Site Revisions Underway Some Features May Not Work
Photo of John Waters

John Waters

Directing 79 years old Baltimore, Maryland, USA ★ 2.0
Born: April 22, 1946

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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Cry-Baby
Cry-Baby Director 1990
A Dirty Shame
A Dirty Shame Director 2004
Hairspray
Hairspray Director 1988
Desperate Living
Desperate Living Director 1977
Multiple Maniacs
Multiple Maniacs Director 1970

Filmography

Acting Credits (179)

Kevin
Kevin Armando (Voice) 2026
Gays Against Guns
Gays Against Guns 2026
Sarah Squirm: Live + in the Flesh
Sarah Squirm: Live + in the Flesh Stage Manager 2025
Velvet Vision: The Story of James Bidgood and the Making of Pink Narcissus
Velvet Vision: The Story of James Bidgood and the Making of Pink Narcissus Self 2025
It's Dorothy!
It's Dorothy! Self 2025
A Summer with Joe, Liz and Richard
A Summer with Joe, Liz and Richard Self 2025
Everybody's Live with John Mulaney
Everybody's Live with John Mulaney Self - Writer and Film Director 2025
As Time Goes By
As Time Goes By 2024
TURA!
TURA! Self (archive footage) 2024
Doc of Chucky
Doc of Chucky Self 2024
Scala!!!
Scala!!! Self 2024
Lynch/Oz
Lynch/Oz Host (Chapter 3: 'Kindred') (voice) 2023
Little Richard: I Am Everything
Little Richard: I Am Everything Self 2023
Digman!
Digman! Magnus (voice) 2023
Don't Fall in Love with Yourself
Don't Fall in Love with Yourself Self (Archival) 2022
Fragments of Paradise
Fragments of Paradise Self 2022
Living with Chucky
Living with Chucky Self 2022
The Book of Harth
The Book of Harth Self 2022
Charles Band’s Full Moon Freakshow
Charles Band’s Full Moon Freakshow 2022
Tell Me Iggy
Tell Me Iggy Self 2022
The Andy Warhol Diaries
The Andy Warhol Diaries Self 2022
Blood, Guts and Sunshine: The History of Horror Made in Florida
Blood, Guts and Sunshine: The History of Horror Made in Florida Self [archival] 2021
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground Self 2021
Chucky
Chucky Wendell Wilkins 2021
Pride
Pride Self 2021
The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo
The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo Himself 2020
Helluva Boss
Helluva Boss Rolando (voice) 2020
Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and Camp
Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and Camp Host 2020
Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi
Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi Host 2020
Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness
Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness Host 2020
Joel Calls Indie Film Type Dudes
Joel Calls Indie Film Type Dudes 2020
30/30 Vision: Three Decades of Strand Releasing
30/30 Vision: Three Decades of Strand Releasing Self 2019
At the Video Store
At the Video Store Self 2019
Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn
Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn Self 2019
Sniffing Out ‘Polyester’
Sniffing Out ‘Polyester’ Self 2019
Mugworth
Mugworth Sir Butler 2018
Liverspots and Astronots
Liverspots and Astronots O-Dor 2018
Crime and Beauty: Making ‘Female Trouble’
Crime and Beauty: Making ‘Female Trouble’ 2018
Female Trouble: On-Set Footage
Female Trouble: On-Set Footage 2018
Explained
Explained Narrator (voice) 2018
The Fancy Gentleman
The Fancy Gentleman Wadworth Thorndyke the Third 2018
Sickies Making Films
Sickies Making Films Self 2018
Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution
Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution Self 2017
FEUD
FEUD William Castle 2017
Mansfield 66/67
Mansfield 66/67 Self 2017
Search Party
Search Party Sheffield 2016
Wall Writers
Wall Writers Narrator (voice) 2016
In Conversation With Director John Waters, Actress Kathleen Turner and Actress Mink Stole
In Conversation With Director John Waters, Actress Kathleen Turner and Actress Mink Stole Self 2016
Whatever Happened to Gelitin
Whatever Happened to Gelitin Self 2016
The New Yorker Presents
The New Yorker Presents Self 2016
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip First Class Passenger 2015
Sympathy for the Devil: The True Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment
Sympathy for the Devil: The True Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment Self 2015
