Michael Anthony Claudio Wincott (born January 21, 1958) is a Canadian actor. His deep, raspy voice has often led to his being cast in villainous roles.
Some of his best-known roles include Guy of Gisbourne in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991); Top Dollar, the main antagonist in The Crow (1994); music mogul Philo Gant in Strange Days (1995); mercenary Frank Elgyn in Alien Resurrection (1997); hacker Adrian Cross on the TV miniseries 24: Live Another Day (2014); and cinematographer Antlers Holst in Nope (2022). He has frequently worked with directors Oliver Stone and Julian Schnabel, and appeared in films by Ridley Scott, Terrence Malick, Michael Cimino and Jim Jarmusch.
Early life and education Wincott was born in Toronto and grew up in an east-end suburb. His father is English while his mother was from Piacenza, Italy. Wincott has two brothers, one of whom is actor and martial artist Jeff Wincott, a star of the late-1980s TV series Night Heat.
In a 2014 interview with L'Uomo Vogue, Wincott said he fell in love with cinema as a young child and took drama classes in high school. He was educated at the Victoria University, a college of the University of Toronto. In 1982, he enrolled at the Juilliard School in New York City, graduating in 1986. Wincott credited director Des McAnuff, as well as his father, with encouraging him to enroll at the prestigious acting school.
Career In 1976, Wincott starred in his first film, titled Earthbound, as Cole Buckley, a troubled teenager living in a small Saskatchewan town. Kate Reid and Gerard Parkes played his parents in the film. The film aired on CBC-TV's Front Row Centre series in January 1977.
In 1979, Wincott starred in the Canadian adventure drama film Wild Horse Hank. In 1981, he appeared in the Canadian drama film Circle of Two. He also appeared on two episodes of the Canadian TV Series, The Littlest Hobo in 1979 and 1981.
After graduating from Juilliard, Wincott was cast in the 1987 film, The Sicilian in the role of Corporal Silvestro Canio. That same year he was also cast in the Eric Bogosian play Talk Radio as a stoned heavy metal fan named Kent. The following year Wincott appeared in Oliver Stone's film based on the play. In the 1980s he appeared on such American TV series as Miami Vice, Crime Story and The Equalizer, as well as Canadian police drama series Night Heat—a series starring his brother Jeff.
Wincott's stage performances include the off-Broadway productions Road (1988) starring Joan Cusack and Kevin Bacon, and the Sam Shepard play, States of Shock (1991), starring John Malkovich. He appeared on Broadway starring in the play Serious Money (1988) alongside Kate Nelligan, Alec Baldwin and John Pankow, as well as appearing in The Secret Rapture (1989) starring Blair Brown.
Wincott again worked with Oliver Stone in 1989, appearing in the film Born on the Fourth of July as a bedridden Vietnam veteran, then yet again in 1991 in the film The Doors where he played the role of Paul Rothchild, the producer of The Doors' first five albums. In 1991, he played Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
In 1993, he appeared in the film Romeo Is Bleeding as Sal, a mafioso, and also played the part of Rochefort in the Disney film The Three Musketeers. The following year Wincott starred as kingpin Top Dollar opposite Brandon Lee in The Crow. In 1995, he appeared in Dead Man. He played poet Rene Ricard in the 1996 biographical film Basquiat. He also played the role of mercenary Frank Elgyn in the 1997 film Alien Resurrection.
Wincott starred as a psychopathic kidnapper opposite Morgan Freeman in the 2001 film Along Came a Spider. The following year he played Armand Dorleac, a sadistic prison warden in the 2002 film version of The Count of Monte Cristo starring Jim Caviezel. In 2004 he played Julius Bicke in The Assassination of Richard Nixon.
In 2006, Wincott appeared in the western film Seraphim Falls. He also appeared in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and What Just Happened in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
In 2009, he starred in A Lonely Place for Dying as CIA project manager Anthony Greenglass. In early 2012, he was cast as notorious serial killer Ed Gein in the biographical drama film Hitchcock.
In 2014, Wincott played hacker Adrian Cross in the miniseries 24: Live Another Day. The following year he starred in the Canadian western drama film Forsaken. In 2016 he also played the role of Old Bill in two episodes in season 1 of the science fiction western TV series Westworld.
In 2017, he appeared in the MTG drama series Veni Vidi Vici. The Swedish series stars Danish actor Thomas Bo Larsen and centers around the porn industry. Wincott plays the part of Georgina, a transgender former porn director. Wincott starred in Jordan Peele's 2022 thriller, Nope, as Antlers Holst, a cinematographer. In preparation for the role, Wincott shadowed the film's director of photography, Hoyte van Hoytema.
