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John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his
transgressive Transgressive may mean: *Transgressive art, a name given to art forms that violate perceived boundaries *Transgressive fiction, a modern style in literature *Transgressive Records, a United Kingdom-based independent record label *Transgressive (l ...
cult film A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage in repeated ...
s, including ''
Multiple Maniacs ''Multiple Maniacs'' is a 1970 independent American black comedy film composed, shot, edited, written, produced, and directed by John Waters, as his second feature film and first "talkie". It features several actors who were part of the Dreamla ...
'' (1970), ''
Pink Flamingos ''Pink Flamingos'' is a 1972 American surrealist independent black comedy film by John Waters. It is part of what Waters has labelled the "Trash Trilogy", which also includes '' Female Trouble'' (1974) and '' Desperate Living'' (1977). The f ...
'' (1972) and ''
Female Trouble ''Female Trouble'' is a 1974 American independent dark comedy film written, produced and directed by John Waters. It stars Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole, and Edith Massey, and follows delinquent high school student Da ...
'' (1974). Waters wrote and directed the comedy film ''
Hairspray Hairspray may refer to: * Hair spray, a personal grooming product that keeps hair protected from humidity and wind * Hairspray (1988 film), ''Hairspray'' (1988 film), a film by John Waters ** Hairspray (1988 soundtrack), ''Hairspray'' (1988 soundt ...
'' (1988), which was later adapted into a hit Broadway musical and a 2007 musical film. His other films include ''
Desperate Living ''Desperate Living'' is a 1977 American black comedy film directed, produced, and written by John Waters. The film stars Liz Renay, Mink Stole, Susan Lowe, Edith Massey, Mary Vivian Pearce, and Jean Hill. It is the third installment of wh ...
'' (1977), ''
Polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...
'' (1981), ''
Cry-Baby ''Cry-Baby'' is a 1990 American teen musical romantic comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, and also features a large ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, ...
'' (1990), ''
Serial Mom ''Serial Mom'' is a 1994 American satirical black comedy crime film directed and written by John Waters and starring Kathleen Turner as the title character along with Sam Waterston, Ricki Lake, and Suzanne Somers. It tells the story of a housew ...
'' (1994), '' Pecker'' (1998), and ''
Cecil B. Demented ''Cecil B. Demented'' is a 2000 black comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Melanie Griffith as a snobby A-list Hollywood actress who is kidnapped by a band of terrorist filmmakers; they force her to star in their u ...
'' (2000). His films contain elements of post-modern comedy and
surrealism Surrealism is an art movement, art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike s ...
. As an actor, Waters has appeared in the films ''
Sweet and Lowdown ''Sweet and Lowdown'' is a 1999 American comedy-drama mockumentary written and directed by Woody Allen. Loosely based on Federico Fellini's film ''La Strada'', the film tells the story of jazz guitarist Emmet Ray (played by Sean Penn) who falls ...
'' (1999), ''
Mangus! ''Mangus!'' is a 2011 comedy film written, produced, and directed by Ash Christian. The film stars Ryan Nelson Boggus, Jennifer Coolidge, Heather Matarazzo (who also acts as producer), Leslie Jordan, and John Waters. Plot Mangus Spedgewick is a t ...
'' (2011), '' Excision'' (2012), and '' Suburban Gothic'' (2014), as well as the '' Child's Play'' franchise with the film ''
Seed of Chucky ''Seed of Chucky'' is a 2004 black comedy slasher film. It is the fifth film in the ''Child's Play'' series, following ''Bride of Chucky''. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini in his directorial debut, and stars Jennifer Tilly, R ...
'' (2004) and the third season of the television series ''Chucky'' (2024). He hosted and produced the television series ''
John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You ''John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You'' is a film anthology series produced by here! in 2006. Shot on location in the Baltimore, Maryland home of director John Waters, each film is introduced by him and includes closing comments as ...
'' (2006). 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 The Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album has been awarded since 1959. The award has had several minor name changes: * In 1959 the award was known as Best Performance, Documentary or Spoken Word * From 1960 to 1961 it was awarded as Best Perform ...
in 2015 and 2020, respectively. In 2018, Waters was named an officer of the
Order of Arts and Letters The Order of Arts and Letters () is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is the recognition of significant ...
in France. He received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
in 2023.


