# Julian Richings

Julian Richings (born 30 August 1956) is a British-Canadian character actor, having appeared in over 225 films and television series. He is best known for his appearances in a variety of horror films, including Cube, Wrong Turn, The Witch, Beau is Afraid, Ejecta, and Anything for Jackson, as well as for portraying Death in the dark fantasy series Supernatural.

## Early life

Richings was born in Oxford, England on August 30, 1956. He trained in drama at the University of Exeter.

## Career

After touring the United States with a British stage production, Richings moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1984. Within five years, he had become a regular on the second season of the War of the Worlds TV series. In the 1996 film Hard Core Logo, he played the bitter, aging, punk rock legend Bucky Haight. He appeared at the opening of the 1997 film Cube. In 1999, he appeared in the science fiction film Thrill Seekers.
In 2000, he appeared as Bellanger in The Claim, and earned a Genie Award nomination for best supporting actor. He was a member of the repertory cast of the A&E TV original series A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–02).
Richings performed in heavy makeup as cannibal-killer Three Finger in Wrong Turn (2003), and was a series regulars as the nearly-blind security guard Otto in Stephen King's 2004 miniseries Kingdom Hospital. Dramatic roles include stagehand Mr. Turnbull in the 2004 film Being Julia. He appeared as Orr, a cruel loan shark in the 2004 Canadian film The Last Casino. In 2006, he appeared in a brief speaking role as the Mutant Theatre Organiser in X-Men: The Last Stand, and played a vampire killer alongside in the direct-to-DVD horror film The Last Sect.
In 2007, Richings played a driver in the film Shoot 'Em Up, a dissipated and aging punk rocker in The Third Eye, transvestite psychologist Dr. Heker in The Tracey Fragments, and a number of small roles in other films, including Skinwalkers and Saw IV.
He appeared in the 2008 film The Timekeeper. That year, Richings was nominated for another Dora Award for his performance in The Palace of the End.
Richings made an appearance in the 2010 fantasy film adaption Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lighting Thief as Charon, the ferryman of Hades. That year, he began a recurring villain role on the horror comedy series Todd and the Book of Pure Evil. From 2010 to 2015, he portrayed Death in the hit dark fantasy series Supernatural. He was also Death in the short film Dave v. Death (2011).
He appeared in Zach Snyder's 2013 Superman film Man of Steel as Lor-Em, spokesman for the Kryptonian Council. The same year, Richings played the mysterious, stringy-haired Phil Prosser in Septic Man.
In 2014, he starred in the science fiction film Ejecta. The role earned him a Best Actor win at the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival. In 2015, he appeared in Robert Eggers' horror film The Witch and the drama film Reign.
In 2019, Richings played Nazi scientist Heinrich Von Fuchs on DC Universe's Doom Patrol.
His portrayal of Henry Walsh in Justin G. Dyck's 2020 supernatural horror film Anything for Jackson, earned him his second Best Actor win at the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival.
In 2022, Richings appeared in the television shows The Umbrella Academy, Reginald the Vampire, and Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities. In 2023, he had a role in Ari Aster's tragicomedy horror film Beau is Afraid.
In 2024, Richings appeared as Procrustes, the half-giant and half-brother of the titular character, in the Disney+ fantasy show Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

