Michael Shannon

Biography

Michael Corbett Shannon (born August 7, 1974) is an American actor, producer, musician, and theatre director. He has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in the Sam Mendes period drama Revolutionary Road (2008) and the Tom Ford psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals (2016). He earned Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for his role in 99 Homes (2014), and a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for the Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night (2016). Shannon made his film debut in 1993 with Groundhog Day and received widespread attention for his performance in 8 Mile (2002). He is known for his on-screen versatility, performing in both comedies and dramas such as Pearl Harbor (2001), Bad Boys II (2003), Bug (2006), Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), The Iceman (2012), Premium Rush (2012), The Night Before (2015), The Shape of Water (2017) and Knives Out (2019). He played Superman's Kryptonian adversary General Zod in Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and is set to reprise the role in The Flash (2022). Shannon is a frequent collaborator of Jeff Nichols, appearing in all of his films: Shotgun Stories (2007), Take Shelter (2011), Mud (2012), Midnight Special, and Loving (both 2016). He is also known for his role as Nelson Van Alden in the HBO period drama series Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014), for which he was nominated for three Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2021, he had a main role in the Hulu drama miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers.

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

All Movies (110)

Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story2026 · as Bill Parcells
Buddy2026 · as Charlie the Train (voice) / Willie (voice)
Love Letter to Texas2026
Bulls2026 · as Alistair Whitman
Nuremberg2025 · as Justice Robert H. Jackson
The End2024 · as Father
A Different Man2024 · as Michael Shannon
The Bikeriders2024 · as Zipco
Making The Flash: Worlds Collide2023 · as Self - 'General Zod'
The Flash2023 · as General Zod
A Little White Lie2023 · as Shriver
Amsterdam2022 · as Henry Norcross
Bullet Train2022 · as White Death
Abandoned2022 · as Renner
Night's End2022 · as Isaac Dees
Heart of Champions2021 · as Jack Murphy
Echo Boomers2020 · as Mel Donnelly
The Quarry2020 · as Chief Moore
Knives Out2019 · as Walt Thrombey
90 Years of the Music Box Theatre2019 · as Self
The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts2019 · as Don McGahn
State Like Sleep2019 · as Edward
Friedkin Uncut2018 · as Self
What They Had2018 · as Nick
Poor Boy2018 · as Blayde Griggs
Fahrenheit 4512018 · as Captain Beatty
The Current War2018 · as George Westinghouse
12 Strong2018 · as Hal Spencer
The Shape of Water2017 · as Richard Strickland
Pottersville2017 · as Maynard Greiger
Bob Dylan: Trouble No More2017 · as Self
Ballad of a Righteous Merchant2017 · as Self
Frank & Lola2016 · as Frank Reilly
Salt and Fire2016 · as Matt Riley
Nocturnal Animals2016 · as Bobby Andes
Loving2016 · as Grey Villet
Wolves2016 · as Lee Keller
Complete Unknown2016 · as Tom Brayton
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice2016 · as Zod
Elvis & Nixon2016 · as Elvis Presley
Midnight Special2016 · as Roy Tomlin
The Night Before2015 · as Mr. Green
Freeheld2015 · as Dane Wells
99 Homes2015 · as Rick Carver
She's Funny That Way2015 · as Policeman Macy's
The Harvest2015 · as Richard
The Final Shot: A Farewell to Boardwalk Empire2014 · as Self
Young Ones2014 · as Ernest Holm
They Came Together2014 · as Spike
Journey of Discovery: Creating Man of Steel2013
Choose You2013 · as Avicii
Man of Steel2013 · as General Zod
Mud2013 · as Galen
Michael Shannon Reads the Insane Delta Gamma Sorority Letter2013
Happy Hour2012 · as Just Mike
The Iceman2012 · as Richard Kuklinski
Premium Rush2012 · as Bobby Monday
The Broken Tower2012 · as Emile
Take Shelter2011 · as Curtis LaForche
Machine Gun Preacher2011 · as Donnie
Return2011 · as Mike
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done2010 · as Brad McCullum
I am My Films, Part 2... 30 Years Later2010 · as Self
Jonah Hex2010 · as Doc Cross Williams
The Runaways2010 · as Kim Fowley
132010 · as Henry
Herbert White2010 · as Herbert White
13 Scarier Movie Moments2009 · as Self
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans2009 · as Mundt
The Greatest2009 · as Jordan Walker
The Missing Person2009 · as John Rosow
Revolutionary Road2008 · as John Givings
Marvelous2008 · as John
Shotgun Stories2007 · as Son Hayes
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead2007 · as Dex
Lucky You2007 · as Ray Zumbro
Blackbird2007 · as Murl
Bug2007 · as Peter Evans
Let's Go to Prison2006 · as Lynard
World Trade Center2006 · as Dave Karnes
Dead Birds2005 · as Clyde
The Woodsman2004 · as Rosen
Water2004 · as Bobby Matherson
Criminal2004 · as Gene
Grand Theft Parsons2004 · as Larry Oster-Berg
Zamboni Man2004 · as Walt
Bad Boys II2003 · as Floyd Poteet
Kangaroo Jack2003 · as Frankie Lombardo
8 Mile2002 · as Greg Buehl
High Crimes2002 · as Troy Abbott
Vanilla Sky2001 · as Aaron
New Port South2001 · as Stanton
Pearl Harbor2001 · as Gooz
Tigerland2000 · as Sgt. Filmore
Cecil B. Demented2000 · as Petie
Jesus' Son2000 · as Dundun
The Photographer2000 · as Maurice
Mullitt2000 · as Phil Kunz
Chicago Cab1998 · as Crack Head
The Ride1997 · as Jimmy
Chain Reaction1996 · as D.C. Flower Delivery Man
Groundhog Day1993 · as Fred
Overexposed1992 · as Young Man
McCarthy— · as Joseph McCarthy
Dead Guy—
The Young King— · as Mick
King Snake—
Dinner with Audrey—
Vegas: A Love Story—
Doctor Caligari's Cabinet of Wonders— · as Doctor Caligari

All TV Shows (28)

Death by Lightning2025 · as James Garfield
Waco: The Aftermath2023 · as Gary Noesner
George & Tammy2022 · as George Jones
Little Demon2022 · as Unshaven Man (voice)
Nine Perfect Strangers2021 · as Napoleon
Stars in the House2020 · as Self
The Little Drummer Girl2018 · as Martin Kurtz
Waco2018 · as Gary Noesner
Room 1042017 · as Nathan
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Ringo Starr
Lip Sync Battle2015 · as Self
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self - Guest
Off Camera with Sam Jones2014 · as Self
Boardwalk Empire2010 · as Nelson Van Alden
Crossing Jordan2001 · as Philip Corday
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Avery Shaw
The View1997 · as Self
Early Edition1996
Early Edition1996 · as Mr. Andrews
Early Edition1996 · as Merle
The Daily Show1996 · as Self
Late Show with David Letterman1993 · as Self - Guest