Early life and education

Waters was born on April 22, 1946, in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, Maryland, one of four children born to Patricia Ann (née Whitaker) and John Samuel Waters, a manufacturer of fire-protection equipment. He was raised
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
by his mother, though his father was not Catholic. Through his mother, who immigrated as a child to the United States from
Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...
, Canada, he is the third-great-grandson of George P. Whitaker of the
Whitaker iron family During the 19th and 20th centuries, several members of the Whitaker family and related families made important contributions to the American iron and steel industry. First generation * Joseph Whitaker I (1755–1838) was the son of a Leeds cloth ...
. Waters grew up in
Lutherville, Maryland Lutherville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census it had a population of 6,504. Prior to 2010 the area was part of the Lutherv ...
, a suburb of Baltimore. His boyhood friend and muse, Glenn Milstead, later known as
Divine Divinity (from Latin ) refers to the quality, presence, or nature of that which is divine—a term that, before the rise of monotheism, evoked a broad and dynamic field of sacred power. In the ancient world, divinity was not limited to a singl ...
, also lived in Lutherville. Waters lived at 313 Morris Avenue in Lutherville from his early teenage years until he moved out in his early twenties. Waters and Milstead shot many of their early films at the house, dubbing the front lawn the "Dreamland Lot". The film ''
Lili Lili may refer to: People * Lili (given name), for a list of people with the given name or nickname Other uses * ''Lili'' (1953 film), a musical starring Leslie Caron and Mel Ferrer * Lili (Tekken), a character from the Tekken fighting game seri ...
'' inspired an interest in puppets in the seven-year-old Waters, who proceeded to stage violent versions of ''
Punch and Judy Punch and Judy is a traditional puppet show featuring Mr Punch and his wife Judy. The performance consists of a sequence of short scenes, each depicting an interaction between two characters, most typically the anarchic Mr Punch and one other ...
'' for children's birthday parties. Biographer Robrt L. Pela says that Waters's mother believes the puppets in ''Lili'' had the greatest influence on Waters's subsequent career (though Pela believes tacky films at a local
drive-in A drive-in is a facility (such as a restaurant or Drive-in theater, movie theater) where one can driving, drive in with an automobile for service. At a drive-in restaurant, for example, customers park their vehicles and are usually served by ...
, which the young Waters watched from a distance through binoculars, had a greater effect). ''
Cry-Baby ''Cry-Baby'' is a 1990 American teen musical romantic comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, and also features a large ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, ...
'' was also a product of Waters's boyhood, because of his fascination as a seven-year-old with the " drapes" then receiving intense news coverage because of the murder of Carolyn Wasilewski, a young "drapette", and his admiration for a young man living across the street who had a
hot rod Hot rods are typically American cars that might be old, classic, or modern and that have been rebuilt or modified with large engines optimized for speed and acceleration. One definition is: "a car that's been stripped down, souped up and ma ...
. Waters was privately educated at the
Calvert School Calvert School, founded in 1897, is an independent, non-sectarian, co-educational lower and middle school located in Baltimore, Maryland. Calvert School is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) as well as the ...
in Baltimore. After attending Towson Jr. High School in nearby
Towson Towson () is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 59,533 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is t ...
, and
Calvert Hall College High School Calvert Hall College High School (also known as "Calvert Hall" or "CHC") is a Catholic college preparatory high school for boys, located in Towson, Maryland, United States. The school was established in 1845 by the Institute of the Brothers of th ...
, he graduated from
Boys' Latin School of Maryland Boys' Latin School of Maryland is an all-boys, university-preparatory school located in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1844, it is the oldest independent, nonsectarian secondary school in the state of Maryland. The school is divided into Lower, ...
. While still a teen, he made frequent trips into downtown Baltimore to visit Martick's, a
beatnik Beatniks were members of a social movement in the mid-20th century, who subscribed to an anti- materialistic lifestyle. They rejected the conformity and consumerism of mainstream American culture and expressed themselves through various forms ...
bar, where he and Milstead met many of their later film collaborators. He was underage and could not enter the bar proper, but loitered in the adjacent alley, where he relied on older patrons to slip him drinks.


Career


Early career

Waters's first short film was '' Hag in a Black Leather Jacket''. MGM's ''
The Wizard of Oz ''The Wizard of Oz'' is a 1939 American Musical film, musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Based on the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum, it was primarily directed by Victor Fleming, who left pro ...
'' (1939) had a profound effect on Waters' creative mind. He said about it:
I was always drawn to forbidden subject matter in the very, very beginning. ''The Wizard of Oz'' opened me up because it was one of the first movies I ever saw. It opened me up to villainy, to screenwriting, to costumes. And great dialogue. I think the witch has great, great dialogue.
Waters has stated that he takes an equal amount of joy and influence from high-brow "art" films and sleazy exploitation films. In January 1966, Waters and some friends were caught smoking marijuana on the grounds of
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
, and he was soon kicked out of his dormitory. He returned to Baltimore, where he completed his next two short films, '' Roman Candles'' and ''
Eat Your Makeup ''Eat Your Makeup'' is a 1968 short film directed by John Waters, starring Marina Melin, Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary, Howard Gruber, and Maelcum Soul. It was John Waters' first film production to be shot on 16mm film; his prior fil ...
''. They were followed by the feature-length films ''
Mondo Trasho ''Mondo Trasho'' is a 1969 American 16mm mondo black comedy film by John Waters. The film stars Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary and Mink Stole. It contains very little dialogue, the story being told mostly through musical cues. Plot ...
'' and ''
Multiple Maniacs ''Multiple Maniacs'' is a 1970 independent American black comedy film composed, shot, edited, written, produced, and directed by John Waters, as his second feature film and first "talkie". It features several actors who were part of the Dreamla ...
''. Waters's films became Divine's primary star vehicles. All of Waters's early films were shot in the
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
area with his company of local actors, the Dreamlanders—which, in addition to Divine, included
Mink Stole Nancy Paine Stoll (born August 25, 1947), known professionally as Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, and has appeared in all of his feature films to date (a distin ...
,
Cookie Mueller Dorothy Karen "Cookie" Mueller (March 2, 1949 – November 10, 1989) was an American actress, writer, and Dreamlander who starred in many of filmmaker John Waters' early films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'', ''Pink Flamingos'', '' Female Trou ...
, Edith Massey,
David Lochary David Crawford Lochary (August 21, 1944 – July 29, 1977) was an American actor, one of the regular "Dreamlanders, Dreamlander" actors in early films of the controversial "trash" film director John Waters (filmmaker), John Waters. He starred in ...
,
Mary Vivian Pearce Mary Vivian Pearce (born November 9, 1947) is an American actress. She has worked primarily in the films of John Waters (filmmaker), John Waters. Life and career Pearce is a childhood best friend of Waters and has appeared as an actress in al ...
, Susan Walsh, and others. Waters met Edith Massey while she was a bartender at Pete's Hotel. Waters's early campy movies present exaggerated characters in outrageous situations with hyperbolic dialogue. ''
Pink Flamingos ''Pink Flamingos'' is a 1972 American surrealist independent black comedy film by John Waters. It is part of what Waters has labelled the "Trash Trilogy", which also includes '' Female Trouble'' (1974) and '' Desperate Living'' (1977). The f ...
'', ''
Female Trouble ''Female Trouble'' is a 1974 American independent dark comedy film written, produced and directed by John Waters. It stars Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole, and Edith Massey, and follows delinquent high school student Da ...
'' and ''
Desperate Living ''Desperate Living'' is a 1977 American black comedy film directed, produced, and written by John Waters. The film stars Liz Renay, Mink Stole, Susan Lowe, Edith Massey, Mary Vivian Pearce, and Jean Hill. It is the third installment of wh ...
'', which he labeled the ''Trash Trilogy'', pushed hard at the boundaries of conventional propriety and censorship.


