Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox actor

Douglas Jones (born May 24, 1960)<ref name=officialbio>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is an American actor, contortionist, and mime artist. He is best known for portraying non-human creatures, usually via heavy make-up and visual effects. He has most notably collaborated with acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, appearing in the films Mimic (1997), Hellboy (2004), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), Crimson Peak (2015), and The Shape of Water (2017).<ref>Bell, David Christopher (November 14, 2013). "7 Iconic Costume Actors You Didn’t Notice In Non-Costumed Roles" Template:Webarchive. Film School Rejects.</ref>

Jones has also had roles in other films including Hocus Pocus (1993) and its sequel (2022), Tank Girl (1995), The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), Absentia (2011), Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016), and The Bye Bye Man (2017). He has appeared in the science fiction series Falling Skies (2013–15) and del Toro's horror series The Strain (2014–16). From 2019 to 2024, he portrayed Baron Afanas in vampire comedy show What We Do in the Shadows, appearing both with and without creature makeup.

From 2017 to 2024, he portrayed Saru in the science fiction series Star Trek: Discovery.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early lifeEdit

Jones was born in Indianapolis, the youngest of four brothers, and attended Bishop Chatard High School. He graduated from Ball State University,<ref name=officialbio/> where he parlayed his background as a mime into portraying the school mascot "Charlie Cardinal."<ref>"Charlie Cardinal Interview" Template:Webarchive. The Doug Jones Experience. Reprinted from Ball State University's Alumnus Magazine. August 2004</ref>

CareerEdit

Jones started his career in the television and movie industry as a 1980s advertising character, "Mac Tonight".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He worked as a contortionist, saying, "You'd be surprised how many times that comes into play in commercials. They'll want somebody to hold a box of Tide funny or something. I once squished into a box for a commercial for relaxed fit jeans."<ref>Johnson-Ott, Edward. "Hellboy's fish-guy gets filleted." Template:Webarchive Nuvo.net. April 14, 2004.</ref> In 1994, he appeared in an episode of Unsolved Mysteries as Gordon Page, Jr., a young man with autism who disappeared from a treatment center in 1991.

Although known mostly for his work under prosthetic makeup, such as the zombie William "Billy" Butcherson in the Walt Disney Pictures Halloween film Hocus Pocus, or the lead spy Morlock in the 2002 remake of the 1960 film The Time Machine, he has also performed without prosthetics in such films as Adaptation, Mystery Men, and Batman Returns, and indie projects such as Stefan Haves' Stalled, AntiKaiser Productions' Three Lives, Phil Donlon's A Series of Small Things, and as Cesare in David Fisher's 2005 remake of the 1920 silent classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Jones played Abe Sapien in Hellboy; the voice was performed by an uncredited David Hyde Pierce in the first film, but Jones's voice was used in the sequel. Explaining the challenge of working so often in rubber suits and prosthetics, he notes, "I have to make that a part of my being and my physicality and again, acting is a full-body experience and that's a part of it when you're doing a costumed character."<ref>Topel, Fred. "Fantastic Four 2: Doug Jones: Doug Jones talks sequels, Fantastic Four and Hellboy", Crave, June 15, 2007.</ref>

In 2005, he worked again with Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, starring as the Faun in del Toro's multiple-Academy Award-winning Spanish-language fantasy/horror project Pan's Labyrinth. He also has a secondary role in the film as the Pale Man, a gruesome creature with a penchant for eating children. Working once more under heavy prosthetics in both roles, he was also required to learn large amounts of dialogue in Spanish,<ref>"Doug Jones En Espanol" Template:Webarchive, canmag.com; accessed March 8 2018.</ref> although ultimately his voice was redubbed by Pablo Adan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That same year also brought success for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the film receiving three awards at the Screamfest Horror Festival in Los Angeles, including the Audience Choice Award.

In 2006, Jones appeared in the feature films The Benchwarmers and Lady in the Water, and reprised his role as Abe Sapien by voicing the character in the new Hellboy Animated television project, recording two 75-minute animated films.Template:Cn

