Willem Dafoe Will Attend Cairo Experimental Theatre Festival

Hollywood star Willem Dafoe will attend the 33rd edition of the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre, scheduled to take place in Cairo from September 1st, 2026 to September 8th, 2026.

Festival president Sameh Mahran confirmed the actor’s participation in the upcoming edition. Born in 1955 in Appleton, Wisconsin, Dafoe began his career in theatre, performing with Theatre X before co-founding the Experimental Theatre Company in New York.

His stage work spans classical and avant-garde productions and has remained central to his career alongside his film work. On screen, Dafoe has appeared in films including ‘Platoon’ (1986), ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ (1988), ‘Mississippi Burning’ (1988), ‘Born on the Fourth of July’ (1989), ‘The English Patient’ (1996), and ‘Spider-Man’ (2002).

He has received Academy Award nominations for ‘Platoon’, ‘Shadow of the Vampire’ (2000), ‘The Florida Project’ (2017), and ‘At Eternity’s Gate’ (2018).

His theatre career has also included serving as Artistic Director of the Theatre Sector at the Venice Biennale. Launched in 1988 by former Minister of Culture Farouk Hosny, the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre focuses on experimentation, research and exchange in performance.

The festival showcases productions exploring contemporary theatre practices and technology, alongside seminars, workshops and discussions. Sameh Mahran first served as the festival’s president in 2016, returned for the 30th edition in 2023, and continues in the role for the upcoming 33rd edition.