Move toward the mainstream

Waters's 1981 film ''
Polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...
'' starred Divine opposite former teen idol
Tab Hunter Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond hair and clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. During the 1950s and 1960s ...
. It was the first time that Waters was not the primary camera operator for his own work, as he had started collaborating with local film student David Insley. Since then, his films have become less controversial and more mainstream, although works such as ''
Hairspray Hairspray may refer to: * Hair spray, a personal grooming product that keeps hair protected from humidity and wind * Hairspray (1988 film), ''Hairspray'' (1988 film), a film by John Waters ** Hairspray (1988 soundtrack), ''Hairspray'' (1988 soundt ...
'', ''
Cry-Baby ''Cry-Baby'' is a 1990 American teen musical romantic comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, and also features a large ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, ...
'', ''
Serial Mom ''Serial Mom'' is a 1994 American satirical black comedy crime film directed and written by John Waters and starring Kathleen Turner as the title character along with Sam Waterston, Ricki Lake, and Suzanne Somers. It tells the story of a housew ...
'', '' Pecker'' and ''
Cecil B. Demented ''Cecil B. Demented'' is a 2000 black comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Melanie Griffith as a snobby A-list Hollywood actress who is kidnapped by a band of terrorist filmmakers; they force her to star in their u ...
'' still retain his trademark inventiveness. ''Hairspray'' became a hit Broadway musical that swept the
2003 Tony Awards The 57th Annual Tony Awards was held at Radio City Music Hall on June 8, 2003, and broadcast by CBS television. The event was hosted for the first time by Australian actor Hugh Jackman. Eligibility Shows that opened on Broadway during the 2002â ...
; and a film adaptation of the Broadway musical was released in theaters on July 20, 2007, to positive reviews and commercial success. ''Cry-Baby'', itself a musical, also became a
Broadway musical Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), many of the extant or closed Broadway venues use or used the spelling ''Theatr ...
. In 2004, the
NC-17 The Motion Picture Association film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion picture ...
-rated ''
A Dirty Shame ''A Dirty Shame'' is a 2004 American satirical sex comedy film written and directed by John Waters and starring Tracey Ullman, Johnny Knoxville, Selma Blair, and Chris Isaak. It follows a community in suburban Baltimore divided between people ...
'' marked a return to Waters' earlier, more controversial work of the 1970s. Having received mixed reviews and bombing at the box-office, it is his last film so far. In 2007, Waters became the host ("The Groom Reaper") of '' 'Til Death Do Us Part'', a program on America's
Court TV Court TV is an American digital broadcast network and former pay-television channel. It was originally launched in 1991 with a focus on crime-themed programs such as true crime documentary series, legal analysis talk shows, and live news cover ...
network. In 2008, he planned to make a children's Christmas film, ''Fruitcake'' starring
Johnny Knoxville Philip John Clapp (born March 11, 1971), known professionally as Johnny Knoxville, is an American stunt performer, actor, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known as a co-creator and star of the MTV reality stunt show ''Jackass (franchise), ...
and
Parker Posey Parker Christian Posey (born November 8, 1968) is an American actress. Known for playing eccentric characters in independent films, she was named "Queen of the Indies" by ''Time'' in 1997. She has received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Awa ...
. Filming was set for November 2008, but the project was shelved in January 2009. Waters has been open about financing problems for his movies. In 2010, Waters told the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' that "
Independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is film production, produced outside the Major film studios, major film studio system in addition to being produced and distributed by independ ...
s that cost $5 million are very hard to get made. I sold the idea, got a development deal, got paid a great salary to write it—and now the company is no longer around, which is the case with many independent film companies these days." In 2017, he stated that "they all want you to make a movie for under a million dollars, which I don’t want to. I don’t want to be a faux radical film-maker at 70. I did that. I don’t need to do it again." In October 2022, it was announced that Waters will adapt his novel, '' Liarmouth'', into a film.
Village Roadshow Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures is an American film production company founded in 1989. It is a division of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group (VREG), which in turn is majority-owned by Vine Alternative Investments and Falcon Investment Advisors, wi ...
was set to produce, with Waters writing and directing. However, in November 2024, it was reported that the film was "no longer happening". Waters has often created characters with alliterated names for his films, such as Corny Collins, Cuddles Kovinsky, Donald and Donna Dasher, Dawn Davenport, Fat Fuck Frank, Francine Fishpaw, Link Larkin, Motormouth Maybelle, Mole McHenry, Penny and Prudy Pingleton, Ramona Ricketts, Sandy Sandstone, Sylvia Stickles, Todd Tomorrow, Tracy Turnblad, Ursula Udders, Wade Walker and Wanda Woodward. On September 18, 2023, Waters was honored with a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
. Dreamlanders
Ricki Lake Ricki Pamela Lake (born September 21, 1968) is an American television host and actress. She is known for her lead role as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film '' Hairspray'', for which she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for ...
and
Mink Stole Nancy Paine Stoll (born August 25, 1947), known professionally as Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, and has appeared in all of his feature films to date (a distin ...
were among the guest speakers.