In February 2007, Jones's likeness was used for Nvidia's "Human Head" tech demo. In June 2007, he appeared in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer as the Silver Surfer, though Laurence Fishburne provided the character's voice. He reprised his role as Abe Sapien in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, once more under the direction of del Toro, for which he provided both the voice and body performance. He played two other roles in the film: the Angel of Death and the Chamberlain, both under heavy prosthetics. In 2009, del Toro announced on BBC Radio that Jones would be playing the monster in his upcoming version of Frankenstein.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2007, Jones was disappointed to learn that his voice part of the Silver Surfer had been dubbed by another actor (Fishburne) when the film was released. Upon inquiry, he determined that studio pressure had been imposed in order to add more "names" to the movie. As Jones gained greater clout in the industry, he eventually was able to add a clause to his contracts ensuring that no English dialogue of his characters would be dubbed. Roles that include other languages may be dubbed, however. This came into play in Pan's Labyrinth – Jones learned enough Spanish to voice his characters. Still, the decision was made to use a native speaker in order to access the language's nuances adequately.<ref name=IW>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Jones starred as himself in Sockbaby 4, the fourth installment of the Internet martial arts comedy series Sockbaby.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Jones appeared in the French-language film Gainsbourg (Vie héroïque), written and directed by French comic book author Joann Sfar and produced by Universal Europe. Jones played La Gueule ("The Mug"), the grotesque fantasy muse and malicious doppelganger who teases, guides, and accompanies Serge Gainsbourg throughout his life.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was fitted with prosthetics designed and created by the Academy Award-winning Spanish FX shop DDT Efectos Especiales, with whom he had already worked on Pan's Labyrinth; the FX technicians requested specifically that Jones be given the role of the Mug creature, due to his ability to perform (without complaining)<ref name=IW/> with heavy prosthetics and elaborate special effects. As in Pan's Labyrinth, Jones performed his lines phonetically, this time speaking in French; his voice was redubbed by Éric Elmosnino, who also played Gainsbourg. Director Joann Sfar liked Jones's speech patterns so much that he asked Elmosnino to mimic them when he performed the creature's lines. The film was released in France on January 20, 2010.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Information on Gainsbourg: Vie Heroique Template:Webarchive, The Doug Jones Experience; accessed 22 March 2018.</ref><ref>"Doug Jones incarne la Gueule de 'Gainsbourg'" Template:Webarchive, cinemotions.com; accessed March 22, 2018.</ref>

In January 2010, Jones signed a book deal with Medallion Press to model a nonfiction comedic coffee table book called Mime Very Own Book, co-authored by Adam Mock and Scott Allen Perry and photographed by Eric Curtis. The book was due for publication in December 2011.<ref>Mime Very Own Book Template:Webarchive at Medallion Press.</ref>

Jones plays Dr. Henry Vataber in the web series Universal Dead.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In late June 2010, it was announced that Universal Dead would be made into a feature film.<ref>"Universal Dead full length feature?" Template:Webarchive Indie Intertube; June 28, 2010</ref> He appeared in the independent film The Candy Shop, a "modern fairy tale" shedding light upon child sex trafficking, created by the American film studio Whitestone Pictures.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Jones played the "Operator", a fictional entity based on the Internet myth known as the "Slender Man", in Always Watching: A Marble Hornets Story, a 2015 film adaptation of the popular Marble Hornets YouTube series.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Jones was cast as Saru, a non-human Kelpien in Star Trek: Discovery, which premiered September 24, 2017. That same year, Jones reunited with Guillermo del Toro, this time in a romantic lead role, the Amphibian Man (the "asset") in the Academy Award-winning The Shape of Water.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2014, Aurelio Voltaire released the song "The Devil and Mr. Jones" on his album Raised by Bats which is a tribute to the life and career of Doug Jones.

In 2022, Jones reprised his role as Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus 2.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal lifeEdit

Jones describes himself as a "dyed-in-the-wool Christian from the Midwest", to the point that he was initially apprehensive about his role in Hellboy due to the titular character's demonic nature.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1984, Jones married his college sweetheart, Laurie Pontoni. They relocated to Los Angeles in 1985 to further his acting career.<ref> Marotta, Jenna (2017). "'The Shape of Water' Star Doug Jones". IndieWire. November 24, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2019.</ref>

FilmographyEdit

FilmEdit

Year Title Role Notes Reference(s)
1987 The Newlydeads Tim citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

