Sam Rockwell

Sam Rockwell made his feature film debut in the horror film Clownhouse (1989). In the early 1990s, he appeared in television series including The Equalizer, NYPD Blue, and Law & Order, as well as the films Last Exit to Brooklyn and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In 1992, he became a member of the New York-based LAByrinth Theater Company. His early screen credits included My Boyfriend's Back (1993) and The Search for One-eye Jimmy (1994), in which he played the title character. In 1994, he also appeared in the television series Unsolved Mysteries and the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. His subsequent film credits included Boys on the Side and Scorpion Spring (both 1995), followed by Lone Star, A Time to Kill, Larger Than Life, and Glory Daze (all 1996). In 1997, he starred in Lawn Dogs and appeared in Contact and Amistad. His later 1990s credits included The Newton Boys (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Galaxy Quest (1999), and A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999).

In 2000, Rockwell played Eric Knox in Charlie's Angels. His subsequent film credits included The Hot L Baltimore (2000), The Wedding Planner (2001), Dumb Waiter (2001), and Zoo Story (2001). In 2002, he starred as television host Chuck Barris in George Clooney's directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. He appeared in Matchstick Men (2003) and voiced Zaphod Beeblebrox in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005). His other film credits included The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), Snow Angels (2008), Choke (2008), and Moon (2009). In 2007, he guest-starred as Pete Sampras in the web series Casted: The Continuing Chronicles of Derek Riffchyn, Greatest Casting Director in the World. Ever. He also appeared in the short film Robin's Big Date and the television series Stella. On stage, his credits included Goosepimples (1998), Love and Human Remains, Face Divided, Orphans, Den of Thieves, Dessert at Waffle House, and The Largest Elizabeth in the World.

Rockwell portrayed weapons developer Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2 (2010). He later appeared in The Way, Way Back (2013), Seven Psychopaths (2012), and Cowboys & Aliens (2011), in which he played Doc. His other film credits during this period included The F Word and The Eel. In 2015, he starred in the Poltergeist remake and Mr. Right. In 2016, he was cast as the voice of Mortimer Ramsey in the video game Dishonored 2.

In 2017, Rockwell starred as police officer Jason Dixon in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, earning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He portrayed former U.S. President George W. Bush in the 2018 film Vice, earning nominations for a BAFTA Award, a Critics' Choice Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award. In 2019, he played choreographer Bob Fosse in the miniseries Fosse/Verdon, earning nominations for Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and Primetime Emmy Awards. That year, he also appeared in Richard Jewell and Jojo Rabbit.

In 2020, Rockwell voiced a character in Trolls World Tour and voiced Ivan the Gorilla in the Disney+ film The One and Only Ivan. In 2022, he starred as Teach in the Broadway revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo alongside Laurence Fishburne and Darren Criss, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play. That year, he also voiced Mr. Wolf in the DreamWorks Animation film The Bad Guys, reprising the role in its 2025 sequel, The Bad Guys 2. In 2025, he guest-starred in the third season of The White Lotus and played Man from the Future in Gore Verbinski's science fiction comedy Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die.

Rockwell's upcoming projects include Wild Horse Nine, alongside John Malkovich and Steve Buscemi; Ray Gunn, alongside Scarlett Johansson; The Semant Movie; Stuntnuts: The Movie; and The Adventures of Drunky. He is also scheduled to return to the stage in an off-Broadway production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, alongside Marin Ireland and Alfred Molina, with performances beginning in New York City in November 2026.

His additional theater work includes Fool for Love, A Behanding in Spokane, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Goose-Pimples, and productions at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.