Other ventures

Waters is a
bibliophile A bookworm or bibliophile is an individual who loves and frequently reads or collects books. Bibliophilia or bibliophilism is the love of books. Bibliophiles may have large, specialized book collections. They may highly value old editions, aut ...
, with a collection of over 8,000 books. In 2011, during a visit to the Waters house in Baltimore, Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson observed:
Bookshelves line the walls but they are not enough. The coffee table, desk and side tables are heaped with books, as is the replica electric chair in the hall. They range from Taschen art tomes such as ''The Big Butt Book'' to
Jean Genet Jean Genet (; ; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels '' The Th ...
paperbacks and a Hungarian translation of
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...
with a
pulp fiction ''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American independent crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence ...
cover. In one corner sits a doll from the horror spoof ''Seed of Chucky'', in which Waters appeared. It feels like an eccentric professor's study, or a carefully curated exhibition based on the life of a fictional character.
Waters has had his fan mail delivered to Atomic Books, an independent bookstore in Baltimore, for over 20 years. Puffing constantly on a cigarette, Waters appeared in a short film, shown in film art houses, announcing that "no smoking is permitted" in the theaters. The spot was directed by Douglas Brian Martin and produced by Douglas Brian Martin and Steven M. Martin. They also created two other short films, for the
Nuart Theatre The Nuart Theatre is an art-house movie-theater in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the flagship location of the Landmark Theatres chain in the United States. Location The Nuart is on Santa Monica Boulevard, one block from the 4 ...
(a Landmark Theater) in
West Los Angeles, California West Los Angeles is an area within the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. The residential and commercial neighborhood is divided by the Interstate 405 freeway, and each side is sometimes treated as a distinct neighborhood, mapped ...
, in appreciation for their showing ''Pink Flamingos'' for many years. It is shown immediately before any of Waters' films, and before the midnight showing of ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 independent musical comedy horror film produced by Lou Adler and Michael White, directed by Jim Sharman, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was written by Sharman and Richard O ...
''. Waters played a minister in '' Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat'', directed by
Herschell Gordon Lewis Herschell Gordon Lewis (June 15, 1926 – September 26, 2016) was an American filmmaker, best known for creating the " splatter" subgenre of horror films. He is often called the "Godfather of Gore" (a title also given to Lucio Fulci), though h ...
. In the 1980s, Waters taught inmates at the Patuxent Institution, a Maryland prison. He was hired to teach literature, but his classes also encompassed discussions of film. In 1985, he made a film with his students called ''Reckless Eyeballs'', but it was not intended for release and was never publicly screened. Waters is a board member of the
Maryland Film Festival The Maryland Film Festival is an annual five-day international film festival taking place each March in Baltimore, Maryland. The festival was launched in 1999, and presents international film and video work of all lengths and genres. The festiv ...
, and has selected and hosted a favorite film there each year since its launch in 1999. He is also on the advisory board of the
Provincetown International Film Festival The Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) is an annual film festival founded in 1999 and held on Cape Cod in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The festival presents American and international narrative features, documentaries and short film ...
, and has hosted events and presented awards there every year since it was founded in 1999. He is a contributor to ''
Artforum ''Artforum'' is an international monthly magazine specializing in contemporary art. The magazine is distinguished from other magazines by its unique 10½ × 10½ inch square format, with each cover often devoted to the work of an artist. Notably ...
'' magazine and author of its year-end Top Ten Films list. Waters hosts an annual performance, "A John Waters Christmas", which was launched in 1996 at the
Castro Theatre The Castro Theatre is a historic movie palace in the Castro District of San Francisco, California. The venue became San Francisco Historic Landmark #100 in September 1976. Located at 429 Castro Street, it was built in 1922 with a California ...
in San Francisco, and in 2018 toured 17 cities over 23 days. In 2017, Waters began hosting an annual "Camp John Waters" event in
Kent, Connecticut Kent is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. Located alongside the border with New York (state), New York, the town's population was 3,019 according to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The town is part of the Northwe ...
. Adult fans from as far away as Australia and Chile "relive their sleepaway camping days" with an "extra-
campy Camp is an aesthetic and sensibility that regards something as appealing or amusing because of its heightened level of artifice, affectation and exaggeration, especially when there is also a playful or ironic element. ''Camp'' is historically ...
theme weekend". Notable guests have included
Debbie Harry Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble, July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie (band), Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1 ...
,
Patricia Hearst Patricia is a feminine given name of Latin origin. Derived from the Latin word '' patrician'', meaning 'noble', it is the feminine form of the masculine given name Patrick. Another well-known variant is Patrice. According to the US Social Secu ...
,
Kathleen Turner Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. Known for her distinctive deep husky voice, she is the recipient of two Golden Globes, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy, and two Tony Awards. After debuting ...
,
Mink Stole Nancy Paine Stoll (born August 25, 1947), known professionally as Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, and has appeared in all of his feature films to date (a distin ...
and
Randy Harrison Randolph Clarke Harrison (born November 2, 1977) is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Justin Taylor on the Showtime drama '' Queer as Folk''. Early life and college Harrison was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, where he starting ...
. In 2019, the
Film Society of Lincoln Center Film at Lincoln Center (FLC), previously known as the Film Society of Lincoln Center (FSLC) until 2019,Aridi, Sara (April 28, 2019).. ''The New York Times''. nytimes.com. Retrieved April 29, 2019. is a nonprofit organization based in New York Cit ...
celebrated its 50th anniversary at a gala where John Waters spoke in tribute to the Center along with
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
,
Dee Rees Diandrea Rees (born February 7, 1977) is an American screenwriter and director. She is known for her feature films ''Pariah (2011 film), Pariah'' (2011), ''Bessie (film), Bessie'' (2015), ''Mudbound (film), Mudbound'' (2017), and ''The Last Thing ...
,
Pedro Almodóvar Pedro Almodóvar Caballero (; born 25 September 1949) is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and author. His films are distinguished by Melodrama (film genre), melodrama, irreverent humour, bold colour, glossy décor, quotations from popular c ...
,
Tilda Swinton Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. She is known for playing eccentric and enigmatic characters, often working with auteurs. Her accolades include an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, and a Volpi Cup, in addit ...
,
Jake Gyllenhaal Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal ( , ; born December 19, 1980) is an American actor who has worked on screen and stage for over thirty years. Born into the Gyllenhaal family, he is the son of film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi ...
,
Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...
,
Paul Dano Paul Franklin Dano (; born June 19, 1984) is an American actor. His work includes both independent and mainstream projects, and his accolades include nominations for a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Primetime Emmy Awa ...
and
Zoe Kazan Zoe Swicord Kazan (; born September 9, 1983) is an American actress and writer. She has acted in films such as '' The Savages'' (2007), '' Revolutionary Road'' (2008), and '' It's Complicated'' (2009). She starred in '' Happythankyoumoreplease'' ...
.


