Willem Dafoe is experiencing a prolific year, captivating audiences with his portrayal of a character whose life is intentionally understated. In director Kent Jones’ upcoming film “Late Fame,” set to release on August 7 in New York and August 19 in Los Angeles, Dafoe embodies Ed Saxberger, a postal worker whose youthful dreams of becoming a published poet have dimmed into obscurity. While Ed has seemingly embraced his low profile, an encounter with an aspiring intellectual named Meyers (played by Edmund Donovan) disrupts his solitude, igniting a conflict within him about the nature of fame.
Dafoe’s Current and Upcoming Projects
Though Dafoe’s character is content to step away from the limelight, the actor himself is anything but. Beyond “Late Fame,” he is involved in five other projects slated for 2026, including “Tenzing,” where he portrays the commander leading the first successful expedition up Mount Everest, and “Werwulf,” the latest gothic horror film from Robert Eggers, set in the 13th century.
Reflections on Artistic Choices
In a conversation with Variety, Dafoe reflected on the emotional landscape of his character, who has seemingly abandoned his art and the ambition that once defined him. He acknowledges the challenge in relating to Ed Saxberger’s decision to retreat from his creative pursuits but finds parallels in the lives of others. “When I went to New York City, there was a scene. I was locked in a theater, trying to make theater pieces, but aware of poetry readings and loft performances,” Dafoe explained. Many peers, once passionate creators, eventually found peace in a quieter existence when the vibrant community they knew began to fade.
Reviving Youthful Energy
Reflecting on his own experiences, Dafoe recognizes the enduring spark of creativity from his early days in experimental theater, co-founding the Wooster Group in the 1970s. “I’m self-deluded enough to think I’m still a young man,” he said, emphasizing the infectious nature of youthful passion that continues to inspire him.
The Director-Actor Dynamic
Dafoe has cultivated fruitful collaborations with directors like Yorgos Lanthimos and Wes Anderson, and he shared what he seeks in a director: “Passion, I need. When they’re turned on, it can wake you up out of habit.” He conveyed that while working with smaller films allows for flexibility, big-budget projects bring their own sets of challenges and expectations. “On a big movie, things have to be planned, sure, and measured,” he noted, adding that the creative process often involves finding solutions amidst constraints.
Collaborating with Robert Eggers
Dafoe’s ongoing partnership with director Robert Eggers has proven to be both challenging and creatively rewarding. “I adore working with him because everything’s clear,” he said. “He gives me fun things to do.” Eggers’ meticulous craftsmanship allows actors to immerse themselves in a fully realized world, which Dafoe finds exhilarating. “He designs shots very specifically, and you have to bend yourself to the shot, serve the shot, but also play the scene.”
The Poetic Scene in ‘Late Fame’
One particularly poignant aspect of “Late Fame” involves a scene where Dafoe’s character reads a poem he crafted decades earlier. Preparing for this moment required significant collaboration, as Dafoe and director Kent Jones worked together, ultimately resulting in a poem that conveyed the emotional journey of Saxberger. “It meant something to me,” he stated, expressing satisfaction with how it intertwined his identity with that of his character.
