John Waters

Directing·Apr 22, 1946·Baltimore, Maryland, USA

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John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including Multiple Maniacs (1970), Pink Flamingos (1972) and Female Trouble (1974). Waters wrote and directed the comedy film Hairspray (1988), which was later adapted into a hit Broadway musical and a 2007 musical film. Other films he has written and directed include Desperate Living (1977), Polyester (1981), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), Pecker (1998), and Cecil B. Demented (2000). His films contain elements of post-modern comedy and surrealism. As an actor, Waters has appeared in Sweet and Lowdown (1999), 'Til Death Do Us Part (2007), Mangus! (2011), Excision (2012), Suburban Gothic (2014), and has appeared in the Child's Play franchise with Seed of Chucky (2004) and third season of the television series Chucky (2024). He hosted and produced the television series John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You (2006). Throughout his career, Waters has often collaborated with actor and drag queen Divine and his regular cast of the Dreamlanders. More recently, he performs in his touring one-man show This Filthy World. Waters also works as a visual artist and across different media, such as installations, photography, and sculpture. The audiobooks he narrated for his books Carsick and Mr. Know-It-All were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2015 and 2020, respectively. In 2018, Waters was named an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in France. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Film	Credit
30/30 Vision: Three Decades of Strand Releasing2019 · Director	Director
Kiddie Flamingos2015 · Writer, Director	Writer, Director
A Dirty Shame2004 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
Cecil B. Demented2000 · Reporter, Director, Writer	Reporter, Director, Writer
Pecker1998 · Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited), Director, Screenplay	Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited), Director, Screenplay
Serial Mom1994 · Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited), Director, Writer	Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited), Director, Writer
Cry-Baby1990 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
Hairspray1988 · Dr. Fredrickson, Director, Writer	Dr. Fredrickson, Director, Writer
Nuart Theatre No Smoking PSA1982 · Director	Director
Polyester1981 · Director, Producer, Writer	Director, Producer, Writer
Desperate Living1977 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
Female Trouble1976 · Director, Director of Photography, Producer, Writer	Director, Director of Photography, Producer, Writer
Pink Flamingos1972 · Mr. J (narration) (uncredited), Director, Producer, Director of Photography, Writer	Mr. J (narration) (uncredited), Director, Producer, Director of Photography, Writer
The Diane Linkletter Story1970 · Producer, Writer, Director, Director of Photography	Producer, Writer, Director, Director of Photography
Multiple Maniacs1970 · Writer, Director, Producer, Director of Photography	Writer, Director, Producer, Director of Photography
Mondo Trasho1969 · Reporter (voice) (uncredited), Writer, Director, Producer, Director of Photography	Reporter (voice) (uncredited), Writer, Director, Producer, Director of Photography
Eat Your Makeup1968 · Director, Writer, Producer, Director of Photography	Director, Writer, Producer, Director of Photography
Dorothy, the Kansas City Pot Head1968 · Writer, Director	Writer, Director
RRoman Candles1967 · Director, Writer, Director of Photography, Producer	Director, Writer, Director of Photography, Producer
Hag in a Black Leather Jacket1964 · Director, Director of Photography, Producer, Writer	Director, Director of Photography, Producer, Writer
Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad RomanceDirector	Director