John Waters
Directing
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.
Known for
Directing21
movieKiddie Flamingos
2015
Director
movieA Dirty Shame
2004
Director
movieCecil B. Demented
2000
Director
moviePecker
1998
Director
movieSerial Mom
1994
Director
movieCry-Baby
1990
Director
movieHairspray
1988
Director
moviePolyester
1981
Director
movieDesperate Living
1977
Director
movieFemale Trouble
1976
Director
moviePink Flamingos
1972
Director
movieMultiple Maniacs
1970
Director
movieMondo Trasho
1969
Director
movieEat Your Makeup
1968
Director
Acting192
tvKevin
2026
Armando (voice)
movieSarah Squirm: Live + in the Flesh
2025
Stage Manager
movieTURA!
2025
Self
tvEverybody's Live with John Mulaney
2025
Self - Writer and Film Director
movieLynch/Oz
2023
Host (Chapter 3: 'Kindred') (voice)
tvDigman!
2023
Magnus (voice)
movieDon't Fall in Love with Yourself
2022
Self (Archival)
tvChucky
2021
Wendell Wilkins
tvPride
2021
Self
tvHelluva Boss
2020
Rolando (voice)
movieMugworth
2018
Sir Butler
tvExplained
2018
Narrator (voice)
tvFEUD
2017
William Castle
tvSearch Party
2016
Sheffield
movieWall Writers
2016
Narrator (voice)
movieIn Conversation With Director John Waters, Actress Kathleen Turner and Actress Mink Stole
2016
Self
movieAlvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
2015
First Class Passenger
tvThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
Self - Guest
movieSuburban Gothic
2014
Cornelius
tvClarence
2014
Captain Tom (voice)
tvLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
Self - Guest
tvThe Blacklist
2013
John Waters
RuPaul Drives...
2013
Self - Guest
movieFrankenstein: A Modern Myth
2012
Self - Director
movieExcision
2012
William
movieMansome
2012
Self
movieMangus!
2011
Jesus Christ
tvFish Hooks
2010
The Yeti Lobster (voice) / Ezekiel Freshwater / Hair Man (voice)
tvWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
Self - Guest
tvRuPaul's Drag Race
2009
Self - Guest Judge / Self - Special Guest
movieThe Junior Defenders
2007
Narrator
movieJessica the Hippo
2007
Narrator (Voice)
tvIndie Sex
2007
Self
movieHairspray
2007
Flasher
movieEach Time I Kill
2007
Movie Watcher
tvThe Graham Norton Show
2007
Self - Guest
movieThis Film Is Not Yet Rated
2006
Self - Director of 'A Dirty Shame'
moviePlagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea
2006
Self - Narrator (voice)
tvThe Colbert Report
2005
Self - Guest
tvMy Name Is Earl
2005
Walter Hamerick
movieSeed of Chucky
2004
Pete Peters
movieAbby Singer
2003
John Waters (uncredited)
tvReal Time with Bill Maher
2003
Self - Guest
movieBlood Feast 2: All U Can Eat
2002
The Reverend
movieWelcome to Hollywood
2000
John Waters
movieCecil B. Demented
2000
Reporter
movieSweet and Lowdown
1999
Mr. Haynes
tvLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
Pornmonger Man
moviePecker
1998
Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited)
tvThe Roseanne Show
1998
Self - Guest
tvSo Graham Norton
1998
Self - Guest
tvThe View
1997
Self
movieAnthem
1997
Self
tvThe Daily Show
1996
Self - Guest / Self
tvFamily Album
1994
Vincent
movieSerial Mom
1994
Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited)
movieThe Big Wet
1993
Narrator
tvFrasier
1993
Roger (voice)
tvLate Show with David Letterman
1993
Self - Guest
tvHomicide: Life on the Street
1993
R. Vincent Smith
tvThe Simpsons
1989
John (voice)
movieHomer and Eddie
1989
Robber #1
movieHairspray
1988
Dr. Fredrickson
tv21 Jump Street
1987
Mr. Bean
movieSomething Wild
1986
Used Car Guy
tvLate Night with David Letterman
1982
Self - Guest
tvSaturday Night Live
1975
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
moviePink Flamingos
1972
Mr. J (narration) (uncredited)
movieMondo Trasho
1969
Reporter (voice) (uncredited)
tvTony Awards
1956
Self - Presenter
movieBaltigore
The Broker
Writing21
movieHairspray Live!
2016
Original Story
movieHairspray
2007
Original Film Writer
movieThis Filthy World
2006
Screenplay
movieA Dirty Shame
2004
Writer
moviePecker
1998
Screenplay
movieSerial Mom
1994
Writer
movieCry-Baby
1990
Writer
movieHairspray
1988
Writer
moviePolyester
1981
Writer
movieFemale Trouble
1976
Writer
moviePink Flamingos
1972
Writer
movieMondo Trasho
1969
Writer
movieEat Your Makeup
1968
Writer
Production12
movieHairspray Live!
2016
Associate Producer
movieHairspray
1988
Co-Producer
moviePolyester
1981
Producer
movieDesperate Living
1977
Producer
movieFemale Trouble
1976
Producer
moviePink Flamingos
1972
Producer
movieMultiple Maniacs
1970
Producer
movieMondo Trasho
1969
Producer
movieEat Your Makeup
1968
Producer
Camera9
movieDesperate Living
1977
Additional Photography
movieFemale Trouble
1976
Director of Photography
moviePink Flamingos
1972
Director of Photography
movieThe Diane Linkletter Story
1970
Director of Photography
movieMultiple Maniacs
1970
Director of Photography
movieMondo Trasho
1969
Director of Photography
movieEat Your Makeup
1968
Director of Photography
Roman Candles
1967
Director of Photography
movieHag in a Black Leather Jacket
1964
Director of Photography
Crew8
Editing8
Sound2
movieMultiple Maniacs
1970
Original Music Composer
movieMondo Trasho
1969
Original Music Composer