James Spader
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1960-02-07 (65 years old)
Place of Birth
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
James Spader
Biography
James Todd Spader (born February 7, 1960) is an American actor. He is known for often portraying eccentric and morally ambiguous characters. He started his career in critically acclaimed independent films before transitioning into television, for which he received numerous awards and acclaim, including three Primetime Emmy Awards as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and ten Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Spader started his career acting in youth-orientated films such as Tuff Turf (1985), Pretty in Pink (1986), and Mannequin (1987). His breakthrough role came with the Steven Soderbergh drama Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989), for which he received the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor. He then starred in films such as White Palace (1990), True Colours (1991), Stargate (1994), 2 Days in the Valley (1996), and Secretary (2002). Spader took supporting roles in Bob Roberts (1992), Wolf (1994), Lincoln (2012), and The Homesman (2014). He also played the role of Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
His television roles include the attorney Alan Shore in the last season of The Practice (2003–2004) and its spin-off Boston Legal (2004–2008), which earned him three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He portrayed Robert California in the sitcom The Office (2011–2012). Spader is also known for starring as Raymond Reddington in the NBC crime thriller series The Blacklist (2013–2023), for which he received two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actor—TV Series Drama.
Acting
(2024)
BRATS
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
(2015)
Avengers: Age of Ultron
as Ultron (voice)
(2014)
The Homesman
as Aloysius Duffy
(2012)
Lincoln
as W.N. Bilbo
(2012)
Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen
as (archive footage)
(2009)
Shorts
as Carbon Black
(2006)
Discovery Atlas: China Revealed
as Narrator (voice)
(2004)
Shadow of Fear
as William Ashbury
(2003)
I Witness
as Douglas Draper
(2003)
Alien Hunter
as Julian Rome
(2003)
The Pentagon Papers
as Daniel Ellsberg
(2002)
Secretary
as Mr. Grey
(2002)
The Stickup
as John Parker
(2001)
Speaking of Sex
as Dr. Roger Klink
(2000)
Supernova
as Nick Vanzant
(2000)
The Watcher
as FBI Special Agent Joel Campbell
(2000)
Slow Burn
as Marcus
(1998)
Curtain Call
as Stevenson Lowe
(1997)
Driftwood
as The Man
(1997)
Keys to Tulsa
as Ronnie Stover
(1997)
Critical Care
as Dr. Werner Ernst
(1996)
Crash
as James Ballard
(1996)
2 Days in the Valley
as Lee Woods
(1994)
Dream Lover
as Ray Reardon
(1994)
Stargate
as Dr. Daniel Jackson
(1994)
Wolf
as Stewart Swinton
(1993)
The Music of Chance
as Jack Pozzi
(1992)
Storyville
as Cray Fowler
(1992)
Bob Roberts
as Chuck Marlin
(1991)
True Colors
as Tim Gerrity
(1990)
White Palace
as Max Baron
(1990)
Bad Influence
as Michael Boll
(1989)
sex, lies, and videotape
as Graham Dalton
(1989)
The Rachel Papers
as Deforest
(1988)
Jack's Back
as John Allen Wesford / Richard Wesford
(1988)
(1987)
Wall Street
as Roger Barnes
(1987)
Mannequin
as Mr. Richards
(1987)
Baby Boom
as Ken Arrenberg
(1987)
Less Than Zero
as Rip
(1986)
Pretty in Pink
as Steff McKee
(1985)
The New Kids
as Eddie Dutra
(1985)
Starcrossed
as Joey Callaghan
(1985)
Tuff Turf
as Morgan Hiller
(1984)
Family Secrets
as Lowell Everall
(1983)
A Killer in the Family
as Donny Tison
(1983)
Diner
as Fenwick
(1983)
Cocaine: One Man's Seduction
as Buddy Gant
(1981)
Endless Love
as Keith
(1978)
Team-Mates
as Jimmy