The 1000 Eyes of Dr Maddin
The 1000 Eyes of Dr Maddin 2015
Seed Money: The Chuck Holmes Story
Seed Money: The Chuck Holmes Story Self 2015
Tab Hunter Confidential
Tab Hunter Confidential Self 2015
Suburban Gothic
Suburban Gothic Cornelius 2014
Clarence
Clarence Captain Tom (voice) 2014
I Am Divine
I Am Divine Self 2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Late Night with Seth Meyers Self - Guest 2014
HitRECord on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt
HitRECord on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt Self 2014
Jingle Bell Rocks!
Jingle Bell Rocks! Self 2013
The Blacklist
The Blacklist John Waters 2013
RuPaul Drives...
RuPaul Drives... Self - Guest 2013
Paul Bowles: The Cage Door Is Always Open
Paul Bowles: The Cage Door Is Always Open Self 2013
The Sarnos: A Life in Dirty Movies
The Sarnos: A Life in Dirty Movies Self 2013
Frankenstein: A Modern Myth
Frankenstein: A Modern Myth Self - Director 2012
Excision
Excision William 2012
Mansome
Mansome Self 2012
Finding Your Roots
Finding Your Roots Self 2012
The Advocate for Fagdom
The Advocate for Fagdom Self 2011
Blank City
Blank City Self 2011
Mangus!
Mangus! Jesus Christ 2011
These Amazing Shadows
These Amazing Shadows Self 2011
William S. Burroughs: A Man Within
William S. Burroughs: A Man Within Self 2010
Fish Hooks
Fish Hooks The Yeti Lobster (voice) 2010
Fish Hooks
Fish Hooks Ezekiel Freshwater / Hair Man (voice) 2010
Offspring
Offspring 2010
Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore
Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore 2010
Beautiful Darling
Beautiful Darling Self 2010
The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3D! On Ice!
The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3D! On Ice! Self 2010
It Came from Kuchar
It Came from Kuchar Self 2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Self - Guest 2009
For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism
For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism Self 2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
RuPaul's Drag Race Self - Guest Judge 2009
RuPaul's Drag Race
RuPaul's Drag Race Self - Special Guest 2009
The Wild World of Ted V. Mikels
The Wild World of Ted V. Mikels Narrator 2008
Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press
Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press Self 2008
Starz Inside: In the Gutter
Starz Inside: In the Gutter Self 2008
New Line Cinema: The First Generation and the Next Generation
New Line Cinema: The First Generation and the Next Generation Self 2008
Coven of the Heathenites
Coven of the Heathenites Self 2008
365 Day Project
365 Day Project Self 2007
Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story
Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story Self 2007
The Junior Defenders
The Junior Defenders Narrator 2007
Jessica the Hippo
Jessica the Hippo Narrator (Voice) 2007
Indie Sex
Indie Sex Self 2007
Hairspray
Hairspray Flasher 2007
Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis
Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis Self 2007
Each Time I Kill
Each Time I Kill Movie Watcher 2007
'Til Death Do Us Part
'Til Death Do Us Part 2007
The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show Self - Guest 2007
Here’s Looking at You, Boy
Here’s Looking at You, Boy Self 2007
This Filthy World
This Filthy World Self 2006
Treasures Untold: The Making of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'
Treasures Untold: The Making of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' Self 2006
Jackass Number Two
Jackass Number Two Self 2006
The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players: Off & On Broadway
The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players: Off & On Broadway Self 2006
I Love the '70s: Volume 2
I Love the '70s: Volume 2 Self 2006
Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream
Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream Self 2006
Mommie Dearest: Joan Lives On
Mommie Dearest: Joan Lives On 2006
The Henry Rollins Show
The Henry Rollins Show 2006
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage Self 2006
Footlight Parade: Music for the Decades
Footlight Parade: Music for the Decades 2006