## Personal life

Richings resides in Toronto with his wife and two children.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Love at Stake | Town Crier | |
| 1989 | The Top of His Head | Robert | |
| 1991 | Naked Lunch | Exterminator | |
| 1992 | Giant Steps | Danceband Teacher | |
| 1994 | Squanto: A Warrior's Tale | Sir George's Servant | |
| 1995 | Moonlight and Valentino | Hair Stylist | |
| 1996 | Hard Core Logo | Haight | |
| 1996 | Love Child | Tom Sr. | Short film |
| 1996 | The Boys Club | Officer Cole | |
| 1997 | The Cellar | Woolsey | Short film |
| 1997 | Mimic | Workman | |
| 1997 | Cube | Alderson | |
| 1997 | Pale Saints | Einstein | |
| 1998 | Urban Legend | Weird Janitor | |
| 1998 | Motel | Tenant | |
| 1998 | Red Violin | Nicolas Olsberg | |
| 1999 | Detroit Rock City | Ticket Taker | |
| 1999 | Thrill Seekers | Murray Trevor | |
| 2000 | The Crossing | McKenzie | |
| 2000 | Washed Up | Reginald | |
| 2000 | Rats | Orderly | |
| 2000 | Two Thousand and None | Curator | |
| 2000 | The Claim | Bellanger | |
| 2001 | Century Hotel | Waiter | |
| 2001 | I Shout Love | Cab driver | Short film |
| 2001 | On Their Knees | Pappy | |
| 2001 | Treed Murray | Homeless Man | |
| 2001 | The Pretender: Island of the Haunted | Brother Clote | |
| 2002 | Between Strangers | Nigel | |
| 2003 | Open Range | Wylie | |
| 2003 | My Life Without Me | Dr. Thompson | |
| 2003 | Wrong Turn | Three Finger | |
| 2003 | The Truth About the Head | Lobster | Short film |
| 2003 | Todd and the Book of Pure Evil | Satan | Short film |
| 2003 | Mad Shadows | Doctor | Short film |
| 2003 | Bar Life | Ed | Short film |
| 2004 | Being Julia | Mr. Turnbull | |
| 2004 | Sisters in the Wilderness: The Lives of Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill | William Cattermole | |
| 2004 | Run Away Home | Minister | |
| 2004 | Mr. Jones: Drive | Mr. Jones | Short film |
| 2004 | Safe | Jimmy | Short film |
| 2004 | Re-Generation | Contact | |
| 2004 | The Last Casino | The Usurer | |
| 2005 | Black Widow | Dr. Deadman | |
| 2006 | Skinwalkers | Sad-Looking Man | |
| 2006 | The Last Sect | Karpov | |
| 2006 | A Lobster Tale | Hank Perkins | |
| 2006 | Screening | News Anchor # 2 | Short film |
| 2006 | X-Men: The Last Stand | Mutant Organiser | |
| 2007 | Shoot 'Em Up | Hertz's Driver | |
| 2007 | Dead Silence | Bos | Uncredited |
| 2007 | Saw IV | Vagrant | |
| 2007 | The Canadian Shield | Trapper Ray | Short film |
| 2007 | The Third Eye | Charlie Rabbit | |
| 2007 | The Tracey Fragments | Dr. Heker | |
| 2008 | Heartland | Mr. Hanley | |
| 2008 | Jack and Jill vs. the World | Mr. Smith | |
| 2008 | Toronto Stories | Leather Jacket | |
| 2008 | The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow | Kneeling Man | Short film |
| 2008 | Elegy | Actor in Play | |
| 2009 | Curious Stories, Crooked Symbols | Sinister Kneeling Man | Short film |
| 2009 | The Timekeeper | Grease | |
| 2009 | You Might as Well Live | Dr. Pooseby | |
| 2009 | Survival of the Dead | James O'Flynn | |
| 2010 | Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief | Charon | |
| 2010 | Hard Core Logo 2 | Bucky Haight | |
| 2010 | Trigger | Bucky | |
| 2011 | Collaborator | Maurice LeFont | |
| 2011 | Animal Control | Larry | Short film |
| 2011 | Furstenau Mysteries | Jameson | Short film |
| 2011 | Up in Cottage Country | The Officer | Short film |
| 2011 | Patch Town | Child Catcher | Short film |
| 2012 | The Conspiracy | Green Man | |
| 2012 | The Architecture of the Moon | Jonas | Short film |
| 2012 | Rainbow Connection | Landlord | Short film |
| 2012 | The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh | Bill Phillips / Neither Man Nor Woman / Rahn Brothers | |
| 2012 | Artist: Unknown | Fred Varley | Short film |
| 2012 | The Tape | Jack | Short film |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | Lor-Em | |
| 2013 | The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet | Ricky | |
| 2013 | The Colony | Leyland | |
| 2013 | Septic Man | Phil Prosser | |
| 2013 | Victims | Gatling | |
| 2013 | We Are Not Here | Monday | Short film |
| 2014 | The Last Halloween | Chatterbox | Short film |
| 2014 | Bastards | Jack Cage | Short film |
| 2014 | Ejecta | William Cassidy | |
| 2014 | Patch Town | Yuri | |
| 2014 | Hellmouth | Smiley | |
| 2015 | A Christmas Horror Story | Gerhardt | |
