Acting · Lexington, Kentucky, USA · Born August 7, 1974
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.
MovieMr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story
2026
as Bill Parcells
MovieBuddy
2026
as Charlie the Train (voice) / Willie (voice)
MovieLove Letter to Texas
2026
MovieBulls
2026
as Alistair Whitman
MovieNuremberg
2025
as Justice Robert H. Jackson
TVDeath by Lightning
2025
as James Garfield
MovieThe End
2024
as Father
MovieA Different Man
2024
as Michael Shannon
MovieThe Bikeriders
2024
as Zipco
MovieMaking The Flash: Worlds Collide
2023
as Self - 'General Zod'
MovieThe Flash
2023
as General Zod
TVWaco: The Aftermath
2023
as Gary Noesner
MovieA Little White Lie
2023
as Shriver
TVGeorge & Tammy
2022
as George Jones
MovieAmsterdam
2022
as Henry Norcross
TVLittle Demon
2022
as Unshaven Man (voice)
MovieBullet Train
2022
as White Death
MovieAbandoned
2022
as Renner
MovieNight's End
2022
as Isaac Dees
MovieHeart of Champions
2021
as Jack Murphy
TVNine Perfect Strangers
2021
as Napoleon
MovieEcho Boomers
2020
as Mel Donnelly
MovieThe Quarry
2020
as Chief Moore
TVStars in the House
2020
as Self
MovieKnives Out
2019
as Walt Thrombey
Movie90 Years of the Music Box Theatre
2019
as Self
MovieThe Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts
2019
as Don McGahn
MovieState Like Sleep
2019
as Edward
MovieFriedkin Uncut
2018
as Self
TVThe Little Drummer Girl
2018
as Martin Kurtz
MovieWhat They Had
2018
as Nick
MoviePoor Boy
2018
as Blayde Griggs
MovieFahrenheit 451
2018
as Captain Beatty
MovieThe Current War
2018
as George Westinghouse
TVWaco
2018
as Gary Noesner
Movie12 Strong
2018
as Hal Spencer
MovieThe Shape of Water
2017
as Richard Strickland
MoviePottersville
2017
as Maynard Greiger
MovieBob Dylan: Trouble No More
2017
as Self
MovieBallad of a Righteous Merchant
2017
as Self
TVRoom 104
2017
as Nathan
MovieFrank & Lola
2016
as Frank Reilly
MovieSalt and Fire
2016
as Matt Riley
MovieNocturnal Animals
2016
as Bobby Andes
MovieLoving
2016
as Grey Villet
MovieWolves
2016
as Lee Keller
MovieComplete Unknown
2016
as Tom Brayton
MovieBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
2016
as Zod
MovieElvis & Nixon
2016
as Elvis Presley
MovieMidnight Special
2016
as Roy Tomlin
MovieThe Night Before
2015
as Mr. Green
MovieFreeheld
2015
as Dane Wells
Movie99 Homes
2015
as Rick Carver
TVThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
MovieShe's Funny That Way
2015
as Policeman Macy's
MovieThe Harvest
2015
as Richard
TVLip Sync Battle
2015
as Self
TVVariety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014
as Self
MovieThe Final Shot: A Farewell to Boardwalk Empire
2014
as Self
MovieYoung Ones
2014
as Ernest Holm
MovieThey Came Together
2014
as Spike
TVLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
TVOff Camera with Sam Jones
2014
as Self
MovieJourney of Discovery: Creating Man of Steel
2013
Choose You
2013
as Avicii
MovieMan of Steel
2013
as General Zod
MovieMud
2013
as Galen
MovieMichael Shannon Reads the Insane Delta Gamma Sorority Letter
2013
MovieHappy Hour
2012
as Just Mike
MovieThe Iceman
2012
as Richard Kuklinski
MoviePremium Rush
2012
as Bobby Monday
MovieThe Broken Tower
2012
as Emile
MovieTake Shelter
2011
as Curtis LaForche
MovieMachine Gun Preacher
2011
as Donnie
MovieReturn
2011
as Mike
TVBoardwalk Empire
2010
as Nelson Van Alden
MovieMy Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
2010
as Brad McCullum
MovieI am My Films, Part 2... 30 Years Later
2010
as Self
MovieJonah Hex
2010
as Doc Cross Williams
MovieThe Runaways
2010
as Kim Fowley
Movie13
2010
as Henry
Herbert White
2010
as Herbert White
Movie13 Scarier Movie Moments
2009
as Self
MovieBad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
2009
as Mundt
MovieThe Greatest
2009
as Jordan Walker
MovieThe Missing Person
2009
as John Rosow
MovieRevolutionary Road
2008
as John Givings
MovieMarvelous
2008
as John
MovieShotgun Stories
2007
as Son Hayes
MovieBefore the Devil Knows You're Dead
2007
as Dex
MovieLucky You
2007
as Ray Zumbro
MovieBlackbird
2007
as Murl
MovieBug
2007
as Peter Evans
MovieLet's Go to Prison
2006
as Lynard
MovieWorld Trade Center
2006
as Dave Karnes
MovieDead Birds
2005
as Clyde
MovieThe Woodsman
2004
as Rosen
MovieWater
2004
as Bobby Matherson
MovieCriminal
2004
as Gene
MovieGrand Theft Parsons
2004
as Larry Oster-Berg
MovieZamboni Man
2004
as Walt
MovieBad Boys II
2003
as Floyd Poteet
MovieKangaroo Jack
2003
as Frankie Lombardo
Movie8 Mile
2002
as Greg Buehl
MovieHigh Crimes
2002
as Troy Abbott
MovieVanilla Sky
2001
as Aaron
TVCrossing Jordan
2001
as Philip Corday
MovieNew Port South
2001
as Stanton
MovieBeyond the Movie: Pearl Harbor
2001
as Gooz
MoviePearl Harbor
2001
as Gooz
MovieTigerland
2000
as Sgt. Filmore
MovieCecil B. Demented
2000
as Petie
MovieJesus' Son
2000
as Dundun
MovieThe Photographer
2000
as Maurice
MovieMullitt
2000
as Phil Kunz
TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Avery Shaw
MovieChicago Cab
1998
as Crack Head
The Ride
1997
as Jimmy
TVThe View
1997
as Self
TVEarly Edition
1996
MovieChain Reaction
1996
as D.C. Flower Delivery Man
TVThe Daily Show
1996
as Self
TVLate Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self - Guest
MovieGroundhog Day
1993
as Fred
MovieOverexposed
1992
as Young Man
MovieMcCarthy
as Joseph McCarthy
Dead Guy
The Young King
as Mick
MovieKing Snake
MovieDinner with Audrey
Vegas: A Love Story
Doctor Caligari's Cabinet of Wonders
as Doctor Caligari