Fine art

Since the early 1990s, Waters has been making photo-based artwork and installations that have been internationally exhibited in galleries and museums. In 2004, the
New Museum The New Museum of Contemporary Art is a museum at 235 Bowery, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1977 by Marcia Tucker. History The museum originally opened in a space in the Graduate Center of the then-nam ...
in New York City presented a retrospective of his artwork curated by Marvin Heiferman and Lisa Phillips. His most recent exhibition ''John Waters: Indecent Exposure'' was exhibited at the
Baltimore Museum of Art The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) in Baltimore, Maryland, is an art museum that was founded in 1914. The BMA's collection of 95,000 objects encompasses more than 1,000 works by Henri Matisse anchored by the Cone Collection of modern art, ...
from October 2018 to January 2019 and later traveled to the
Wexner Center for the Arts The Wexner Center for the Arts is the Ohio State University's "multidisciplinary, international laboratory for the exploration and advancement of contemporary art." The Wexner Center is a lab and public gallery, but not an art museum, as it doe ...
. Prior to that, Waters exhibited ''Rear Projection'' in April 2009, at the Marianne Boesky Gallery in New York and the
Gagosian Gallery The Gagosian Gallery is a modern and contemporary art gallery owned and directed by Larry Gagosian. The gallery exhibits some of the most well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. As of 2024, Gagosian employs 300 people at 19 exhibiti ...
in Los Angeles. Waters has been represented by C. Grimaldis Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland, since 2002 and by Marianne Boesky Gallery in New York since 2006. Waters's pieces are often comical, such as ''Rush'' (2009), a super-sized, tipped-over bottle of
poppers Poppers are recreational drugs belonging to the alkyl nitrite family of chemical compounds. When fumes from these substances are inhaled, they act as potent vasodilators, producing mild euphoria, warmth, and dizziness. Most effects have a r ...
(nitrite inhalants), and ''Hardy Har'' (2006), a photograph of flowers that squirts water at anyone who traverses a taped line on the floor. Waters has characterized his art as conceptual: "The craft is not the issue here. The idea is. And the presentation." In November 2020, Waters promised to donate 372 artworks from his personal collection, including some of his own work as well as pieces by 125 artists, including
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...
,
Roy Lichtenstein Roy Fox Lichtenstein ( ; October27, 1923September29, 1997) was an American pop artist. He rose to prominence in the 1960s through pieces which were inspired by popular advertising and the comic book style. Much of his work explores the relations ...
,
Cy Twombly Edwin Parker "Cy" Twombly Jr. (; April 25, 1928July 5, 2011) was an American Painting, painter, Sculpture, sculptor, and photographer. Twombly influenced artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Francesco Clemente, Julian Schnabel, and Jean-Michel Bas ...
,
Cindy Sherman Cynthia Morris Sherman (born January 19, 1954) is an American artist whose work consists primarily of photographic self-portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters. Her breakthrough work is often co ...
and more, to the Baltimore Museum of Art. In recognition of the donation, the museum named its rotunda after Waters, but Waters also insisted the museum name an all-gender bathroom after him. Both the rotunda and the bathroom were renamed for Waters in time for the opening of the first exhibition of his bequeathed collection, ''Coming Attractions: The John Waters Collection'' on November 20, 2022. Waters, who serves on the museum's board of directors, has stated the museum will acquire all of his art after his death.


''Carsick''

With the motif "My life is so over-scheduled, what will happen if I give up control?", Waters completed a
hitchhiking Hitchhiking (also known as thumbing, autostop or hitching) is a means of transportation that is gained by asking individuals, usually strangers, for a ride in their car or other vehicle. The ride is usually, but not always, free. Signaling ...
journey across the United States from Baltimore to San Francisco, turning his adventures into a book titled ''Carsick''. On May 15, 2012, while on the hitchhiking trip, Waters was picked up by 20-year-old
Myersville, Maryland Myersville is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,748 at the 2020 census. History The town was incorporated in 1904.
,
councilman A councillor, alternatively councilman, councilwoman, councilperson, or council member, is someone who sits on, votes in, or is a member of, a council. This is typically an elected representative of an electoral district in a municipal or regio ...
Brett Bidle, who thought Waters was a homeless hitchhiker standing in the pouring rain. Feeling bad for Waters, he agreed to drive him four hours to
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
. The next day,
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
band
Here We Go Magic Here We Go Magic was an American indie rock band based in Brooklyn, New York. It was formed by core members Luke Temple, Michael Bloch and Peter Hale, in late 2008. The band signed to Western Vinyl in 2008, followed by the five-piece group's si ...
tweeted A tweet (officially known as a post since 2023) is a short status update on the social networking site Twitter (officially known as X since 2023) which can include images, videos, GIFs, straw polls, hashtags, mentions, and hyperlinks. Around ...
that they had picked John Waters up hitchhiking in Ohio. He was wearing a hat with the text "Scum of the Earth". In
Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
, Colorado, Waters reconnected with Bidle (who had made an effort to catch up with him); Bidle then drove him another to
Reno Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, Nevada, Washoe County. Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, ...
, Nevada. Before parting ways, Waters arranged for Bidle to stay at his San Francisco apartment: "I thought, you know what, he wanted an adventure, too ... He's the first Republican I'd ever vote for." Bidle later said: "We are polar opposites when it comes to our politics, religious beliefs. But that's what I loved about the whole trip. It was two people able to agree to disagree and still move on and have a great time. I think that's what America's all about."