| 2015 | The Rainbow Kid | Elvis Grimes | |
| 2015 | The Witch | Governor | |
| 2015 | Regression | Tom | |
| 2015 | Reign | Mr. Ian | |
| 2015 | She Stoops to Conquer | | Short film |
| 2015 | All Hallows' Eve 2 | Chatterrbox | Segment: "The Last Halloween" |
| 2015 | Business Ethics | Martin Abacus | Short film |
| 2015 | Friends Like Us | Ermanno Ca$$H | |
| 2016 | Blood Hunters | Father Stewart | |
| 2016 | Prisoner X | Jefferson | |
| 2016 | The Big Push | Billy | Short film |
| 2016 | The Space Between | Stash | |
| 2017 | Todd and the Book of Pure Evil: The End of the End | Hooded Leader / Malian Trader | |
| 2017 | Tomato Red: Blood Money | Tim Lake | |
| 2019 | Polar | Lomas | |
| 2019 | True Fiction | Lenny Rupert | |
| 2019 | Business Ethics | Martin Abacus | |
| 2020 | Stardust | Tony DeFries | |
| 2020 | Spare Parts | The Emperor | |
| 2020 | Road Kill Renegade | Hillbilly | Short film |
| 2020 | Anything for Jackson | Henry Walsh | |
| 2020 | Hall | Julian | |
| 2020 | Vicious Fun | Fritz | |
| 2021 | Chaos Walking | Gault | |
| 2021 | Charlotte | Dr. Kurt Singer/Policeman #1/SS Soldier #2 | Voice |
| 2021 | Stanleyville | Homunculus | |
| 2022 | Time Traveling Through Time | Narrator | Short film |
| 2022 | Wickensburg | Mr. Hexenmeister | |
| 2022 | Salvation | John | |
| 2022 | Relax, I'm from the Future | Percy | |
| 2023 | Beau Is Afraid | Strange Man | |
| 2024 | Scared Shitless | Professor Cummings | |
| 2024 | A Thousand Cuts | Webster | |
| 2025 | Honey Bunch | | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1986 | Dave Thomas: The Incredible Time Travels of Henry Osgood | | TV film |
| 1987 | Adderly | | Episode: "Nemsis" |
| 1989–1990 | War of the Worlds | Ardix Alien Scientist Man with Hat | 15 episodes |
| 1990 | Counterstrike | Rettie | Episode: "Art for Art's Sake" |
| 1990 | Clarence | Reynolds | TV film |
| 1991 | Maniac Mansion | Tax Man | Episode: "Turner: The Boss" |
| 1991 | Rin Tin Kin: K-9 Cop | | Episode: "What the Doctor Ordered" |
| 1991-1995 | Heritage Minutes | A.A. Milne / King Henry VII | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | The Valour and the Horror | John Crocker | Episode: "In Desperate Battle: Normandy 1944" |
| 1993 | Street Legal | Harold Cooper-HayeRolan Atkinson | 1 episode1 episode |
| 1993–1994 | Ready or Not | Mr. Boyle | 4 episodes |
| 1994 | RoboCop | Dr. Proctor | Episode: "Faces of Eve" |
| 1994 | The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon | Alien | Episode: "Dudley Meets the Alien" |
| 1995 | Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years | Logan's Henchman | Miniseries; Episode: "The Alliance" |
| 1995 | Forever Knight | Dr. Paul Dana | Episode: "A More Permanent Hell" |
| 1995 | The Shamrock Conspiracy | Reader | TV film |
| 1995 | The Song Spinner | Callo | TV film |
| 1995 | Strauss: The King of 3/4 Time | Bono | TV film |
| 1996 | Due South | Miles Emery | Episode: "The Promise" |
| 1997 | PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal | Earl Cornell | Episode: "The 13th Floor / The Believer" |
| 1997 | Ms. Scrooge | Christmas Yet to Come | TV film |
| 1997 | Artemisia | Painter | TV film |
| 1997 | Once a Thief: Brother Against Brother | Cam | TV film |
| 1997–1998 | Once a Thief | Cam | 11 episodes |
| 1997–1999 | La Femme Nikita | Errol Sparks | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms | Bix | TV film |
| 1998 | Highlander: The Raven | Basil Morgan | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | The Adventures of Shirley Holmes | Doctor Saul Sprockett | Episode: "The Case of the Film Flam Farm" |
| 1998 | Once a Thief: Family Business | Camier | TV film |
| 1999 | I Was a Sixth Grade Alien | Meenom | 22 episodes |
| 1999 | Amazon | Elder Malakai | 10 episodes |
| 1999 | Thrill Seekers | Murray Trevor | TV film |
| 2000 | Hustle | Detective Walsh | TV film |
| 2000 | The Crossing | McKenzie | TV film |
| 2000 | The Zack Files | The Mad Hatter | Episode: "Library of No Return" |
| 2001 | MythQuest | Loki | Episode: "Hammer of the Gods" |
| 2001 | Prince Charming | Wacktazar | TV film |
| 2001 | The Pretender: Island of the Haunted | Brother Clote | TV film |
| 2002 | A Nero Wolfe Mystery | Poet / Jerome Åland / Peter Jay / Alger Kates | 6 episodes |
| 2002 | Tracker | Max | Episode: "To Catch a Desserian" |
