- Born
- Nickname
- Bill
- Height6′ (1.83 m)
- William Forsythe is one of the most powerful and versatile actors of his generation. Raised in Brooklyn during the 1960s, Forsythe recalls a pivotal moment when his 5th-grade teacher, a Xaverian brother, recognized his potential and blackmailed him into doing a play. The play was Julius Caesar, with William playing the title role, which early belief helped shape a lifelong dedication to the craft.
From gritty dramas to true crime portrayals to historical epics and comedy, Forsythe’s work resonates because it is honest, unflinching, and deeply human. He’s not just playing roles; he disappears into them, making each performance distinct, unforgettable, and entirely his own.
With a career spanning decades, he has delivered a wide range of unforgettable performances that defy easy labels or typecasting. Forsythe’s breakthrough came when the legendary director Sergio Leone cast him in his epic gangster classic Once Upon a Time in America, starring Robert De Niro. That film marked the beginning of a career defined by depth, fearlessness, and conviction.
Among his many standout roles, Forsythe put in months of research to deliver a bone-chilling performance as serial killer John Wayne Gacy in Dear Mr. Gacy. Giving a flawless and disturbing portrayal of a monster. Forsythe also dove in and convincingly played the middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta in The Bronx Bull, bringing an emotional weight and intensity to his role, showing the true human side of the once-great champ.
Williams ability to fully inhabit such drastically different characters is a testament to the raw talent and commitment he brings to each role. American Me and The Rock are opposite styles of character, but Forsythe plays them both seamlessly and believably.
Other memorable performances by William Forsythe include his portrayals of Al Capone in the acclaimed 90s TV series The Untouchables and his powerful turn as Sammy Gravano in HBO's feature Gotti. some say its the best and most realistic Gangster movie ever made, not forgetting his dynamic and driven performance as Sheriff John Quincy Wydell in Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects. With over 150 feature films and television shows to his credit, Forsythe is equally adept at comedy as well as drama. He has left fans in stitches with his comedic performances in Raising Arizona, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Blue Streak, and many others.
- IMDb mini biography by: Teresa Forsythe
- SpousesTeresa Forsythe(June 30, 2024 - present)Melody Munyon (divorced, 3 children)
- ChildrenAngelica Forsythe
- Deep authorative voice
- Frequently plays tough criminals or law enforcement officers
- Gravelly smoke burnished voice
- Thick New York accent
- Once confessed to disguising himself as a gas company worker and even a singing telegram performer in a gorilla suit to gain entry into casting sessions.
- His personal favorite of all his roles is Burt the Booster in Weeds (1987).
- By age 17 he had appeared in over 40 plays in various dinner theaters, touring companies, stock and repertory before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a film career.
- He has three daughters-- Rebecca, born in 1990; Angelica, born in 1992; Chloe, born in 1993.
- Made his professional stage debut at age 16 in NYC.
- [on being referred to as a "character actor"] I love what I do. And in the true sense, from my training, I try to create a character each time. It is something I do. But I don't want that term to limit what I can do. I prefer people to say to me, "You're one of my favorite actors," rather than "You're one of my favorite character actors." It sounds like a slam. At least it sounds that way to me.
- [on his childhood] Oh, please, please. I was never a "bad" kid, but I did get into minor juvenile trouble. Look, I grew up in Brooklyn. This was the' '60s and the neighborhood was rapidly changing and not without its problems. All the kids of the neighborhood "did their thing," breaking windows and the like. I was no different. I went to Catholic school and there was this teacher, a Brother, who saw I could go either way, good or bad. He took an interest in me and got me to do a play. I got hooked on acting and it gave me something constructive to do. I had a lot of energy.
- [on getting his part in Hammerhead (2005)] Well, this film came together faster than anything else I think I've ever done. I literally got a phone call at something like 10 o'clock in the morning. I was in New York and I was asleep. My agent said, "I don't know how to say this, but pack your bag. You may be leaving for Bulgaria today. I'm going to get the script over to you right now." So it was a very quick, strange thing. I got the script within the hour and read it. I really like doing science-fiction. I really like it, and it's only in the past couple of years that I've done it. So I said, "OK, Bulgaria. Let's go." That was the quickest decision I've ever made in my life.
- When I grew into a teenager, I became obsessed with Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift and James Dean. In my late teens I had already started acting in theater. I walked into a movie theater by accident and saw Mean Streets (1973). I was so moved by it and I had no idea who Robert De Niro or Martin Scorsese were. I left the theater then went back and I got a job as an usher. I worked at the theater until the movie closed, and then I quit. Suddenly I was off in that world, the world of those guys, the guys who are real with very raw work. Those were my biggest influences. I really love Robert Duvall, who I think is maybe the best American actor. I love Robert Duvall because the ability that he has to change and do the most amazing work. You sit and watch Tender Mercies (1983) and then you watch Stalin (1992) and he has a real amazing power and diversity in his work. I got to work with most of these guys, so it's great. It's a wonderful thing. Al Pacino is one of those guys, as well as [nm0000163.] I was drawn to the guys who were just putting it out there and that whole reality thing.
- [in 2010] ) Al Capone [ the role he played in The Untouchables (1993)] was an amazing example of research. I always loved the story of Al Capone and the Chicago beer wars. I began to do all of this research and actually began to meet all of these people who knew Al personally and people who lived very close to Al. By the time it was over with that I had met over 100 people [who] knew Al and everybody liked him. Every single person said that he was a straight-shooter, and a likable guy but he obviously had a problem with betrayal, judging by the baseball bat moment, especially history. He was just a phenomenal character to get into and research. I really had the time of my life playing Capone. If you can imagine, I was living in Chicago for two years, playing Al Capone, so it was like Al was reborn. I don't know, what I have I learned? I learned that my father gave me something very special, he gave me a sense, a work ethic. A very strong work ethic. It is something that I try and live up to every day. It does not matter what the project, what the film, what the budget, if it is an expensive huge movie or a small film, I always try to do the same job, whatever it is I come in and I gave 100%. I try and do the very best job I can. Sometimes it works, sometimes the film doesn't, but I always try my best.
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