Personal life

Although he has maintained apartments in New York City and San Francisco's
Nob Hill Nob Hill is a neighborhood of San Francisco, California, United States that is known for its numerous luxury hotels and historic mansions. Nob Hill has historically served as a center of San Francisco's upper class. Nob Hill is among the highe ...
, as well as a summer home in
Provincetown Provincetown () is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, in the United States. A small coastal resort town with a year-round population of 3,664 as of the 2020 United States census, Pr ...
, Waters mainly resides in Baltimore. All his films are set and shot there. As a
gay man Gay men are male homosexuals. Some bisexual and homoromantic men may dually identify as ''gay'' and a number of gay men also identify as ''queer''. Historic terminology for gay men has included '' inverts'' and '' uranians''. Gay men conti ...
, Waters is an avid supporter of
gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Not ...
and
gay pride In the context of LGBTQ culture, pride (also known as LGBTQ pride, LGBTQIA pride, LGBT pride, queer pride, gay pride, or gay and lesbian pride) is the promotion of the rights, self-affirmation, dignity, Social equality, equality, and increas ...
. In a 2019 interview, he said that he dislikes publicly discussing his personal life, adding that he had a partner but that they both preferred to keep the relationship private. Waters was a great fan of the music of
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
when growing up. He has said that, ever since he shoplifted a copy of the Little Richard song " Lucille" in 1957, at the age of 11, "I've wished I could somehow climb into Little Richard's body, hook up his heart and vocal cords to my own, and switch identities." In 1987, ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
'' magazine employed Waters, then aged 41, to interview his idol, but the interview did not go well, with Waters later remarking: "It turned into kind of a disaster." Waters' signature
pencil moustache A pencil moustache is a thin moustache found adjacent to, or a little above the lip. The style is neatly clipped, so that the moustache takes the form of a thin line, as if it had been drawn using a pencil. A large gap is left between the nose ...
is an homage to him. Waters advocated for the parole of former
Manson family The Manson Family (known among its members as the Family) was a Intentional community, commune, gang, and cult led by criminal Charles Manson that was active in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The group at its peak consisted of a ...
member
Leslie Van Houten Leslie Louise Van Houten (born August 23, 1949) is an American convicted murderer and former member of the Manson Family. During her time with Manson's group, she was known by aliases such as Louella Alexandria, Leslie Marie Sankston, Linda Sue O ...
, writing in his 2010 book ''Role Models'', "Her crime was a long, long time ago and she has paid her dues to society". After Van Houten was paroled in 2023, Waters said he would not speak further about her, in deference to her privacy. Throughout his life, Waters has been open about his recreational drug use, including
marijuana Cannabis (), commonly known as marijuana (), weed, pot, and ganja, List of slang names for cannabis, among other names, is a non-chemically uniform psychoactive drug from the ''Cannabis'' plant. Native to Central or South Asia, cannabis has ...
and
LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD (from German ; often referred to as acid or lucy), is a semisynthetic, hallucinogenic compound derived from ergot, known for its powerful psychological effects and serotonergic activity. I ...
, particularly with regard to his creative process. Waters began using LSD as a teenager, "tak ngLSD and see ng..movies all the time". Waters was often on LSD while making his early films, claiming in a 2016 interview "I was on LSD uring ''Multiple Maniacs'' I don't remember ow long it took to shoot the film" He tried LSD again in his 70s, and documented the experience in his 2019 book ''Mr. Know-It-All''. Waters was a smoker before quitting around 2004, saying "the only thing I've ever regretted in my whole life assmoking cigarettes. Because it was a nightmare giving up. It's the only thing the government ever told me that was true: It does kill you!" In 2022, Waters said that if he were to write his younger self a letter, he would say "quit smoking igarettesand do everything else exactly the way you did."