| 2002 | Salem Witch Trials | Jonathan Walcott | TV film |
| 2003 | Eloise at the Plaza | Patrice | TV film |
| 2003 | Slings and Arrows | Reg Mortimer | Episode: "Geoffrey Returns" |
| 2003 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Patrice | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Kingdom Hospital | Otto | 13 episodes |
| 2004 | The Last Casino | Orr | TV film |
| 2004 - 2006 | Puppets Who Kill | French Painter / Mr. Portnoy | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | 1-800-Missing | Doc | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | At the Hotel | Baby Man | Episode: "That's How You Wave a Towel" |
| 2006 | The Shakespeare Comedy Show | Ranting Bard | 3 episodes |
| 2006 | Drive Time Murders | 'The Doc' | TV film |
| 2007 | Grossology | Darko Crevasse | Voice role; Episode: "Lights Out" |
| 2007 | Nature of the Beast | Dr. Chamberlain | TV film |
| 2007 | Roxy Hunter and the Mystery of the Moody Ghost | Mr. Tibers | TV film |
| 2008 | Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman | Mr. Tibers | TV film |
| 2008 | Roxy Hunter and the Horrific Halloween | Mr. Tibers | TV film |
| 2008 | Roxy Hunter and the Myth of the Mermaid | Mr. Tibers | TV film |
| 2008 | XIII | Mr. Cody | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | The Trojan Horse | Barrie | Miniseries; Episode: "Part One" |
| 2009 | The Boarder | Professor Adrian Maguire | Episode: "Dying Art" |
| 2009 | Sea Wolf | Mugridge | Episode: "#1.2" |
| 2009–2010 | Heartland | Levon Hanley | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Wingin' It | William Shakespeare | 1 Episode |
| 2010 | Lost Girl | Arval | Episode: "Food for Thought" |
| 2010–2012 | Todd and the Book of Pure Evil | Hooded Leader / Atticus Murphy Sr. | 15 episodes |
| 2010–2015 | Supernatural | Death | 5 episodes |
| 2011 | Dave vs Death | Death | TV short |
| 2011 | Three Inches | Ethan | TV film |
| 2011 | Bag of Bones | Elmer Durgin | Episode: "Part 1" |
| 2012 | Republic of Doyle | Lionel Harris | Episode: "3x11" |
| 2012 | Transporter: The Series | Edouard Orlande / The Voice | 5 episodes |
| 2012; 2023 | Murdoch Mysteries | Phillip Uxbridge / Carny | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Hemlock Grove | Swiss Doctor | Episode: "Catabasis" |
| 2013 | Rookie Blue | Cedric | Episode: "Poison Pill" |
| 2014 | Hell on Wheels | SLC Records Clerk | Episode: "Further West' |
| 2014 | The Listener | Miles Mellini | Episode: "Smoke and Mirrors" |
| 2014–2016 | Orphan Black | Benjamin Kertland | 7 episodes |
| 2015 | Hannibal | Caged Man | Episode: "Secondo" |
| 2015 | The Expanse | Vargas | 1 episode |
| 2015 - 2018 | Patriot | Peter Icabod | 15 episodes |
| 2016 | Killjoys | Ancient Scarback | Episode: "Full Metal Monk" |
| 2017 | Fare Trade | Shifty | Episode: "In Search of: A Super Miracle" |
| 2018 | The Magicians | Asteroth | Episode: "The Losses of Magic" |
| 2018 | Channel Zero | The Gardener | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | 12 Monkeys | The Adviser | 5 episodes |
| 2018 | Frontier | Mr. Pickersgill | Episode: "All For All and None For One" |
| 2018 | Creeped Out | Zephaniah | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Doom Patrol | Sturmbannführer Heinrich Von Fuchs | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | The Christmas Temp | Luca | TV film |
| 2019 | Carter | Ray Understone | Episode: "Harley Loses a Finger" |
| 2019 | Perpetual Grace, LTD | Jonathan Joy | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | Blood & Treasure | Alessandro | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | Talent Drivers | Vince | Episode: "Give Him What He Wants" |
| 2019 | American Gods | Iktomi | Episode: "Muninn" |
| 2020 | Detention Adventure | | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Chapelwaite | Phillip Boone | 5 episodes |
| 2022 | The Umbrella Academy | Chet Rodo | Recurring role (season 3) |
| 2022 | Reginald the Vampire | Logan | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities | Dooley | Episode: "Graveyard Rats" |
| 2024 | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Crusty / Procrustes | Episode: "We Find Out the Truth, Sort Of" |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Voice role |
| 2015 | Assassin's Creed: Syndicate | Charles Darwin |
| 2018 | Starlink: Battle for Atlas | Grax |
| 2020 | Watch Dogs: Legion | |

