John Waters

John Waters

Born 1946-04-22 (age 80) Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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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.

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Known For

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip

2015

as First Class Passenger

Seed of Chucky
Seed of Chucky

2004

as Pete Peters

Hairspray
Hairspray

2007

as Flasher

Pink Flamingos
Pink Flamingos

1976

as Mr. J (narration) (uncredited)

Thinking XXX
Thinking XXX

2004

as Self

Inside Deep Throat
Serial Mom
Serial Mom

1994

as Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited)

Hairspray
Hairspray

1988

as Dr. Fredrickson

Jackass Number Two
Tab Hunter Confidential
Pecker
Pecker

1998

as Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited)

Excision
Excision

2012

as William

Something Wild
Something Wild

1986

as Used Car Guy

Welcome to Hollywood
Welcome to Hollywood

2000

as John Waters

Suburban Gothic
Suburban Gothic

2014

as Cornelius

Sweet and Lowdown
Sweet and Lowdown

1999

as Mr. Haynes

Mansfield 66/67
Mansfield 66/67

2017

as Self

Anarchy TV