Filmography


As actor


Television

Documentary appearances * ''American Cinema'' * ''
The Andy Warhol Diaries ''The Andy Warhol Diaries'' is the dictated memoir of the American artist Andy Warhol and edited by his longtime friend and collaborator Pat Hackett. The book was published posthumously by Warner Books with an introduction by Hackett. The 807-p ...
'' * ''
Beautiful Darling ''Beautiful Darling: The Life and Times of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar'' is a 2010 feature-length documentary film about Candy Darling, pioneering trans woman, actress and Andy Warhol superstar. The film was written and directed by Jame ...
'' * ''
Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curri ...
'' * ''
Celebrity Ghost Stories ''Celebrity Ghost Stories'' is an American paranormal reality television series that debuted on October 3, 2009, with the pilot airing on September 26, 2009. Its first four seasons aired on The Biography Channel with the fifth airing on Lifetime M ...
'' * ''
The Cockettes The Cockettes were an avant-garde psychedelic hippie theater group founded by Hibiscus (George Edgerly Harris III) in the fall of 1969 when Hibiscus lived in Kaliflower. The troupe was formed out of a group of hippie artists, men and women, who ...
'' * ''
Divine Waters ''Divine Waters'' is a documentary film released in 1985 (shot in 1981) featuring Divine and John Waters, along with Waters' father John Waters Sr. and sister Trish Waters. Synopsis This documentary focuses on the careers of influential partners i ...
'' * ''
Divine Trash ''Divine Trash'' is a 1998 American documentary film directed by Steve Yeager about the life and work of filmmaker John Waters, and the making of the 1972 film ''Pink Flamingos'', which is written and directed by Waters and stars Divine. ''Divi ...
'' * ''The Drexel Interview'' * ''
I Am Divine ''I Am Divine'' is a 2013 American documentary film produced and directed by Jeffrey Schwarz of the Los Angeles-based production company Automat Pictures. The documentary focuses on the American actor, singer, and drag performer Divine (October 1 ...
'' * ''
Love Letter to Edie ''Love Letter to Edie'' is a 1975 American short documentary by Robert Maier. The film is about actress Edith Massey who starred in many John Waters films such as ''Desperate Living'', ''Pink Flamingos'', '' Multiple Maniacs'', and ''Female Tro ...
'' * ''
E! True Hollywood Story ''E! True Hollywood Story'' is an American television documentary series on E!. Overview ''E! True Hollywood Story'' originally started as a series of specials beginning on March 29, 1996, but evolved into a weekly biographical documentary ...
'' * ''Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema'' * '' Le Grand Journal'' (Canal+) * ''Guest of
Cindy Sherman Cynthia Morris Sherman (born January 19, 1954) is an American artist whose work consists primarily of photographic self-portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters. Her breakthrough work is often co ...
'' * ''
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
's First Look'' * ''Here's Looking at You, Boy The Coming Out of
Queer Cinema "New queer cinema" is a term first coined by the academic B. Ruby Rich in '' Sight & Sound'' magazine in 1992 to define and describe a movement in queer-themed independent filmmaking in the early 1990s. It is also referred to as the "queer new ...
'' * ''How Porn Conquered the World'' * ''
The Incredibly Strange Film Show ''The Incredibly Strange Film Show'' is a series of documentaries presented by Jonathan Ross focusing on the world of "psychotronic" or B movies. Each episode was focused on the lives of filmmakers like Herschell Gordon Lewis, Sam Raimi, Doris ...
'' * '' Inside Deep Throat'' * ''
Intimate Portrait ''Intimate Portrait'' is a biographical documentary television series on the Lifetime cable network hosted by Meredith Vieira and focusing on different female celebrities, including stars from the fields of cinema, music, politics, sports a ...
'' * '' It Came From Kuchar'' * ''Little Castles'' * '' Little Richard: I Am Everything'' * ''
Lynch/Oz ''Lynch/Oz'' is a 2022 American documentary film directed and written by Alexandre O. Philippe that explores the influence of the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' (1939) on the American filmmaker David Lynch. Synopsis ''Lynch/Oz'' examines the influe ...
'' * ''
Mansfield 66/67 ''Mansfield 66/67'' is a 2017 documentary musical directed by P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes about the last two years of actress Jayne Mansfield's life. The film examines the rumors surrounding Mansfield's untimely death, and relationship wi ...
'' * '' Mansome'' * '' Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream'' * ''
Of Dolls and Murder ''Of Dolls and Murder'' is a documentary film about a collection of dollhouse crime scenes and society's collective fascination with death. It was released in April 2012. Subject matter In the 1930s and 1940s, heiress Frances Glessner Lee created ...
'' * ''Pie in the Sky: The
Brigid Berlin Brigid Emmett Berlin (September 6, 1939 – July 17, 2020), also known as Brigid Polk, was an American artist and Warhol superstar. Life and career Early years Berlin was born on September 6, 1939, in Manhattan in New York City. She was the ...
Story'' * ''Queens of Disco'' (
BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002
) * ''
SexTV SexTV was a Canadian documentary television series that explored a diverse range of topics related to human sexuality and gender. Created by the Canadian media executive Moses Znaimer, the documentary-series premiered in 1999 on national broadca ...
'' * '' Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story'' * '' Tab Hunter Confidential'' * '' The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special In 3-D! On Ice!'' * '' That Man: Peter Berlin'' * '' These Amazing Shadows: The Movies That Make America'' * ''
This Film Is Not Yet Rated ''This Film Is Not Yet Rated'' is a 2006 American documentary film about the Motion Picture Association of America's rating system and its effect on American culture, directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Eddie Schmidt. It premiered at the ...
'' * ''Tracks'' * ''VH1
Behind the Music ''Behind the Music'' is an American documentary television series that initially aired on VH1 from 1997 to 2014. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group, examining career beginnings, roads to success and any resul ...
'' ( Blondie) * ''
William S. Burroughs William Seward Burroughs II (; February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American writer and visual artist. He is widely considered a primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major Postmodern literature, postmodern author who influen ...
: A Man Within''


Other credits

* ''
This Filthy World ''This Filthy World'' is a one-man show/documentary film by John Waters about his life and career. A filmed version of the show was directed by Jeff Garlin, recorded at the Harry DeJour Playhouse in New York City in 2006, and released later that ...
'' Waters's touring one-man show, made into a feature film directed by
Jeff Garlin Jeffrey Garlin (born June 5, 1962) is an American stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian and actor. He is best known for playing List of Curb Your Enthusiasm characters#Jeff Greene, Jeff Greene on the HBO sitcom ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'', and Murray ...
* ''
Mommie Dearest ''Mommie Dearest'' is a memoir and exposé written by Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of Academy Award winning actress Joan Crawford. Officially released by William Morrow and Company on November 10, 1978 (though thousands of copies ha ...
'' (1981) Audio commentary on film's "Hollywood Royalty Edition" DVD release (2006) * ''
The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" (), sometimes translated in English as "The Little Sea Maid", is a fairy tale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Originally published in 1837 as part of a collection of fairy tales for children, the story foll ...
'' Special Edition DVD (2006) Interview on 'making of' documentary about
Howard Ashman Howard Elliott Ashman (May 17, 1950 – March 14, 1991) was an American playwright, lyricist and stage director. He is most widely known for his work on feature films for Walt Disney Animation Studios, for which Ashman wrote the lyrics and Alan M ...
, the theatre (i.e. ''
Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...
''), and the inspiration behind the character Ursula: Divine * ''A Date with John Waters'' (2007), a CD collection of songs Waters finds romantic * ''
Christmas Evil ''Christmas Evil'' (originally titled ''You Better Watch Out'', and also known as ''Terror in Toyland'') is a 1980 American slasher film written and directed by Lewis Jackson and starring Brandon Maggart. The plot follows a deranged man obsesse ...
'' DVD release (2006) Audio commentary * ''Breaking Up with John Waters'' Waters's third CD compilation rumored as "currently in the works" in 2004 * ''The Other Hollywood'' Commentary and opinions about pornography throughout the book * " The Creep" (featuring
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...
) Appeared on a television set in
The Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The th ...
's music video "The Creep", which made its debut on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
''. Waters gives the introduction to the song and he is credited as a featured artist on the album. * '' Art:21'' Introducing Host for Season Two, "Stories" episode PBS DVD series


Published works

* * * * * * * Waters, John (2019). ''Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder''. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. . ; Novel * Waters, John (2022). '' Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance''. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. . ; Screenplays * * * * * ; Photo collections * *