1990 Night Angel Ken citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

1991 Carnal Crimes Lang Direct-to-video <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
1992 Batman Returns Thin Clown <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
1993 Hocus Pocus William "Billy" Butcherson
Magic Kid Clown in Office Direct-to-video <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
1995 Tank Girl Additional Ripper <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
1996 Galgameth Big Galgy <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
1997 Mimic Long John #2 <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Warriors of Virtue Yee Voiced by Doug Parker
1998 Bug Buster Mother Bug <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
Denial Ghost Direct-to-video
1999 Mystery Men Pencilhead <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Three Kings Dead Iraqi Soldier
2000 Stalled Len <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle FBI Agent – Carrot <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman Dave Direct-to-video <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2001 Steven Spielberg's Movie Donald Columbus Short film
Monkeybone Yeti <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
2002 Adaptation Augustus Margary
Men in Black II Joey
Side Effects Seth Short film
The Time Machine Spy Morlock <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
2003 Stuck on You Space Alien #2
2004 Three Lives Mysterious Caller/Mortician Short film
Hellboy Abe Sapien Voiced by David Hyde Pierce <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
2005 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Cesare
Doom Carmack Imp / Sewer Imp
A Series of Small Things The Homeless Man Short film
2006 The Benchwarmers Number 7 Robot Voice <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Lady in the Water Tartutic #4
Pan's Labyrinth The Faun/The Pale Man Voiced by Pablo Adán
Hellboy: Sword of Storms Abe Sapien Voice; Direct-to-video <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
Nora Breaks Free Yoga Instructor Short film
2007 Carnies Ratcatcher <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
Hellboy: Blood and Iron Abe Sapien Voice; Direct-to-video
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Norrin Radd / Silver Surfer Voiced by Laurence Fishburne <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
The Wager Peter Barrett <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2008 Quarantine Thin Infected Man <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Sockbaby Himself Short film
Hellboy II: The Golden Army Abe Sapien/Angel of Death/The Chamberlin <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
The Job Office Manager Short film
2009 My Name Is Jerry Jerry <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
Pie & Coffee Homeless Man Short film
Super Capers Special Agent Smith #1 <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
The Butterfly Circus Otto Short film
2010 The Cure Samuel Bainer
Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life La Gueule <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Legion Ice Cream Man
Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer Dr. Arthur <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
Sudden Death! Jonathan Wright Short film
Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey Zero/Razer Voice <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
The Candy Shop Candy Shop Owner Short film
Absentia Walter Lambert <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Greyscale Jamison
Rock Jocks Smoking Jesus <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
2011 End of the Road (1,2,3...Scream) Randolph
The Tomorrow Machine Ben Short film
2012 It's Alive Monster
White Room: 20B3 Fyn-Ke'al
Men In Suits Himself Documentary
The Watch Hero Alien <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Saint Alex Mr. Vanderplook Short film
John Dies at the End Robert North <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2013 Raze Joseph <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Hookah Allen Short film
First Impressions Suited Man
Dust of War Jebediah Strumm <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
Innocent Blood Carl Grierr
Cruel Will Adrian
2014 Love in the Time of Monsters Dr. Lincoln
Everlast Suited Man Short film
2015 Always Watching: A Marble Hornets Story The Operator <ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
Crimson Peak Ghosts of Edith's Mother/Lady Beatrice Sharpe <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
2016 The Midnight Man Vick <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
Ouija: Origin of Evil Ghoul Marcus <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
Kiss the Devil in the Dark Terrance/Dagon Short film
Han Solo: A Smuggler's Trade Gyorsho
2017 The Bye Bye Man The Bye Bye Man <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
We’ve Forgotten More Than We Ever Knew... Independent movie <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
The Terror of Hallow's Eve Scarecrow/The Trickster
The Danger Element Doctor Elymas
The Shape of Water Amphibian Man <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" /><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
Island in the Sun Ranger Short film
5th Passenger Langdon <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2018 Gehenna: Where Death Lives Creepy Old Man
2019 Beneath the Leaves James Whitley
2021 Battle In Space: The Armada Attacks The Sycophant
2022 Hocus Pocus 2 William "Billy" Butcherson
2023 Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror Count Orlok citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2024 Space Command Redemption Dor Neven
Operation Taco Gary's Elder
Template:TableTBA The Weight of Darkness John Gatlin Filming citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

The Remedy Template:TableTBA Post-production citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

The Weeping Template:TableTBA citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

