Join or Sign In

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Michael Shannon Biography

Birth Name:Michael Corbett Shannon

Birth Place:Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Profession Actor, Producer, Soundtrack, Director

Fast Facts

Founded the A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago
Won an Austin Film Critics Award for Best Actor for his role in "Take Shelter" in 2011
Received the 2013 Jeff Award for Best Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for his work in "Simpatico․"
Is the grandson of entomologist Raymond Corbett Shannon, who discovered that the transmission of malaria could be linked to mosquito bites
Quote: "When you do a play, you tell the whole story and you're done and go home․ When you do a movie, you're breaking it up into all these little fragments so they don't really feed one another․ I don't feel like one of them makes me better at the other one․ They seem like two separate things to me․"
Quote: "I never wanted to be a movie star․ I had no ambitions in that regard at all․ I take every day as it comes․ That's all․"
Frequently takes on the role of villains
Designed the poster for the Red Orchid Theatre production "The Connection․"
Recorded the audiobook for actor Sam Shepard's last book "Spy of the First Person․"
Has been a member of the band Corporal

Awards

2007Fright Meter Award-Best Actor: nominated
2007Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Ensemble Performance: winner
2007ICP Award-Best Lead Performance: nominated
2008CFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2008DFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2008ICP Award-Best Supporting Performance: nominated
2008Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Supporting Role: winner
2008SLFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2009Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
2009Chlotrudis Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2009Gold Derby Film Award-Supporting Actor: nominated
2009INOCA-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2009IOMA-Best Supporting Actor (Miglior attore non protagonista): nominated
2009OFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2009Ensemble Cast Award-: winner
2009Virtuoso Award-: winner
2010CinEuphoria-Best Supporting Actor - Audience Award: winner
2011Actor-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: winner
2011AFCA Award-Best Actor: winner
2011CFCA Award-Best Actor: winner
2011DFWFCA Award-Best Actor: nominated
2011DFCS Award-Best Actor: nominated
2011DFCC-Best Actor: nominated
2011Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Ensemble Performance: nominated
2011HFCS Award-Best Actor: nominated
2011ICP Award-Best Lead Performance: winner
2011LAFCA Award-Best Actor: nominated
2011NYFCO Award-Best Actor: winner
2011OFTA Television Award-Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: nominated
2011SDFCS Award-Best Actor: winner
2011Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Motion Picture: nominated
2011TFCA Award-Best Actor: winner
2011VVFP Award-Best Actor: winner
2011WAFCA Award-Best Actor: nominated
2012Saturn Award-Best Actor: winner
2012Actor-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: winner
2012EDA Award-Best Actor: nominated
2012COFCA Award-Best Actor: winner
2012Chlotrudis Award-Best Actor: winner
2012Independent Spirit Award-Best Male Lead: nominated
2012GAFCA Award-Best Actor: nominated
2012ICS Award-Best Actor: nominated
2012INOCA-Best Actor: nominated
2012OFCS Award-Best Actor: nominated
2012Prism Award-Performance in a Feature Film: nominated
2012VFCC Award-Best Actor: nominated
2013IOMA-Best Actor (Miglior attore protagonista): nominated
2013Honors-Outstanding Achievement in Acting: winner
2014BloodGuts UK Horror Award-Best Supporting Actor/Actress: winner
2014Lost Weekend Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2014Robert Altman Award-: winner
2014Jupiter Award-Best International Actor: nominated
2014Webby Award-Video - Best Individual Performance: nominated
2015AFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2015BloodGuts UK Horror Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2015CFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2015Lost Weekend Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2015FFCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2015Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Actor: nominated
2015ICP Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2015KCFCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2015LAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2015PCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2015PFCS Award-Best Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
2015SFFCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2015TFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2015VFCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2015VVFP Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
2016EDA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016AFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016ACCA-Best Cast Ensemble: nominated
2016BloodGuts UK Horror Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016BSFC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016CFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016Chlotrudis Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2016Critics Choice Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016Critics Choice Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016DFWFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016DFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016Jury Prize- Main Program-Best Actor: winner
2016Independent Spirit Award-Best Supporting Male: nominated
2016FFCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: nominated
2016Golden Schmoes-Best Supporting Actor of the Year: nominated
2016HFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016IFJA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016IFJA Award-Best Actor: nominated
2016ICP Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016Halfway Award-Best Actor: nominated
2016Sierra Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2016NSFC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016NTFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2016PCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016PFCS Award-Best Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
2016SDFCS Award-Best Body of Work: winner
2016SDFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016SFFCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016SLFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016TFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016VVFP Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2016WAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017AACTA International Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
2017EDA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017COFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017COFCA Award-Actor of the Year: winner
2017CIFCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017HFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: winner
2017HFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017ALFS Award-Supporting Actor of the Year: nominated
2017NSFC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017OFCC Award-Best Body of Work: nominated
2017OFCC Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017OFTA Film Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017OFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017PFCS Award-Best Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
2017SFCS Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2017SFCS Award-Best Villain: nominated
2017SLFCA Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2018Palmarés blogos de oro-Best Supporting Actor (Mejor Actor de reparto): nominated
2018Gold Derby Film Award-Ensemble Cast: nominated
2018OFTA Film Award-Best Ensemble: nominated
2018Chairman's Vanguard Award-: winner
2018Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
2019CinEuphoria-Best Supporting Actor - International Competition: nominated
2020Gold Derby Film Award-Ensemble of the Decade: nominated
2020Gold Derby Film Award-Ensemble Cast: nominated
2020OFTA Film Award-Best Ensemble: nominated
2022Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
2023Breakthrough Director Award-: winner
2023OFTA Television Award-Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Limited or Anthology Series: nominated
2023Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: nominated
2024Astra TV Award-Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series or TV Movie: winner
2026Movies for Grownups Award-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
2026Movies for Grownups Award-Best Ensemble: nominated
2026Critics Choice Award-Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television: nominated