Person · Actor

John Goodman

A celebrated actor with a career spanning stage, film, and television, John Goodman navigates the challenges of maintaining relevance and authenticity in an ever-changing entertainment industry.

Born

June 20, 1952

From

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Also:
Producer

144

Credits on file

Decades active

In short · Acting since 1983, 5 decades active, 144 credits.

Known for

Ranked by community engagement + sustained interest across this person's credits in our database.

Now & next

Jul 20
In the news
Brie Larson Horror Film "Skeletons" Set for Summer 2027 Release
“Sony Pictures announced that the creature horror movie Skeletons, directed by JT Mollner and starring Brie Larson alongside Kyle Gallner, Daithí Ó Haragáin, Willa Fitzgerald, Ione Skye, John Goodman and Keith Carradine, will open theatrically on June 4, 2027. The film, produced by J.J. Abrams, is based on Philip Fracassi’s short story “Fail‑Safe,” with a revised script from an initial draft by Brian Duffield.”
Jul 13
In the news
Tom Cruise stars as oil tycoon in satirical film Digger
“The first official trailer for Alejandro G. Iñárritu's upcoming movie Digger reveals Tom Cruise playing a Southern oil magnate whose greed triggers an environmental crisis. The character is tasked by the U.S. President, portrayed by John Goodman, to rectify the disaster, positioning the film as a political satire reminiscent of Don't Look Up and Dr. Strangelove. Supporting cast members include Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, Riz Ahmed and Michael Stuhlbarg. Digger is slated for theatrical release on October 2, 2026, and may signal Cruise's shift toward award‑season material under Iñárritu's direction.”

Biography

John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor who gained prominence in television before becoming a widely recognized and acclaimed film actor. He has received multiple awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Vanity Fair has described Goodman as "among our very finest actors."

Goodman is known for his work with the Coen brothers, appearing in *Raising Arizona* (1987), *Barton Fink* (1991), *The Big Lebowski* (1998), *O Brother, Where Art Thou?* (2000), and *Inside Llewyn Davis* (2013). He has played leading roles in *King Ralph* (1991), *The Babe* (1992), *Matinee* (1993), *The Flintstones* (1994), and *10 Cloverfield Lane* (2016). He has also appeared in supporting roles in *Revenge of the Nerds* (1984), *True Stories* (1986), *Sea of Love* (1989), *Bringing Out the Dead* (1999), *Storytelling* (2001), *Speed Racer* (2008), *The Artist* (2011), *Flight* (2012), *Argo* (2012), *The Hangover Part III* (2013), and *Atomic Blonde* (2017). He has provided voice work for *The Emperor's New Groove* franchise (2000–2008), the *Monsters, Inc.* franchise (2001–present), *The Jungle Book 2* (2003), and *Bee Movie* (2007).

On television, Goodman is best known for his role as Dan Conner, the patriarch of the Conner family, in the comedy series *Roseanne* (1988–1997; 2018) and its continuation *The Conners* (2018–present). He has also had recurring roles in the HBO drama *Treme* (2010–2011), the legal drama *Damages* (2011), the political comedy *Alpha House* (2013–2014), and the HBO comedy *The Righteous Gemstones* (2019–present). Goodman has frequently hosted *Saturday Night Live* (1989–2013) and has guest starred in *The West Wing* (2003–2004), *Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip* (2006), and *Community* (2011–2012).

Goodman began his career at The Public Theatre, where he performed in productions such as *Henry IV, Part 1* (1981), *The Skin of Our Teeth* (1998), and *The Seagull* (2001). He made his Broadway debut in *Big River* (1985), for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. He later appeared in Broadway revivals of Samuel Beckett's *Waiting for Godot* (2009) and the newspaper comedy *The Front Page* (2016). Goodman made his West End debut in a revival of David Mamet's *American Buffalo* (2015).

Filmography · 129 of 129

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