Wincott has also lent his voice to several characters in video games and animated features: In 2002 he provided the voice of Scroop, a malevolent spider/crab-like creature in the Disney animated film Treasure Planet; and in the accompanying Sony PlayStation video game of the same name. In 2004 he provided the voice for the Prophet of Truth in the video game Halo 2. He also provided the voice of Mr. Big in the 2005 re-launch of the video game Narc. In 2012 he provided the voices for several video game characters: Jules Merit in the game Syndicate, Griffin in the interactive graphic novel Infex, and Death in the game Darksiders II.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1979 Title Shot Robber 1980 Nothing Personal Peter Wild Horse Hank Charlie Connors 1981 Ticket to Heaven Gerry Circle of Two Paul 1983 Curtains Matthew 1987 The Sicilian Cpl. Silvestro Canio 1988 Talk Radio Kent/Michael/Joe 1989 Suffering Bastards Chazz Bloodhounds of Broadway Soupy Mike Born on the Fourth of July Veteran 1991 The Doors Paul A. Rothchild Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Guy of Gisbourne 1992 1492: Conquest of Paradise Adrián de Moxica 1993 Romeo Is Bleeding Sal The Three Musketeers Rochefort 1994 The Crow Top Dollar 1995 Dead Man Conway Twill Strange Days Philo Gant Panther Tynan 1996 Basquiat Rene Ricard Dead Girl Mark in the Park 1997 Alien Resurrection Captain Frank Elgyn Metro Michael Korda 1998 Gunshy Frankie McGregor 1999 Hidden Agenda Larry Gleason 2000 Before Night Falls Herberto Zorilla Ochoa 2001 Along Came a Spider Gary Soneji 2002 The Count of Monte Cristo Armand Dorléac Treasure Planet Scroop Voice 2004 The Assassination of Richard Nixon Julius Bicke 2006 Seraphim Falls Hayes 2007 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Fashion Photographer 2008 What Just Happened Jeremy Brunell 2009 A Lonely Place for Dying Anthony Greenglass 2012 Hitchcock Ed Gein 2013 The Girl from Nagasaki Goro 2014 Grand Street Reuben 2015 Knight of Cups Herb Forsaken Dave Turner 2017 Ghost in the Shell Dr. Osmond Uncredited 2022 Nope Antlers Holst
Television Year Title Role Notes 1976 Earthbound Cole Buckley Television film directed by Mike Newell 1979 An American Christmas Carol Choir Leader Television film The Family Man Charlie Television film 1979–81 The Littlest Hobo Charlie, Jeff 2 episodes 1981 Clown White Peter Television film 1985 Night Heat Jack Tenelli Episode: "Mother's Day" 1987–88 Crime Story Bobby Meeker 3 episodes 1987 The Equalizer Jordan Episode: "High Performance" 1989 The Equalizer Jarrow Episode: "The Caper" 1988 Miami Vice Wilson Cook Episode: "Blood & Roses" 1990 The Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story Ulrich Weber Television film 1996 Strangers Arnaud Episode: "Leave" 2002 The Red Phone: Manhunt Hans Peter Van Eyck Television film 2014 24: Live Another Day Adrian Cross 8 episodes 2016 Westworld Old Bill 2 episodes 2017 Veni Vidi Vici Georgina Series for Viaplay (Scandinavia) and Hulu (Australia and United States)
Self Year Title Role Notes 1993 The Making of The Three Musketeers Himself 2001 The Making of Along Came a Spider Himself 2005 Me and Graham: The Soundtrack of Our Lives Himself 2007 Behind the Scenes of Seraphim Falls Himself 2014 Jack is Back Himself The 'Making of' documentary 2016 The Making of Forsaken Himself
Short film Year Title Role Notes 2008 Sketches from Great Gull Narrator Voice 2011 The Iceman Mr. Softee Test scene for The Iceman (2012) 2011 The Farewell He
Video shorts The Treasure Planet Read-Along DVD (2003) – Scroop (voice)
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2002 Treasure Planet Scroop Voice 2004 Halo 2 The Prophet of Truth Voice 2005 Narc Mr. Big Voice2012 Infex Griffin Voice Syndicate Jules Merit Voice Darksiders II Death Voice
Theatre 1987 – Talk Radio – Kent 1988 – Serious Money – Grevett, Frosby, Jake Todd 1988 – Road – Eddy, DJ, Skin Lad 1989 – The Secret Rapture – Irwin Posner 1991 – State of Shock – Stubbs
References
External links