Photo: Toglenn / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
James Woods fascinates me because his intelligence is audible. That machine-gun delivery is not a gimmick; it is an MIT-trained mind running faster than the dialogue, and it made him the definitive wired, dangerous character actor of his era. Salvador remains one of the great unhinged performances of the eighties, and his Hades in Hercules might be Disney's wittiest villain, improvised charm and all. He is a polarizing figure off screen, which I suspect has muddied appraisals of the work itself. Strip that away and you find an actor with multiple Emmys and a genuinely singular rhythm. Few performers have ever talked their way into greatness so literally.
Overview
James Howard Woods (born April 18, 1947) is an American actor. Known for fast-talking, intense roles on screen and stage, he has received numerous accolades, including three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- James Woods
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェームズ・ウッズ
- Reading
- じぇーむず・うっず
- Born
- April 18, 1947 (age 79)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Boar
- Origin
- Vernal, Utah, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / poker player
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Pilgrim High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1972 Theatre World Award
- 1998 star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 2000 Daytime Emmy Award
- 1987 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
- 1989 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
- Clarence Derwent Awards
- 1996 Sitges Film Festival Best Actor award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Hercules | — | |
| Notable work | Salvador | — |
6. Links
Actor — see all → · Poker player — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.