Will Patton


William Rankin Patton is an American actor. He starred as Colonel Dan Weaver in the TNT science fiction series Falling Skies. by Katrina Onstad at nytimes.com He also appeared in the films The Client, Armageddon, Gone in 60 Seconds, Remember the Titans, The Punisher, American Honey, Halloween, and Minari. by Clayton Davis at variety.com He appeared opposite Kevin Costner in four films: No Way Out, The Postman, and Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, as well as having a guest role in seasons 3 and 4 of Costner's Paramount Network series Yellowstone. Patton played Deputy Marnes in season one of the 2023 TV series Silo.
Patton was nominated alongside castmates for his ensemble work in Minari and Yellowstone at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2020 and 2021, and won two Obie Awards for Best Actor in Sam Shepard's play Fool for Love and the Public Theater production of What Did He See?."Seasoned actor takes on diversity of roles" by Bill Thompson, The Post and Courier Retrieved from

Early life

William Rankin Patton was born on June 14, 1954 in Charleston, South Carolina,"Revisionist with a cause" by Jim Schembri, The Age Retrieved from the eldest of three children. His father, Bill Patton, was a playwright and acting/directing instructor who was a Lutheran minister and served as a chaplain at Duke University. Patton was raised on a farm, where his parents ran a foster home for wayward teenagers.

Career

Theater

Patton had lead roles in Sam Shepard's play Fool for Love and in the Public Theater production of What Did He See?

Film and television

Will portrayed character Ox Knowles on Ryan's Hope from 1982-83. Patton portrayed the evil antagonist in Desperately Seeking Susan and had a significant role in No Way Out opposite Kevin Costner, his first major film. He went on to play the role of General Bethlehem, again opposite Kevin Costner, in the 1997 The Postman. He portrayed coach Bill Yoast in Remember the Titans, and FBI agent Melvin Purvis in the 1991 made-for-television film Dillinger, before a supporting actor performance in Armageddon. Patton performed the role of Alan Wilson for five episodes on the TV show 24.
Patton also appeared in Silkwood, The Client, Copycat, The Spitfire Grill, Entrapment, Gone in 60 Seconds, The Mothman Prophecies, The Punisher, The Fourth Kind, Brooklyn's Finest, Minari and The Forever Purge. Patton had a guest role in seasons 3 and 4 of Costner's Paramount Network series Yellowstone.
Patton portrayed the character of Sam Conroy in the film American Violet. From 2011 to 2015, he starred as Colonel Weaver in the TNT sci-fi television series Falling Skies, executive-produced by Steven Spielberg. In 2018, Patton portrayed Officer Frank Hawkins in the horror reboot of Halloween, and reprised his role in its two Halloween sequels, Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends. He also portrayed Avery Sunderland in the DC Universe TV series Swamp Thing in 2019.
Patton's Yellowstone costar, Kevin Costner, identified Patton in May 2023 as an actor that will join him again, this time in Horizon, a "Civil War saga" based on four scripts which Costner intends to write, direct, and act in, covering a 15-year period of "pre- and post-Civil War... settlement of the American west".

Audiobooks

Patton has recorded more than forty-five audiobooks, including works by Stephen King, James Lee Burke, and Al Gore.

Critical reception

Patton's acting work has been noted, critically and by colleagues. Speaking with regard to Patton's presence in the Yellowstone cast, executive producer and fellow cast member Kevin Costner "praise" Patton as "very dynamic in his own way, formidable and detailed", adding that he was "a fantastic actor" and that "t was good to see Will on the set." Some of his best rated films are The Scent of Rain and Lightning and Minari. As to his participation in television he has overall positive reviews especially in shows like Swamp Thing.

Awards and recognition

Patton won two Obie Awards for best actor for his theatrical performances in Fool for Love and What Did He See?. He was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in The Postman.
More recently, Patton was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 27th SAG Awards alongside his fellow cast members, for their work in Minari, and for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 28th SAG Awards alongside his fellow cast members, for their work in Yellowstone.

