Carol

    Todd Grosslight

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Surf's Up

    Reggie Belafonte (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • End Game

    Agent Vaughn Stevens

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Stardust: The Bette Davis Story

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Free as a Dog

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Ark

    Jallak (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Buddy

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Be Cool

    Tommy Athens

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Pretty Persuasion

    Hank Joyce

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

    - James Woods (2011) ... Self actor actors

    - James Woods / Amanda Bynes / Jim Short (2005) ... Self actor actors
    2005
  • This Girl's Life

    Pops

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Introduction

    Toreno (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • The Easter Egg Adventure

    Grab Takit (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • Videodrome: Forging the New Flesh

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • Entourage

    - Aquamom (2006) ... James Woods actor actors
    2004
  • Bare Knuckle Filming: The Construction of Northfork

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Northfork

    Walter O'Brien

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story

    Rudy Giuliani

    actor

    actors
    2003
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live!

    - James Woods, Game, & 50 cent (2005) ... Self actor actors

    - Episode 117 (2003) ... Self actor actors
    2003
  • Mickey's House of Villains

    Hades (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • Rolie Polie Olie: The Great Defender of Fun

    Gloomius Maximus (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • Stuart Little 2

    Falcon (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • Behind the Scenes of 'John Q'

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • John Q

    Dr. Raymond Turner

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • Race to Space

    Dr. Wilhelm von Huber

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Riding in Cars with Boys

    Leonard Donofrio

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • America | A Tribute to Heroes

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Breaking the Silence: The Making of Hannibal

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Scary Movie 2

    Father McFeely

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

    General Hein (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Into the Valley of Death

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Playboy Mansion Parties Uncensored

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Recess: School's Out

    Dr. Phillium Benedict (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • Disney's House of Mouse

    - House Ghost (2003) ... Hades (voice) actor actors

    - Halloween with Hades (2003) ... Hades (voice) actor actors

    - Suddenly Hades (2002) ... Hades (voice) actor actors

    - Goofy for a Day (2001) ... Hades (voice) actor actors

    - Daisy's Debut (2001) ... Hades (voice) actor actors
    2001
  • The Making of The Virgin Suicides

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • The American Nightmare

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • The Making of Hercules

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Dirty Pictures

    Dennis Barrie

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • The Virgin Suicides

    Mr. Lisbon

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Sensational Cities: New York

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Play It to the Bone

    James Woods (Ringside Fan)

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • Any Given Sunday

    Dr. Harvey Mandrake

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • Hercules: Zero to Hero

    Hades (voice) (archive sound)

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • The General's Daughter

    Colonel Robert Moore

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • True Crime

    Alan Mann

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • Family Guy

    - Inside Family Guy (2016) ... James Woods (voice) actor actors

    - The Simpsons Guy (2014) ... Family Guy James Woods / Simpsons James Woods (voice) actor actors

    - Tom Tucker: The Man and His Dream (2012) ... James Woods (voice) actor actors

    - And Then There Were Fewer (2010) ... James Woods (voice) actor actors

    - Something, Something, Something, Dark Side (2010) ... James Woods as General Veers (voice) actor actors
    1999
  • Another Day in Paradise

    Mel

    actor

    actors
    1998
  • Vampires

    Jack Crow

    actor

    actors
    1998
  • Hercules

    Hades (voice)

    actor

    actors

    - Hercules and the Tiff on Olympus (1999) ... Hades (voice) actor actors

    - Hercules and the Big Show (1999) ... Hades (voice) actor actors

    - Hercules and the Spring of Canathus (1999) ... Hades (voice) actor actors

    - Hercules and the Grim Avenger (1999) ... Hades (voice) actor actors

    - Hercules and the Odyssey Experience (1999) ... Hades (voice) actor actors
    1998
  • America's Endangered Species: Don't Say Good-bye

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1998
  • Kicked in the Head

    Uncle Sam

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • Contact

    Michael Kitz

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • Hercules

    Hades (voice)

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • Ghosts of Mississippi

    Byron De La Beckwith

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • The Summer of Ben Tyler

    Temple Rayburn

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • Killer: A Journal of Murder

    Carl Panzram

    actor

    actors
    1996
  • The Daily Show

    - James Woods (2001) ... Self actor actors
    1996
  • Nixon

    H.R. Haldeman

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Casino

    Lester Diamond

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Indictment: The McMartin Trial

    Danny Davis

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • For Better or Worse

    Reggie Makeshift

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • The Specialist

    Ned Trent

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Curse of the Starving Class

    Weston Tate

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Next Door

    Matt Coler

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • The Getaway

    Jack Benyon

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Jane's House

    Paul Clark

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • ER

    - Body and Soul (2006) ... Dr. Nate Lennox actor actors
    1994
  • Inside the Actors Studio

    - James Woods (2000) ... Self actor actors
    1994
  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien

    - James Woods, Joy Behar, Shawn King (2005) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - James Woods, Slema Blair, Scout (2001) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - James Woods, Wayne Newton, Brian Kiley (1999) ... Self - Guest actor actors
    1993
  • Fallen Angels

    - Since I Don't Have You (1993) ... Mickey Cohen actor actors
    1993
  • Chaplin

    Joseph Scott

    actor

    actors
    1992
  • Citizen Cohn

    Roy Marcus Cohn

    actor

    actors
    1992
  • Diggstown

    Gabriel Caine

    actor

    actors
    1992
  • Straight Talk

    Jack Russell

    actor

    actors
    1992
  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

    - James Woods, Lisa Lampanelli, Five For Fighting (2007) ... Self actor actors

    - James Woods, Charlie Rose, Daniel Rodriguez (2006) ... Self actor actors

    - Show #2518 (2003) ... Self actor actors

    - Show #2455 (2003) ... Self actor actors

    - Show #2331 (2002) ... Self actor actors
    1992
  • The Boys

    Walter Farmer

    actor

    actors
    1991
  • The Hard Way

    John Moss

    actor

    actors
    1991
  • Voices That Care

    Self - Host & Choir Member

    actor

    actors
    1991
  • Women and Men: Stories of Seduction

    Robert

    actor

    actors
    1990
  • Immediate Family

    Michael Spector

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • My Name Is Bill W.

    Bill Wilson

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • True Believer

    Eddie Dodd

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • Hollywood on Horses

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • The Simpsons

    - Homer and Apu (1994) ... James Woods (voice) actor actors
    1989
  • The Boost

    Lenny Brown

    actor

    actors
    1988
  • Crimes of Passion

    Himself - Host

    actor

    actors
    1988
  • Best Seller

    Cleve

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • In Love and War

    James B. Stockdale

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • Promise

    DJ

    actor

    actors
    1986
  • Salvador

    Richard Boyle

    actor

    actors
    1986
  • Joshua Then and Now

    Joshua Shapiro

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Cat's Eye

    Morrison

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Badge of the Assassin

    Robert K. Tanenbaum, Assistant District Attorney

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Once Upon a Time in America

    Max

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • Against All Odds

    Jake Wise

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • Videodrome

    Max Renn

    actor

    actors
    1983
  • The Making of David Cronenberg's Videodrome

    Interviewee

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • Split Image

    Charles Pratt

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • Fast-Walking

    Fast-Walking

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • The Black Marble

    The Fiddler

    actor

    actors
    1980
  • Young Maverick - Dead Man's Hand

    Len Fraker

    actor

    actors
    1979
  • The Onion Field

    Gregory Powell

    actor

    actors
    1979
  • ...And Your Name Is Jonah

    Danny Corelli

    actor

    actors
    1979
  • The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel

    Sin Eater

    actor

    actors
    1979
  • The Gift of Love

    Alfred Browning

    actor

    actors
    1978
  • The Billion Dollar Bubble

    Art Lewis

    actor

    actors
    1978
  • The Choirboys

    Harold Bloomguard

    actor

    actors
    1977
  • Raid on Entebbe

    Capt. Sammy Berg

    actor

    actors
    1976
  • Alex & the Gypsy

    Crainpool

    actor

    actors
    1976
  • Distance

    Larry Vincent

    actor

    actors
    1975
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood

    Leonard "Lenny" Schoenfeld

    actor

    actors
    1975
  • Foster & Laurie

    Walter The Addict

    actor

    actors
    1975
  • Night Moves

    Quentin

    actor

    actors
    1975
  • Saturday Night Live

    - James Woods/Don Henley (1989) ... Self - Host actor actors
    1975
  • The Gambler

    Bank Officer

    actor

    actors
    1974
  • The Rockford Files

    - The Kirkoff Case (1974) ... Larry Kirkoff actor actors
    1974
  • The Way We Were

    Frankie McVeigh

    actor

    actors
    1973
  • Police Story

    - Thanksgiving (1976) ... actor actors
    1973
  • Kojak

    - Death Is Not a Passing Grade (1974) ... Caz actor actors
    1973
  • A Great American Tragedy

    Rick

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • Hickey & Boggs

    Lt. Wyatt

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • Footsteps

    Reporter

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • The Visitors

    Bill Schmidt

    actor

    actors
    1972
  • All the Way Home

    Andrew Lynch

    actor

    actors
    1971
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    - Episode 55 (1992) ... Self actor actors
    1962
  • The Mike Douglas Show

    - Episode 118 (1980) ... Self actor actors
    1961
  • The Oscars

    - The 69th Annual Academy Awards (1997) ... Self actor actors
    1953
  • Golden Globe Awards

    - The 54th Golden Globe Awards (1997) ... Self - Nominee actor actors

    - The 37th Golden Globe Awards (1980) ... Self - Nominee actor actors
    1944

• production (2 credits)

  • Oppenheimer

    executive producer

    production
    2023
  • Another Day in Paradise

    producer

    production
    1998