### Audio dramas

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2020-2022 | The Integral Principles of the Structural Dynamics of Flow | Julian Richings | 7 episodes |

## On stage

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Venue | Notes |
| 1987 | The Elephant Man | John Merrick | Paul Lampert | Persephone Theatre | |
| 1987 | Amadeus | Salieri | Tibor Fehereghazi | Persephone Theatre | |
| 1987 | The Man Himself | Michael | Cheryl May | | Flexible Packaging Plant |
| 1989 | Coming Through Slaughter | Bellocq | Richard Rose | Silver Dollar Tavern | Necessary Angel Company |
| 1990 | Lion in the Streets | Bill / Priest / Michael | Judith Thompson | Tarragon Theatre | |
| 1996 | Twelfth Night | Malvolio | Michael Langham | Atlantic Theatre | |
| 1996 | Two Weeks with the Queen | | Maja Ardal | Young People's Theatre | |
| 1997 | Inexpressible Island | Browning | Richard Rose | Canadian Stage | Necessary Angel Company |
| 2008 | The Palace of the End | David Kelly | David Storch | Canadian Stage | |
| 2011 | I Send You This Cadmium | John Berger | Daniel Brooks | Berkeley St. Theatre | |
| 2014 | I Send You This Cadmium | John Berger | Daniel Brooks | Enwave Theatre | |
| 2016 | To All a Good Night | Narrator | Andrew Burashko | Harbourfront Centre Theatre | |
| 2016 | Mustard | Leslie / Lewis | Ashlie Corcoran | Tarragon Theatre | |

## Awards and nominations
### Film and television

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Notes |
| 2002 | Genie Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | The Claim | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Chlotrudis Awards | Best Supporting Actor | The Tracey Fragments | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Hamilton Film Festival | Best Actor | Animal Control | Nominated | |
| 2014 | Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival | Best Actor | Ejecta | Won | |
| 2020 | Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival | Best Actor | Anything for Jackson | Won | |
| 2020 | Canadian Screen Awards | Best Supporting Performance - Web Program or Series | Talent Drivers | Nominated | |
| 2021 | New Media Film Festival | Best TV | Detention Adventure | Won | Shared with Sarah McVie |
| 2022 | The North Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award | — | Won | |

### Theatre

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1987 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role - Play | The Man Himself | Won |
| 1989 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Best Featured Performer | Coming Through Slaughter | Won |
| 1996 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role - Play | Two Weeks with the Queen | Nominated |
| 2008 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role - Play | The Palace of the End | Nominated |