Filmography

Film

Television

Voice work

Audio books

TitleAuthorYearNotes
You Like It DarkerStephen King2024
The Demon of UnrestErik Larson2024
Flags on the BayouJames Lee Burke2023
Every Cloak Rolled in BloodJames Lee Burke2022
GreywarenMaggie Stiefvater2022
Another Kind of EdenJames Lee Burke2021
Mister ImpossibleMaggie Stiefvater2021
If It BleedsStephen King2020
Tales of Ordinary MadnessCharles Bukowski2017
Call Down The HawkMaggie Stiefvater2019
The OutsiderStephen King2018
RobicheauxJames Lee Burke2018
The MistStephen King2017
Killers of the Flower MoonDavid Grann2017-
The Jealous KindJames Lee Burke2017
End of WatchStephen King2016
The Raven KingMaggie Stiefvater2016
House of the Rising SunJames Lee Burke2015
Finders KeepersStephen King2015
Blue Lily, Lily BlueMaggie Stiefvater2014
Mr. MercedesStephen King2014
Doctor SleepStephen King2013
The Dream ThievesMaggie Stiefvater2013
The SonPhilipp Meyer2013
My Cross to BearGregg Allman2012
The Raven BoysMaggie Stiefvater2012
Creole BelleJames Lee Burke2012
Train DreamsDenis Johnson2011
DeliveranceJames Dickey2011
Feast Day of FoolsJames Lee Burke2011
The Glass RainbowJames Lee Burke2010
Alas, BabylonPat Frank2010
Light in AugustWilliam Faulkner2010
Chasing Lincoln's KillerJames L. Swanson2009
Jesus' SonDenis Johnson2009
Swan PeakJames Lee Burke2008
On the RoadJack Kerouac2007
The Tin Roof BlowdownJames Lee Burke2007
The Assault on ReasonAl Gore2007
Fine Just the Way It Is: Wyoming Stories 3Annie Proulx2008
Tree of SmokeDenis Johnson2007
Last Car to Elysian FieldsJames Lee Burke2007
Thirteen MoonsCharles Frazier2006
Pegasus DescendingJames Lee Burke2006
Crusader's CrossJames Lee Burke2006
Jolie Blon's BounceJames Lee Burke2006
The President Has Been Shot!James L. Swanson2006
The Thomas Berryman NumberJames Patterson2006
To Have and Have NotErnest Hemingway2006
A Dave Robicheaux Audio CollectionJames Lee Burke2006
A Stained White Radiance
In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead
Dixie City Jam
Burning Angel
Cadillac Jukebox
When Zachary Beaver Came to TownKimberly Willis Holt2006
CosmopolisDon DeLillo2005
In the Moon of Red PoniesJames Lee Burke2004
Cimarron RoseJames Lee Burke2004
White Doves at MorningJames Lee Burke2003
BitterrootJames Lee Burke2001
Cadillac JukeboxJames Lee Burke2001
Purple Cane RoadJames Lee Burke2000
Boone's LickLarry McMurtry2000
Burning AngelJames Lee Burke1999
Heaven's PrisonersJames Lee Burke1999
HeartwoodJames Lee Burke1999
Primal FearWilliam Diehl1999
Dixie City JamJames Lee Burke1999
A Stained White RadianceJames Lee Burke1998
Sunset LimitedJames Lee Burke1998
The Sea-WolfJack London1997
Dead Man's WalkLarry McMurtry1996
Dirty White BoysStephen Hunter1995
The Water Is WidePat Conroy1995
The FermataNicholson Baker1995
Gump and Co.Winston Groom1995
Gone SouthRobert R. McCammon1994
Lila – An Inquiry into MoralsRobert M. Pirsig1991
The Neon RainJames Lee Burke1987
The Lost Get-Back BoogieJames Lee Burke1986