TelevisionEdit

Year Title Role Notes Reference(s)
1991 In Living Color Mime Episode: "#2.24" <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
1993 Tales from the Crypt Contortionist Episode: "Food for Thought"
Silk Stalkings Artie Episode: "Love Never Dies"
1994 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Slapstick Actor Episode: "Indiana Jones and Hollywood Follies" <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
1996 Bone Chillers Mummy Episode: "Mummy Dearest" <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
1997 Unhappily Ever After Fake Kramer Episode: "Sternberg"
The Weird Al Show Contortionist #2 4 episodes
1998 The Outer Limits Elder Alien / Alien #1 / Alien / Alien Doctor 3 episodes
Kenan & Kel Head Waiter Episode: "Attack of the Bug Man"
1999 G vs E Herb Episode: "Evilator"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Lead Gentleman Episode: "Hush"
2000 Party of Five Minister Episode: "Blast from the Past"
The Darkling Shadow Master Television film <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
2001 Unsolved Mysteries Gordon Page, Jr. Episode: "#488" <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2002 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Grinder Episode: "Revenge is Best Served Cold"
2003 The Guardian Micah Oakley Episode: "Believe"
2004 Rock Me Baby Auggie the Octopus Episode: "I Love You, You Don't Love Me"
Significant Others Waiter Episode: "A Date, Fate and Jail Bait"
2005, 2008 Criminal Minds Domino Thacker / Beanie 2 episodes
2007 The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning Patron Television film
2008 Fear Itself Grady Edlund Episode: "Skin & Bones"
2010 Battle Jitni: The Danger Element Doctor Elymas Television film
Nick Swardson's Pretend Time Gay Robot 6 episodes <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2012–2013 The Neighbors Dominique Wilkins 6 episodes
2013–2015 Falling Skies Cochise 28 episodes
2013 Comedy Bang! Bang! Future Man Episode: "Gillian Jacobs Wears a Red Dress with Sail Boats"
Sons of Anarchy Corrections Officer Crane Episode: "The Mad King"
2014 Teen Wolf William Barrow Episode: "Galvanize"
2014–2016 The Strain The Ancient / The Master 6 episodes
2015 Arrow Jake Simmons / Deathbolt Episode: "Broken Arrow"
The Flash Episode: "Rogue Air"
Z Nation Dan Scully Episode: "Roswell"
The Ultimate Legacy Hawthorne Television film <ref name="TV Guide Credits" /><ref name="TCM Filmography" />
2017 Nazareth President Glade Television film
2017–2024 Star Trek: Discovery Ambassador Saru / Saru (mirror) 58 episodes
Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor in Streaming Presentation (2019)
Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television (2018)
citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2017–2018 After Trek Himself 3 episodes <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2018 Star Trek: Short Treks Saru Episode: "The Brightest Star"
2019–2024 The Ready Room Himself 5 episodes
2019–2024 What We Do in the Shadows Baron Afanas 10 episodes <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2019 Better Things Himself / Monster 2 episodes
I Am Principal Episode: "Pilot"
2020 Space Command Dor Neven 3 episodes
DuckTales Wereduck / Demonic Clown Voice; Episode: "The Trickening!" <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />

Web seriesEdit

Year Title Role Notes Reference(s)
2009 Angel of Death Dr. Rankin 10 episodes <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
2010 Universal Dead Dr. Vataber 3 episodes
2011 Fallout: Nuka Break Mayor Conners
Dragon Age: Redemption Saarebas <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
The Guild Gerald 2 episodes
2012 League of STEAM Theodore Marshall Episode: "Dining with the Devil"
2012–2013 Research. Denny 8 episodes citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

2013 The Blockbuster Buster Himself Episode: "Rocky and Bullwinkle"
2013, 2018 Adopted Lloyd Adams 4 episodes
2015 Hell's Kitty Father Damien 2 episodes <ref name="TV Guide Credits" />
Murder? Narrator / Eric
2016 Screen Junkies Movie Fights Himself 1 episode
Han Solo: A Smuggler's Trade – A Star Wars Fan Film Gyorsho
2017–2018 Automata Carl Swangee Voice; 5 episodes
2021 Batman: Dying Is Easy Riddler/Edward Nigma Fan film
2023 Star Trek: Very Short Treks Saru Voice, 2 episodes

Video gamesEdit

Year Title Voice role Notes Reference(s)
2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Silver Surfer
2008 Hellboy: The Science of Evil Abe Sapien

Music videosEdit

Year Title Artist Role Reference(s)
1998 "I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)" Marilyn Manson citation CitationClass=web

}}Template:Cbignore</ref>

1999 "All Star" Smash Mouth citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Awards and nominationsEdit

Year Award Category Work Result
2008 Scream Awards Best Supporting Actor Hellboy II: The Golden Army Template:Nominated
2009 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Supporting Actor Template:Won
Fangoria Horror Hall of Fame Template:Won
2018 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor on Television Star Trek: Discovery Template:Nominated
2019 Template:Won
2021 Template:Won

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project Template:Sister project

 | name/{{#if:{{#invoke:ustring|match|1=427964|2=^nm}}
   | Template:Trim/
   | nm0427964/
   }}
 | {{#if: {{#property:P345}}
   | name/Template:First word/
   | find?q=%7B%7B%23if%3A+Doug+Jones%0A++++++%7C+Doug+Jones%0A++++++%7C+%5B%5B%3ATemplate%3APAGENAMEBASE%5D%5D%0A++++++%7D%7D&s=nm
   }}
 }}{{#if: 427964  {{#property:P345}} | {{#switch: 
 | award | awards = awards Awards for | biography | bio = bio Biography for
 }}}} {{#if: Doug Jones
 | Doug Jones
 | Template:PAGENAMEBASE
 }}] at IMDb{{#if: 427964{{#property:P345}}
 | Template:EditAtWikidata
 | Template:Main other

}}{{#switch:{{#invoke:string2|matchAny|^nm.........|^nm.......|nm|.........|source=427964|plain=false}}

 | 1 | 3 =  Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning
 | 4 = Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning

}}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:IMDb name with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|showblankpositional=1| 1 | 2 | id | name | section }}

Template:Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television

Template:Authority control