Busby Berkeley's Kaleidoscopic Eyes
Busby Berkeley's Kaleidoscopic Eyes 2006
(buz'be bur'kle) n. A Study in Style
(buz'be bur'kle) n. A Study in Style Self 2006
Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea
Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea Self - Narrator (voice) 2006
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema Self 2006
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
This Film Is Not Yet Rated Self - Director of 'A Dirty Shame' 2006
That Man: Peter Berlin
That Man: Peter Berlin Self 2006
Meet The Kuchar Brothers
Meet The Kuchar Brothers 2006
I, of the Cyclops
I, of the Cyclops 2006
The Colbert Report
The Colbert Report Self - Guest 2005
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl Walter Hamerick 2005
It Came from... Baltimore!!
It Came from... Baltimore!! Self 2005
All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame'
All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame' Self 2005
Inside Deep Throat
Inside Deep Throat Self 2005
Seed of Chucky
Seed of Chucky Pete Peters 2004
Thinking XXX
Thinking XXX Self 2004
Closer Than That: A Documentary on Low
Closer Than That: A Documentary on Low Himself 2004
Abby Singer
Abby Singer John Waters (uncredited) 2003
Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher Self - Guest 2003
A History of Sex
A History of Sex Self 2003
Sylvester: Mighty Real
Sylvester: Mighty Real Self 2002
Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat
Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat The Reverend 2002
The Cockettes
The Cockettes Self 2002
Memories of Oz
Memories of Oz Self 2001
Welcome to Hollywood
Welcome to Hollywood John Waters 2000
Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story
Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story Self 2000
Cecil B. Demented
Cecil B. Demented Reporter 2000
Divine Trash
Divine Trash Self 2000
Sweet and Lowdown
Sweet and Lowdown Mr. Haynes 1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Pornmonger Man 1999
In Bad Taste
In Bad Taste Self 1999
Yesterday's Tomorrows
Yesterday's Tomorrows Self 1999
Forever Hollywood
Forever Hollywood Self 1999
Pecker
Pecker Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited) 1998
So Graham Norton
So Graham Norton Self - Guest 1998
Anarchy TV
Anarchy TV 1998
Anthem
Anthem Self 1997
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story 1996
Ballyhoo: The Hollywood Sideshow!
Ballyhoo: The Hollywood Sideshow! 1996
The Daily Show
The Daily Show Self - Guest 1996
God Save the Queens
God Save the Queens 1995
Family Album
Family Album Vincent 1994
Serial Mom
Serial Mom Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited) 1994
The Big Wet
The Big Wet Narrator 1993
Frasier
Frasier Roger (voice) 1993
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street R. Vincent Smith 1993
Growing Up with John Waters
Growing Up with John Waters Self 1993
HBO First Look
HBO First Look 1992
Gastronomic Getaway
Gastronomic Getaway 1991
The Simpsons
The Simpsons John (voice) 1989
Homer and Eddie
Homer and Eddie Robber #1 1989
The Incredibly Strange Film Show
The Incredibly Strange Film Show Self 1988
Hairspray
Hairspray Dr. Fredrickson 1988
Way USA!
Way USA! 1988
21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street Mr. Bean 1987
Something Wild
Something Wild Used Car Guy 1986
The Ballad of Sexual Dependency
The Ballad of Sexual Dependency 1985
Divine Waters
Divine Waters Self 1985
Nuart Theatre no smoking PSA
Nuart Theatre no smoking PSA 1982
Edith's Shopping Bag
Edith's Shopping Bag Self 1976
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live Self - Cameo (uncredited) 1975
Love Letter to Edie
Love Letter to Edie Self 1975
Pink Flamingos
Pink Flamingos Mr. J (voice) (uncredited) 1972
Mondo Trasho
Mondo Trasho Reporter (voice) (uncredited) 1969
My Life with the Waters
My Life with the Waters Self
Mary Woronov: Cult Queen
Mary Woronov: Cult Queen Self
The Brandon Novak Story
The Brandon Novak Story Self
Baltigore
Baltigore The Broker
Mamie Exposed! The Life and Loves of the Last Blonde Bombshell
Mamie Exposed! The Life and Loves of the Last Blonde Bombshell

Directing Credits (20)

Writing Credits (21)

Powered by

TMDB
× Person photo
❮ Back to Person Search