Discography

* '' A John Waters Christmas'' A CD of
Christmas songs Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or in the case of carols, may employ lyrics about the nativity of J ...
compiled by Waters (2004) * ''A Date With John Waters'' A CD of love songs for Valentine's Day compiled by Waters. New Line Records (2007) * ''Role Models'' Audiobook narrated by Mr. Waters. Tantor Media (2010) * ''Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America'' Audiobook narrated by Mr. Waters. Macmillan Audio (2014) * ''Make Trouble'' Spoken word speech.
Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975) is an American musician who achieved international fame as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. As the White Stripes disbanded, he sought success with his solo career, subse ...
's
Third Man Records Third Man Records is an eclectic, vinyl-focused independent record label founded and owned by Jack White, Ben Blackwell, and Ben Swank. The company operates out of three locations—Nashville, Detroit, and Soho in London—with multiple entitie ...
(2017). Produced by Grammy-winner Ian Brennan * ''Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder'' Audiobook narrated by Mr. Waters. Macmillan Audio (2019) * ''Prayer to Pasolini'' Spoken word speech recorded at the murder site of filmmaker
Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, film director, writer, actor and playwright. He is considered one of the defining public intellectuals in 20th-century Italian history, influential both as an artist ...
on the outskirts of Rome.
Sub Pop Records Sub or SUB may refer to: Places * Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, Indonesia, IATA code SUB People * Bottom (BDSM), or "sub" for "submissive" * Substitute teacher Christianity * Sub tuum praesidium, an ancient hymn and prayer dedicated ...
(2021). Produced by Grammy-winner, Ian Brennan. * ''Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance (A Novel)'' Audiobook narrated by Mr. Waters. Macmillan Audio (2022) * ''It's in the Book'' Spoken word tribute to comedian Johnny Standley.
Sub Pop Records Sub or SUB may refer to: Places * Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, Indonesia, IATA code SUB People * Bottom (BDSM), or "sub" for "submissive" * Substitute teacher Christianity * Sub tuum praesidium, an ancient hymn and prayer dedicated ...
(2022). Produced by Grammy-winner, Ian Brennan. * ''John Waters Covers
The Singing Dogs The Singing Dogs was a Danish musical recording project in the 1950s by recording engineer and ornithologist Carl Weismann and record producer Don Charles based around manipulated recordings of dogs barking. Carl Weismann, while recording the sou ...
' "
Jingle Bells "Jingle Bells" is one of the most commonly sung Christmas songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont. It is an unsettled question where and when Pierpont originally composed the song that would become known as "Jingle Bells". It ...
" b/w "It's a Punk Rock Christmas"'' Comedy
Christmas music Christmas music comprises a variety of Music genre, genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas and holiday season, Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or in the case of Christmas ...
.
Sub Pop Records Sub or SUB may refer to: Places * Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, Indonesia, IATA code SUB People * Bottom (BDSM), or "sub" for "submissive" * Substitute teacher Christianity * Sub tuum praesidium, an ancient hymn and prayer dedicated ...
(2024).


Awards and nominations

In 1999, Waters was honored with the Filmmaker on the Edge Award at the
Provincetown International Film Festival The Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) is an annual film festival founded in 1999 and held on Cape Cod in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The festival presents American and international narrative features, documentaries and short film ...
. In September 2015, the
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
ran a programme to celebrate 50 years of Waters films which included all of his early films, some previously unscreened in the UK. In 2014, Waters was nominated for a
Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
for the spoken word version of his book, ''Carsick''. His follow-up record, ''Make Trouble'', was produced by Grammy-winning producer, Ian Brennan, and released on
Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975) is an American musician who achieved international fame as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. As the White Stripes disbanded, he sought success with his solo career, subse ...
's
Third Man Records Third Man Records is an eclectic, vinyl-focused independent record label founded and owned by Jack White, Ben Blackwell, and Ben Swank. The company operates out of three locations—Nashville, Detroit, and Soho in London—with multiple entitie ...
in the fall of 2017. Waters received his second Grammy-nomination in 2020 for ''Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder''. In 2015, he received the Ted M. Larson Award at the
Fargo Film Festival The Fargo Theatre is an art deco movie theater in downtown Fargo, North Dakota, United States. Construction on the building began in the fall of 1925 and the theatre opened on March 15, 1926. It was restored in 1999 to its historic appearance an ...
for his contribution to filmmaking. In 2016, Waters received an honorary degree from the
Maryland Institute College of Art The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is a Private university, private art school, art and design college in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1826 as the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, it is regarded as one of ...
in Baltimore during the college's undergraduate commencement ceremony. He received an honorary doctorate from the
University of Baltimore The University of Baltimore (UBalt, UB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is part of the University System of Maryland. UBalt consists of four colleges in applied arts and sciences, Robert G. Merrick School of Bu ...
in 2023. In 2017, Waters received Timeless Star honors from the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (now GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics). The group's career achievement award goes to an entertainment figure "whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit." In 2018, Waters was named an Officier of the
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The Order of Arts and Letters () is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is the recognition of significant ...
, a cultural award from the French government. In 2023, Waters received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
. His friends and collaborators
Mink Stole Nancy Paine Stoll (born August 25, 1947), known professionally as Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, and has appeared in all of his feature films to date (a distin ...
,
Greg Gorman Greg Gorman is an American photographer. Education Gorman attended the University of Kansas with a major in Photojournalism and completed his studies at the University of Southern California, graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Cine ...
, and
Ricki Lake Ricki Pamela Lake (born September 21, 1968) is an American television host and actress. She is known for her lead role as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film '' Hairspray'', for which she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for ...
spoke at the induction. Waters brought a photo of his parents to the unveiling, dedicating the honor to them. Waters' star was placed in front of Larry Edmunds Bookshop on
Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...
, a store Waters frequents.KCAL-News Staff. "Filmmaker John Waters receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame" ''CBS Los Angeles''. September 18, 2023. September 18, 2023.


Nominations


See also

*
LGBT culture in New York City New York City has been described as the gay village, gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ political sociology, sociopolitical ecosystem, and is home to one of the world's largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ populations. Br ...
*
List of LGBT people from New York City New York City has been described as the gay village, gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ political sociology, sociopolitical ecosystem. It is home to one of the world's largest and most prominent LGBTQ populations. LGBTQ ...


References


General bibliography

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External links


Dreamland News site including current news, online archive, filmography, books and history
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