John Waters
Born April 22, 1946 (Age: 79)
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Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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.
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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Filmography
Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
2026
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as
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Age: 79
Blood, Guts and Sunshine: The History of Horror Made in Florida
2021
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as Self [archival]
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Age: 75
Joel Calls Indie Film Type Dudes
2020
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as
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Age: 73
Female Trouble: On-Set Footage
2018
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as
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Age: 72
The Fancy Gentleman
2018
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as Wadworth Thorndyke the Third
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Age: 71
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
2015
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as First Class Passenger
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Age: 69
I Am Divine
2014
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as Self
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Age: 67
Frankenstein: A Modern Myth
2012
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as Self - Director
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Age: 66
Blank City
2011
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as Self
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Age: 64
Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press
2008
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as Self
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Age: 62
365 Day Project
2007
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as Self
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Age: 61
Jessica the Hippo
2007
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as Narrator (Voice)
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Age: 61
Hairspray
2007
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as Flasher
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Age: 61
No Image
Treasures Untold: The Making of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'
2006
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as Self
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Age: 60
Jackass Number Two
2006
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as Self
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Age: 60
Mommie Dearest: Joan Lives On
2006
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as
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Age: 60
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
2006
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as Self
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Age: 59
Footlight Parade: Music for the Decades
2006
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as
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Age: 59
(buz'be bur'kle) n. A Study in Style
2006
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as Self
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Age: 59
No Image
Busby Berkeley's Kaleidoscopic Eyes
2006
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as
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Age: 59
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
2006
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as Self - Director of 'A Dirty Shame'
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Age: 59
Meet The Kuchar Brothers
2006
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as
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Age: 59
I, of the Cyclops
2006
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as
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Age: 59
It Came from... Baltimore!!
2005
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as Self
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Age: 59
Inside Deep Throat
2005
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as Self
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Age: 58
Seed of Chucky
2004
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as Pete Peters
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Age: 58
Closer Than That: A Documentary on Low
2004
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as Himself
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Age: 58
Abby Singer
2003
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as John Waters (uncredited)
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Age: 57
No Image
Sylvester: Mighty Real
2002
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as Self
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Age: 56
Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat
2002
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as The Reverend
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Age: 55
The Cockettes
2002
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as Self
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Age: 55
Welcome to Hollywood
2000
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as John Waters
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Age: 54
Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story
2000
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as Self
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Age: 54
Cecil B. Demented
2000
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as Reporter
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Age: 54
Divine Trash
2000
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as Self
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Age: 53
Sweet and Lowdown
1999
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as Mr. Haynes
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Age: 53
Yesterday's Tomorrows
1999
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as Self
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Age: 53
Pecker
1998
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as Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited)
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Age: 52
Anarchy TV
1998
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as
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Age: 51
Anthem
1997
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as Self
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Age: 51
Ballyhoo: The Hollywood Sideshow!
1996
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as
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Age: 50
Serial Mom
1994
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as Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited)
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Age: 47
The Big Wet
1993
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as Narrator
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Age: 47
Growing Up with John Waters
1993
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as Self
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Age: 46
Gastronomic Getaway
1991
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as
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Age: 44
Homer and Eddie
1989
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as Robber #1
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Age: 43
Hairspray
1988
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as Dr. Fredrickson
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Age: 41
Way USA!
1988
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as
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Age: 41
Something Wild
1986
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as Used Car Guy
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Age: 40
The Ballad of Sexual Dependency
1985
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as
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Age: 38
Divine Waters
1985
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as Self
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Age: 38
No Image
Nuart Theatre no smoking PSA
1982
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as
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Age: 35
Pink Flamingos
1972
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as Mr. J (voice) (uncredited)
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Age: 25
Mondo Trasho
1969
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as Reporter (voice) (uncredited)
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Age: 22